Debate merits of spraying in herbicides in Lowcountry

Published Wednesday, November 4, 2009

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SCE&G officials are on notice that Beaufort County has concerns about spraying herbicides to keep power lines clear of vegetation.

So it is disconcerting that just a few months after an investigation into spraying in northern Beaufort County and after clear statements of concern from county officials and residents, the utility again is spraying here.

SCE&G spokesman Scott Grigg said last week that spraying has started in several areas, including Grays Hill in northern Beaufort County and along S.C. 46 and Alljoy Road in southern Beaufort County.

Grigg said residents near the spraying were notified by mail almost a year ago.

"Two to three weeks before we cut (vegetation and trees), we send everybody a notice in the mail," he said. "The notice also says that a year after, we're coming back to spray the herbicide in there."

He said announcements also were placed in the Bluffton Today and Gullah Sentinel newspapers.

County administrator Gary Kubic said last week that he wanted to see more notification and an aggressive public relations campaign.

But we need more than just improved notification. We need information on whether such herbicides should be used at all in this particular environment. Local officials should decide. The stretch of S.C. 46 where spraying will occur over the next few weeks runs parallel to the May River and crosses both Rose Dhu and Stoney creeks, extremely sensitive headwaters areas already under stress.

In June, property owners in northern Beaufort County complained about the spraying there.

Clemson's Department of Pesticide Regulation, the state's licensing agency for businesses applying pesticide and herbicide treatments, concluded the SCE&G subcontractor, NaturChem, properly applied two chemicals on four properties, but on a fifth the application failed to stay within 15 feet on either side of power lines, killing sweet gum trees. One property owner disputes his organic citrus orchard was not harmed by the spraying.

Scientists warn such chemicals, if not properly applied, can drift through the air or leach through the soil, affecting nearby plants. Some jurisdictions require notice and permission before spraying.

This summer, Kubic instructed his staff to research what other counties and municipalities require and how herbicide chemicals can affect public health and the environment before drafting proposed standards for Beaufort County Council's consideration.

Last week, Kubic said he expects staff to have a proposal on increased notification ready by the end of this month for county lawmakers to review.

It's good the county is taking some action, but it should do more.

On Hilton Head Island, town officials and Santee Cooper reached an agreement on the methods to use to keep woody vegetation at bay under that utility's power lines. It included choosing the specific herbicides to use for upland and wetland areas. Herbicides also were sprayed from a backpack tank, which allowed better targeting.

At a minimum, that's the kind of cooperation we should see between Beaufort County and SCE&G.

Kubic and other county officials met last month with SCE&G and area residents to discuss lingering concerns about the chemical used and how it is applied. But the county needs to do more than allay residents' concerns. It should take the lead in determining what is best for its residents and its environment.

SCE&G's district manager, David Tempel, said in August, "We're members of the Southeastern Electric Exchange, and 80 percent of the utilities use this method to maintain their rights-of-way. We're not trying something new."

It's time to find out what the other 20 percent are doing and why. We just might want to try something new.

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151 Gascoigne Bluff, Bluffton, S.C. 29910
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434B Blatt Bldg., Columbia, 29201
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Rick Caporale (R-District 1)
17 Salt Wind Way, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926
Office: 680-9999; fax: 681-6700
Steven Baer (R-District 2)
10 Heather Lane, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926
Office: 689-3570; fax: 689-3569
Stu Rodman (R-District 3)
27 Baynard Park, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928
Office: 363-470; fax: 363-6472
Weston J. Newton chairman (R-District 4)
P.O. Drawer 7049, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29938
Office: 842-6111; fax: 706-9981
William McBride (D-District 5)
P.O. Box 77, St. Helena Island, SC 29920
Fax:(843)838-8303
Home:(843)838-2264
Gerald Dawson (D-District 6)
64-A Horace Dawsone Drive, Seabrook, SC 29940
Fax:(843)846-4738
Office:(843)846-4830
Paul Sommerville vice chairman (R-District 7)
1509 Pigeon Point Road, Beaufort, SC 29902
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Herbert N. Glaze (D-District 8)
P.O. Box 4053, Burton, SC 29903
Fax:(843)846-3601
Home:(843)846-2845
Brian Flewelling (R- District 9)
25 Petigru Drive, Beaufort, SC 29902
Fax:(843)379-9806
Office:(843)379-9805
Jerry Stewart (R-District 10)
11 Teaberry Lane, Bluffton, S.C. 29909
Office: 705-4753; fax: 705-4723
Laura Von Harten (D-District 11)
166 Fuller Parkway, Beaufort, SC 29902
Fax:(843)379-1380
Office:(843)379-1367

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District Office: 1300 King St., P.O. Drawer 309, Beaufort, SC 29902
Office: 322-2300; fax: 322-2371
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Beaufort County Board of Education members

Fred S. Washington chairman (District 11)
PO 325, 804 West Street, Beaufort, SC 29901
(C) 843-524-8404
Bob Arundell vice chairman (District 2)
198 Woodlake Villas, Hilton Head, S.C. 29926
Home: 681-8502; work: 7855-8040; fax: 785-3056;
Joan Deery (District 1)
5 old Fort Drive, Hilton Head, S.C. 29926
Home: 681-8968
Wayne Carbiener (District 3)
Home: 843-363-2113
Laura Bush (District 4)
P.O. Box 172, Bluffton, S.C. 29910
Home: 757-2638; fax: 757-2638
Michael F. Rivers, Sr. (District 5)
734 Seaside Road, St. Helena, SC 29920
(H) 843-838-2277
FAX 843-838-1192
Earl Campbell (District 6)
93 Bruce Smalls, Grays Hill, P.O. Box 768, Lobeco, SC 29931
(H) 843-846-4531
(C) 843-476-7512
FAX 843-846-1373
Jim Bequette (District 7)
4 Broomfield Lane 2532, Beaufort, SC 29907
(H/C) 843-263-8327
Herbert Burnes (District 8)
95 Pine Grove Road, Beaufort, SC 29906
(H) 843-846-445
(C) 843-263-2776
Ronald Speaks (District 9)
3121 Palomino Dr., Burton, SC 29906
(H) 843-525-1163
(W) 843-525-8277
FAX 843-525-1163
George Wilson (District 10)
20 Osprey Circle, Callawassie Island, S.C. 29909
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Mayor Billy Keyserling
771 Ribaut Rd., Beaufort, SC 29902
(843) 986-2444 (Work)
(843) 521-2600 (Home)
Councilwoman Donnie Ann Beer
P.O. Box 1171, Beaufort, SC 29901
379-6099 (Home)
379-2750 (Work)
Councilman Gary Fordham
860 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902
524-3334 (Home)
Councilman Mike Sutton
809 Craven St., Beaufort, SC 29902
252-5687
Councilman Mike McFee
2302 Wilson Dr. Beaufort, SC 29902
843-321-0556 (Work)
843-522-1528 (Home)

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Town Hall: One Town Center Court, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928; 341-4600

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Mayor Thomas D. Peeples
4 Hartford Place, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928-3922
Home: 686-4138; office: 681-2600; fax: 689-3229
Bill Ferguson (Ward 1)
634 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
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William Harkins (Ward 2)
3 Old Fort Lane Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
263-3261 - cell
Drew A. Laughlin (Ward 3)
5 McIntosh Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 689-5723; work 689-5700; fax 689-9300
John Safay (Ward 4)
19 Starboard Tack, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 785-4489; work: 785-4696; fax: 785-4696
George Williams (Ward 5)
8 Braddock Cove, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 363-6601; fax: 363-6604
Ken S. Heitzke (Ward 6)
3 Audubon Place, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 681-8182; fax: 681-9864