DHEC continues to work with federal, state, and local partners as it responds to COVID-19 in South Carolina. As we remain committed to protecting the safety and health of the public during this ongoing pandemic, DHEC's Environmental Affairs staff is also focused on keeping our customers and stakeholders informed of important events, regulations, meetings, permitting information, and compliance information.

To increase access to timely testing statewide, DHEC has received and is distributing the first shipments of the at-home rapid COVID-19 antigen tests it ordered for South Carolina. To date, the agency has ordered more than 2 million tests and has received about 140,000 of them. DHEC expects to receive the full order of rapid tests over the course of the next several weeks and we will alert the public when they are available.

The test kits, each containing two tests, have been distributed to DHEC public health departments (PHDs) around the state for community use and are available for pickup as of Monday, Jan. 24. Residents can visit DHEC’s testing locator to confirm whether their local PHD has at-home rapid tests available. You must be physically present to receive a kit and cannot collect kits for other people.

In the coming weeks, the Bureau of Water will be placing the latest iteration of the NPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Industrial Activities (SCR000000) on public notice. The permit covers more than 1700 facilities throughout the state whose operations have the potential to introduce pollutants into stormwater runoff. Each facility operator is required to develop and implement a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) that identifies best management practices, visual inspection, and monitoring (as appropriate). Though the existing permit expired on September 20, 2021, it remains in effect until the department's new permit is reissued. 

The Rabies Prevention Team in the Bureau of Environmental Health Services has released a new educational document on bats and rabies as well as a new webpage on preventing bat intrusion. There are 14 bat species that call South Carolina home. To help minimize potential rabies exposures from bats, it’s important that home and property owners take steps to prevent bats from entering and roosting in buildings where people visit, work, or stay overnight.

The 2020 Environmental Surveillance and Oversight Program (ESOP) Annual Report is now available on DHEC's website. ESOP is based out of the Midlands Aiken EA Office and performs non-regulatory environmental monitoring both on and around the Savannah River Site. The program studies levels of radioactive and non-radioactive chemicals present in the air, water, sediment, soil, vegetation, milk, fish, and game both on and around the site. Learn more about ESOP's results, yearly dose, and project information in its 2020 Annual Report here.

The Bureau of Environmental Health Services has released updated guidance on Time as a Public Health Control Measure for Hot or Cold Food for Retail Food Establishments.

Time as a Public Health Control measure refers to using time to monitor food instead of temperature.

Ken Taylor was recently selected to serve as Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Land & Waste Management (BLWM).  

Ken began his career at DHEC in 1986 as part of the Bureau of Water. He has been involved with and led several BLWM programs including Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Hazardous Waste, Solid Waste, Superfund, Drycleaning and Brownfields. He has been the Director of the Site Assessment, Remediation & Revitalization (SARR) Division since 2009. 

DHEC is proposing final revisions to Regulation 61-56, Onsite Wastewater Systems. If you’re interested in commenting on the proposed final revisions, you can attend the public hearing on February 10, 2022, at 11:00 AM at 2600 Bull Street in Columbia.