S 1159 General Bill, By Hayes, Gregory, Short and Sheheen
Summary: Interbasin transfer of water permits
    A BILL TO AMEND CHAPTER 4, TITLE 49, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO "THE SOUTH CAROLINA SURFACE WATER WITHDRAWAL AND REPORTING ACT", SO AS TO ESTABLISH A SURFACE WATER WITHDRAWAL PERMITTING PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL; TO PROVIDE THAT THIS PERMITTING PROCESS MUST APPLY THE PRINCIPLE OF REASONABLE AND BENEFICIAL USE; TO SPECIFY REASONABLE AND BENEFICIAL USE CRITERIA THE DEPARTMENT MUST CONSIDER IN ESTABLISHING MINIMUM INSTREAM FLOWS THAT MUST BE MAINTAINED IN ORDER TO ISSUE A SURFACE WATER WITHDRAWAL PERMIT; TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT TO ENTER INTO INTERSTATE AGREEMENTS AND COMPACTS RELATING TO WITHDRAWAL OR DIVERSION OF SURFACE WATER THAT IMPACTS THE SURFACE WATER OF THIS STATE AND TO ESTABLISH, IN COORDINATION WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND WATER USERS, SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT PLANS; TO LIMIT TO TWENTY YEARS THE PERIOD OF TIME FOR WHICH A SURFACE WATER PERMIT MAY BE ISSUED AND TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHEN NECESSARY TO PROVIDE FOR THE RETIREMENT OF BONDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER WORKS; AND TO INCORPORATE THE PERMITTING PROCESS FOR THE ISSUANCE OF INTERBASIN TRANSFER OF WATER PERMITS INTO THE SURFACE WATER WITHDRAWAL PERMITTING PROGRAM; AND TO REPEAL CHAPTER 21, TITLE 49 RELATING TO THE PERMITTING PROCESS FOR INTERBASIN TRANSFER OF WATER PERMITS.
View full text

02/21/06	Senate	Introduced and read first time SJ-12
02/21/06	Senate	Referred to Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources SJ-12