Federal rule change could harm SC marshes, advocates say

Coastal South Carolina is defined — geographically, culturally and historically — by its wetlands.

From the tidal marshes of the Lowcountry to the swamp forests of Congaree National Park to the ephemeral Carolina bays of Horry County’s Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve, soggy landscapes are closely tied to the Palmetto State’s identity.

Conservation groups say many of the state's wetlands could be at risk after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers proposed on Nov. 17 a new legal definition for “Waters of the United States.”

Rising Waters Lab

The Post and Courier’s Rising Waters Lab focuses on impacts of climate change and related policies and practices. It is supported by donations and grants to the nonprofit Public Service and Investigative Fund, whose