Skip to main content

SC: I-73 wetland trade halted

Last month, SC House members blocked a measure to use recently acquired wetlands by the state's Conservation Bank as compensation for 27 acres of wetland that will be lost due to the construction of Interstate 73. The 27 acres are from where Interstate 73 is intended to cross the Little Pee Dee River Heritage Preserve.

Two measures pushed by Horry County legislators were defeated. The first, a measure that required any wetland gained by the Conservation in the next fiscal year be used to offset highway construction fell by a vote of 61-51.

Another measure, that specifically called for any acquired wetlands be used to offset the 27 acres that I-73 will impact fell 66 to 47.

The DOT intends to finalize plans for I-73 from I-95 to SC 22 this spring, but must include a compensation plan for the impacted 27 acres. Last November, the Department of Natural Resources, who oversees the Heritage Preserve, said that they would not fight the construction of I-73, but did expect full compensation for the impacted wetlands.

If a compensation plan is not agreed upon, it could impact progress on I-73 by delaying the completion of the necessary permits.

Story: Trade plan for wetland derailed ---Myrtle Beach Sun News

Also: SC: Heritage Trust Board won't fight I-73 but expects compensation

Commentary:

Either bill would have provided a quick solution in how the impacted 27 acres of wetlands would be replaced. The defeat of the two proposals forces SCDOT to work with the DNR in a compensation plan on the wetlands. Something both parties have no objections to doing.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Tulare Lake returns

During the winter of 2023 California experienced one of the wettest seasons in recent decades.  Enough snow and water were deposited into the Sierra Nevada Mountains that the runoff was enough to partially reform Tulare Lake within San Joaquin Valley.  Tulare Lake was once the largest lake west of the Mississippi River by surface area.  Tulare Lake has been largely dried for the past century due to irrigation divisions and upstream impoundments.  This blog will examine the history of Tulare Lake and its recent return.  Pictured as the blog cover is Tulare Lake from 19th Avenue in Kings County during early May 2023.  Tulare Lake can be seen near its maximum extent below on the 1876 P.Y. Baker Map of Tulare County .   Part 1; the history of Tulare Lake Tulare Lake is the largest remnant of Lake Corcoran.  Lake Corcoran once covered much of the entire Central Valley due to being it being located at a in natural low point from where mountain run-off would accumulate.  Lake Corcoran is thou

Former US Route 101 through Sargent

  Sargent is a ghost town and siding of the Southern Pacific Railroad located in southern Santa Clara County.  The original alignment of US Route 101 was aligned through Sargent via what is now known as Old Monterey Road.  Sargent was bypassed gradually due to shifts of the alignment of US Route 101 which occurred during 1941 and 1950.  Pictured as the blog cover is a view on Old Monterey Road which is now no longer accessible to the general public.  Below is a scan of the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Santa Clara County which depicts the original alignment US Route 101 through Sargent.   Part 1; the history of US Route 101 in Sargent Sargent lies on land which was once part of Rancho Juristac.  During 1856 James P. Sargent purchased Rancho Juristac and plotted what was known as Sargent Ranch.  By 1869 the Southern Pacific Railroad coast line reached the relocated town site of Gilroy.  The Southern Pacific Railroad coast line would be constructed through Chittenden Pass by 1871 whic

California State Route 60/Former US Route 60/70 through the Moreno Valley Badlands west to Riverside

This past month I drove California State Route 60 through the Moreno Valley Badlands westward towards the City of Riverside.  CA 60 through the Moreno Valley Badlands was once part of the corridors of US Route 60 and US Route 70. The present route of CA 60 is a 70 mile (76 counting multiplex) slice of former US 60 between downtown Los Angeles east to I-10 near Beaumont.  The vast majority of CA 60 aside from a small section in the Moreno Valley Badlands is presently a freeway grade. For me CA 60 holds some personal history as it was the route I used most frequently accessing work sites in the Inland Empire circa 2011-2013.  Despite what many others probably would say I always really enjoyed the Moreno Valley Badlands portion of CA 60.  Considering I frequently worked on US 60 through Arizona and New Mexico the route holds even more appeal.  I even have a CA 60 shield hanging up in my garage. Part 1; History of Roadways in the Moreno Valley Badlands CA 60 between B