The purpose of this responsibility for SCDHEC is to balance the public ' s desire to utilize natural resources within the state while also taking measures to protect environmental quality . Through integrated regulatory and compliance programs , SCDHEC works to ensure that environmental impacts are limited within the scope of state laws and regulations . SCDHEC delegates this responsibility to their Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management ( SCDHEC-OCRM ). Construction of structures within the dunes and beach areas of coastal South Carolina are permitted based on agency-defined beachfront jurisdictional lines . Construction of structures within tidal marshlands within the state are permitted based on critical area and wetland delineations defined by professional surveyors on a siteby-site basis . A permit needs to be provided by SCDHEC-OCRM prior to installing structures or making alterations within defined critical areas . These alterations can include building docks , bulkheads , boat ramps or other activities such as filling or dredging . SCDHEC-OCRM also expanded their purview in 2021 to include permitting for living shoreline projects .
The critical area permit application outlines the minimum requirements needed for the DHEC to consider a permit request . An administrative fee ranging from $ 25 to $ 1000 is required as a part of the permitting process . Once the applications are administratively complete , they are placed on public notice for 10 , 15 , or 30 days , depending on the activity . The regulatory time frames allow other agencies and members of the public to review and comment on the project . Relevant documents for the permitting process can be found on SCDHEC ’ s website . SCDHEC coastal zone consistency staff reviews for impacts to federally defined non-jurisdictional wetland impacts associated with state permits . SCDHEC wetland staff will continue to review projects requiring a USACE ( ACOE ) 404 permit involving impacts to federally defined jurisdictional wetland impacts .
SCDHEC developed the new regulatory language for living shorelines using scientific data and monitoring results from existing installations of these practices in coastal South Carolina . Furthermore , it was developed using input from state , local , and federal agencies , collectively known as the Living Shoreline Working Group , and additional stakeholder engagement . A summary document of these efforts was produced by the S . C . Department of Natural Resources to provide guidance towards the use of Living Shorelines ( SCDNR , 2019 ). On May 28 , 2021 , SCDHEC released the final regulations for living shorelines regulatory permitting in the State Register . With these regulations , SCDHEC-OCRM now has the ability to provide permitting for living shorelines using a separate process .
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NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS MANUAL FOR KIAWAH ISLAND