Letter: Keep Columbia out of local decisions

From a Feb.1 article in The State by Sammy Fretwell discussing the bill that would prohibit local jurisdictions from passing plastic-grocery-bag bans: “Sen. John Courson, R-Richland, said he opposes the bill and does not think it would pass the Senate. But he said that could depend on which industry groups support it and how hard they push to approve the bill.”

In other words, folks, our state senators are more influenced by special interests than by their constituents’ desires for a healthy environment.

We South Carolinians are very protective of our rivers, streams and coastline. We treasure our forests, lakes, swamps and marshes. So why would our legislators want to pass any laws restricting our ability as a community to protect those resources. This is especially true here in the Lowcountry, where we have an added responsibility to protect the sea-life that inhabits our coastal waters.

Please contact your state representative and encourage him or her to vote “no” on H. 3529. And, just in case this onerous bill gets through the House, call your senator and ask him to vote “no” on any subsequent Senate bill.

This story was originally published February 9, 2017 at 2:48 PM with the headline "Letter: Keep Columbia out of local decisions."