H*3434 (Rat #0418, Act #0366 of 2000) General Bill, By Campsen, Altman, Davenport, Inabinett and Sharpe
Summary: Groundwater Use and Reporting, Surface Water Withdrawal and Reporting, Drought Response Acts; Water and Sewer
    A BILL TO AMEND CHAPTERS 4 AND 5 OF TITLE 49, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE WATER USE REPORTING AND COORDINATION ACT AND THE GROUNDWATER USE ACT, SO AS TO DENOMINATE THESE CHAPTERS AS THE "SOUTH CAROLINA SURFACE WATER WITHDRAWAL AND REPORTING ACT" AND THE "GROUNDWATER USE AND REPORTING ACT", RESPECTIVELY AND, AMONG OTHER THINGS, TO CHANGE THE THRESHOLD AMOUNT OF WATER WITHDRAWAL REQUIRING REGISTRATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL FROM A DAILY MEASUREMENT TO A MONTHLY MEASUREMENT; TO REVISE THE CATEGORIES OF WATER USERS REQUIRED TO REGISTER TO INCLUDE ONLY WATER WITHDRAWERS; TO REQUIRE WATER WITHDRAWERS TO REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT ANNUALLY, RATHER THAN QUARTERLY; TO REVISE DROUGHT REPORTING PROCEDURES; TO REQUIRE NOTIFICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR CERTAIN DEPTH WELL DRILLING IN A NONCAPACITY USE AREA BEFORE DRILLING BEGINS RATHER THAN AFTER THE WELL IS DRILLED AND TO REQUIRE PUBLIC NOTICE BE PROVIDED OF SUCH WELL DRILLING; TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT TO INITIATE THE PROCESS FOR DESIGNATING AN AREA AS A CRITICAL USE AREA, RATHER THAN AUTHORIZING ONLY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO INITIATE THIS PROCESS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS IN CAPACITY USE AREAS MUST BE BASED UPON LOCALLY DEVELOPED PLANS RATHER THAN ON DEPARTMENT GUIDELINES AND TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION; AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES; AND TO AMEND CHAPTER 23, TITLE 49, RELATING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DROUGHT RESPONSE ACT OF 1985, SO AS TO DELETE THE REFERENCE TO 1985, SO AS TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, REVISE THE DEFINITION OF "DROUGHT" AND DEFINE "DROUGHT INDICES", AND TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES TO ESTABLISH SPECIFIC NUMERICAL VALUES FOR EACH LEVEL OF DROUGHT; TO FURTHER CLARIFY WATER USE RESTRICTION DURING DROUGHTS; TO REVISE DROUGHT NOTICE REQUIREMENTS AND DROUGHT RESPONSE COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICES; TO REVISE THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS AND MEMBERSHIP OF LOCAL DROUGHT COMMITTEES; TO REVISE WHAT CONSTITUTES ESSENTIAL WATER USE; TO PROVIDE FOR APPEALS TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE DIVISION BY A PARTY AFFECTED BY A DECLARATION OF THE DROUGHT RESPONSE COMMITTEE; AND TO DELETE OBSOLETE PROVISIONS.-AMENDED TITLE
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02/03/99	House	Introduced and read first time HJ-5
02/03/99	House	Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs HJ-6
03/01/00	House	Committee report: Favorable with amendment Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs HJ-6
03/08/00	House	Amended HJ-33
03/08/00	House	Read second time HJ-35
03/09/00	House	Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-7
03/14/00	Senate	Introduced and read first time SJ-9
03/14/00	Senate	Referred to Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources SJ-9
05/04/00	Senate	Polled out of committee Agriculture and Natural Resources SJ-12
05/04/00	Senate	Committee report: Favorable with amendment Agriculture and Natural Resources SJ-12
05/25/00	Senate	Amended SJ-73
05/25/00	Senate	Read second time SJ-73
05/25/00	Senate	Ordered to third reading with notice of amendments SJ-73
05/31/00	Senate	Amended SJ-158
05/31/00	Senate	Read third time and returned to House with amendments SJ-158
06/01/00	House	Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled HJ-8
06/08/00		Ratified R 418
06/14/00		Signed By Governor
06/14/00		Effective date 06/14/00
06/29/00		Copies available
06/29/00		Act No. 366