When I first joined CVSC in 2016, we were a staff of six in a small office above 701 Whaley in Columbia. Each of our staff members wore multiple hats–lobbyist and coalition manager, political director and communications support, development director and field staff support, and so on. Our strategic plan primarily focused on building staffing expertise and raising financial resources necessary to win elections and advance environmental policy. From 2016 to 2018, the team achieved nearly all of our strategic plan milestones–spending over $300,000 in elections, defeating two Senators who had scored 0% on our conservation scorecard, defeating several anti-conservation Representatives, and advancing major environmental policy in the General Assembly as a result of our electoral momentum, including the 2019 Energy Freedom Act. In 2019, the team outlined a new strategic plan, focusing primarily on advancing bold environmental policy goals and using elections to get us there. We set our sights on moving South Carolina towards 100% clean energy, protecting 3 million acres of land and water across the state, ensuring communities have clean water to drink, protecting (and restoring) the rights of communities to hold polluters accountable, and more. To achieve these bold goals, we invested heavily in building our policy, lobbying, and political expertise. In the 2022 legislative session, CVSC was leading the lobbying efforts on major land protection, clean water, polluter accountability, and clean energy legislation. Additionally, we had drafted all–or part–of five major bills that were priorities of the South Carolina Conservation Coalition, including establishing the goal of protecting 3 million additional acres of land and water in South Carolina and creating a program to prevent community exposure to toxic “forever chemicals” in drinking water.
These examples highlight how we have successfully protected the environment in a just and equitable way, but as we celebrate our 20th year as an organization and look at the opportunities and challenges ahead of us, we know we cannot let up.
On the elections side of the organization, we’re growing the Political Team by adding a Senior Vice President of Political Strategy, Katie Welborn Hagan, and an Upstate Political Manager. Katie’s expertise is already taking our election work to new levels, identifying races where CVSC’s voice can be most impactful, identifying new political tactics and strategies, targeting larger investments in more races, and more. We also see opportunities to press even harder for our bold policy goals, including a pathway for major steps to 100% clean energy in 2024 and the chance to help create a new state park network of Rosenwald Schools in communities throughout the state (see Energy and Land sections). We’ve added multiple folks to our Energy and Government Relations Teams to capitalize on these opportunities and ensure we can out-work and out-lobby the anti-conservation interests at the Statehouse who would have us continue to rely on dirty energy sources and fail to invest in meaningful land protection efforts. Recognizing that the environmental community is more powerful when we are connected with each other and communities across the state, CVSC has doubled down on our coalition-building efforts. We started our Partnerships Program in 2021 with only the 40-member Conservation Coalition as a focus. Today, we coordinate with the Conservation Coalition and work with 100+ other partners in coalitions focused on electric transportation, energy justice, historic and cultural preservation, clean water and public health, community economic development, and more. SEE NEXT PAGE
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We have
successfully protected the environment in a just and equitable way, but as we celebrate our 20th year as an organization and look at the opportunities and challenges ahead of us,
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20 YEARS STRONG
DECEMBER | 2023
THE CONSERVATION VOTER
we know we cannot let up.
JOHN TYNAN President
Program & Staff Highl ENERGY
Thanks for being a part of this fight! GOVERNMENT RELATIONS This year was a big year at the General Assembly and the Government Relations Team made excellent progress on some critical legislation. Bills that help to protect agricultural land, incentivize the building of electric vehicle chargers and incentivize more trail building all passed through the House and await hearings in the Senate. Additionally, two committees focused on market reform and utility modernization met frequently to discuss South Carolina’s energy future. As we build our legislative agenda for 2024, we are looking to both usher last year’s priorities across the finish line and to introduce new legislation to protect our air, land, and water.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 With the addition of new members of the Partnerships Team this year, we’re expanding beyond building relationships and are investing in identifying, training, and supporting leaders in our partner organizations and communities throughout the state on their journey into public service. The end of 2023 marks the end of CVSC’s 20th year as an organization. We’ve done a lot over our 20-year history, but the team of nearly 20 incredibly talented individuals at CVSC has our eyes set on bigger, bolder, and more impactful things in the years to come. With your support, we’ll continue fighting to recruit, train, and elect leaders who will fight for 100% clean energy, protect 3 million acres of land and water, restore community rights to protect the environment and public health, and ensure clean drinking water for current and future generations. These goals are achievable in South Carolina with the support of you and the rest of CVSC’s advocates and partners. Thanks for being a part of this fight with us!
Despite a packed agenda, the next year looks like it will be especially chaotic. Not only is 2024 an election year, but it is the second year of a two-year session. In fact, committee work has already begun as the legislators look to get ahead before campaign season begins. Cutting through all of that noise means that our team has its work cut out for it. So, we’ve expanded! Hope Blackley is joining us as our Government Relations Director. She has served in and around government at all levels throughout her career and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team. Alan Lee will be joining us as our new Government Relations Manager. Alan is a graduate of Appalachian State University and the University of South Carolina School of Law. He most recently served as a law clerk for a circuit court judge. Finally, Meagan Diedolf has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Policy. With this strategic promotion and the addition of new staff, the department aims to build stronger relationships and ensure that environmental issues and legislation remain a top priority among our elected officials. We can’t wait to get started!
There are three major energy issues converging as the General Assembly enters the second year of session. First, CVSC worked with Senator Scott Talley to introduce the Energy Independence and Risk Reduction Act (S.779) in 2022. This bill offers a bold new approach for a low-cost, competitive transition to clean energy. Second, we are also expecting efforts to reform South Carolina’s monopoly utility model. Last year, a legislative study committee report revealed hundreds of millions of dollars in cost savings and reliability benefits if South Carolina moves to an organized, competitive market—as most other states have. This would provide a major opportunity for clean energy growth as a more transparent and competitive marketplace allows low-cost clean energy to compete fairly in the market. Third, the Speaker of the House has created an Ad Hoc Committee to pursue energy policy as an economic development tool. This presents an enormous opportunity to advance clean energy but also potential threats around major natural gas expansion. CVSC is working to frame clean energy as a critically needed tool in South Carolina’s economic
hlights development toolbox in order to recruit leading industries with carbon reduction goals. All these dynamics point to a major year for energy legislation in 2024, with CVSC right in the middle of it. Given these demands, we are expanding our energy team to capitalize on these major opportunities, including promoting John Brooker to Energy Policy Director and expanding the energy team with two additional staff alongside Jalen Brooks-Knepfle. Outside the General Assembly, the Governor established the “powerSC” Interagency Working Group, which, similarly to the Speaker’s efforts, seeks to identify energy policy provisions to support SC’s growth and economic development. In all of these venues, CVSC will continue to advocate clean energy as the most cost-effective approach to meet our economic development needs while reducing customer risk and protecting our air, land, and water.
a Rosenwald School protection and promotion network will look like and what it will cost. This is the first critical step to establishing a South Carolina Rosenwald School State Park Network—the first of its kind in the country—and a complement to efforts to develop a Rosenwald School National Park. This network will protect sites across the state and could be one of the few state park properties highlighting South Carolina’s African-American history. At the Statehouse, we will advance bills that protect agricultural land and improve trail connectivity across
Last, all three major utilities in South Carolina have long-term energy plans pending approval by the Public Service Commission. These plans currently include heavy investment in fossil fuels through major new natural gas-fired power plants and inadequate clean energy and energy efficiency commitments. The Commission’s decisions on these plans will provide the basis for once-in-a-generation investment decisions. CVSC has been promoting the public voice, successfully pushing the Commission to open hearings for public testimony on all three utility plans for the first time in over a decade.
POLITICAL As we move into an election year, we can no longer solely rely on South Carolina’s political parties and individual candidates to win the critical races that advance clean energy and protect South Carolina’s air, land, and water. CVSC is strategically investing in a political team to elect more conservation champions, and we anticipate making additional hires to strengthen our efforts. We look forward to recruiting, supporting, and electing many more conservation allies across the state in 2024. CVSC has already started to build its political team!
LAND, WATER, OCEAN Earlier this year, CVSC collaborated with WeGOJA to secure state funding for a study on the protection of Rosenwald Schools, which are historic schools built for rural African-American students in the early 1900s. These landmarks and the land they sit on are under threat–from development, disrepair, and more. South Carolina has already lost over 90% of the nearly 500 schools that once stood. Now, the Rosenwald School State Park Study is now officially underway. Along with WeGOJA, CVSC is helping to bring together key stakeholders like the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, and Rosenwald Community groups to implement the study. Together, we will create a model of what
the state. CVSC has collaborated with partners to develop successful strategies to ensure that the Working Agricultural Lands Bill and the Trails Tax Credit Bill are passed. We are also gearing up for a renewed focus on our state’s surface water withdrawal laws. Through our partnership with DHEC and other water experts, we have identified policy revisions that will strengthen our state’s ability to protect its precious water resources from further degradation.
Katie Welborn Hagan is stepping up as the Senior Vice President of Political Strategy. She is known to many for her partnership work at CVSC and for steering initiatives like the SC Electric Transportation Network and the SC Conservation Coalition. Before joining CVSC, Katie managed two statewide political campaigns was elected as State Chairman of South Carolina Young Republicans, and led numerous policy and advocacy initiatives in our state. Our expanded political program is focused on electing more conservation champions to the State House and we’ve already identified legislative districts for targeted recruitment and accountability efforts for 2024 and beyond.
PARTNERSHIPS
Year In Review
2023
At CVSC, our organization’s core revolves around people. Being people-focused is one of our fundamental values, as the people of South Carolina drive the momentum necessary to fulfill our mission. Their voices play a critical role in our pursuit of environmental justice; therefore, we prioritize nurturing and stewarding our relationships with communities across the state to honor their commitment to conservation. In 2021, the partnerships department was created as a vessel to build stronger relationships that lead to better political and policy outcomes. For far too long, we have known that the best
leaders are those closest to the community or the problems they wish to solve. With the inception of the Palmetto Leadership Academy, our premier training for aspiring leaders, we envision more leaders equipped with the education, exposure, and esteem to serve on local boards and commissions. Ultimately, we aim to have program graduates appointed to roles that will drive policy change that advances our fight for the environment. In August, CVSC hired a Senior Vice President of Impact and Collaboration. Providing oversight and guidance to our partnerships department, Kendra Mallett-Brunson will direct our vision of strengthening partnerships, connecting more
● $245 MILLION secured through state budget for land protection
● $300,000 secured through
state budget for Rosenwald
School network assessment ● $250,000 secured through
state budget to study offshore wind potential
● 32+ MEDIA HITS on
conservation and clean
energy issues as a result of CVSC efforts
movements and people to conservation eforts, and creating pathways to visibility for our partners and community members who are equally committed to the protection of our air, land, and water. CVSC has further fortified its partnerships department by introducing Tori Oluseyi, Community Leadership Project Manager, Heidi Johnson-Young, Community Leadership Project Manager, and Evan Renshaw, Partnerships Engagement Manager. These roles will work together to oversee the success of the Palmetto Leadership Academy and steward our partners throughout the South Carolina Conservation Coalition and the state.
● 4 ADDITIONAL LEGISLATIVE VICTORIES IN 2023 ● ALTERNATIVE FUELS TAX CREDIT, H.3824: incentivizing taxpayers to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
• TRAIL TAX CREDIT, H.3121: providing an income
tax credit to a property owner who adds a voluntary, perpetual trail easement to their property and provides the qualifying criteria protections.
• SOLAR PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION, H.3948:
providing a property tax exemption for solar panels and the required equipment.
•
DHEC REFORM: preserving core environmental protections and providing opportunities to create an improved environmental agency.
WAYS TO GIVE
We are so grateful for all of our donors, who empower all of CVSC’S work to protect South Carolina’s air, land, and water. As we enter this giving season, we wanted to remind you of the many ways you can support our transformative work!
Qualified Charitable Distribution If you are 70½ or older, you are able to make a contribution directly from your individual retirement account (IRA) to support the CVSC Education Fund.
Appreciated Assets Giving appreciated assets including stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, to Conservation
Voters of South Carolina or CVSC Education Fund (non-tax deductible) helps protect our air, land, and water!
Monthly Giving
Monthly gifts ensure that CVSC has the resources to plan for the future, respond to new and evolving situations, and spend more time prioritizing conservation in South Carolina. Not to mention they make giving so easy! Sign up to be a monthly donor by
returning the
enclosed envelope with your payment
information. Be sure to check the monthly donor box.
To learn more about giving to CVSC Education Fund or CVSC, please contact our Senior VP of Development & Operations, Meredith McNeely, at meredith@cvsc.org
In September, over 300 people from South Carolina’s conservation, political, and business communities came together at our Green Tie Awards Luncheon. We were thrilled to honor conservation champions Senator Gerald Malloy, Senator Scott Talley, Representative Patricia Henegan, Representative Phillip Lowe, and Chief Pete Parr of the Pee Dee Indian Tribe. We’re grateful for our generous sponsors and attendees; their incredible support shows our state’s leaders that South Carolinians care about conservation.
THANK YOU TO OUR 2023
SPONSORS Arnold Nemirow
Audubon South Carolina
EMERALD
Blue Granite Water Company
Coastal Conservation League
Horry County Solid Waste Authority
Coca-Cola Consolidated
Bold South Strategies
Cypress Creek Renewables
Renewable Water Resources
Builders Supply Company
First Tuesday Strategies
Sonoco *
Sound and Images South Carolina Water Utilities, Inc. Upstate Forever Watershed Consulting Group
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina* • Boeing* • Cherry Street Energy • The Francis Marion Hotel • Furman University • Greenville Water* • Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. • McCall Environmental • Nelson Mullins • Robinson Bradshaw • Senior Golfers of America • South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development • Southern Environmental Law Center* • Sustain South Carolina • Sunrun • Trust for Public Land • Wyche PA
Alder Energy Systems • Alliance for Transportation Electrification • BGW Solutions • Drive Electric Columbia • Ducks Unlimited • Electrification Coalition • Eve Moredock Stacey • Fox Rothschild, LLP • Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce • The Gallivan Group* • Harper General Contractors • Naturaland Trust • SC Health Professionals for Climate Action • SC Native Plant Society • Sustaining Way • Timberlake Communications* • WeGOJA Foundation * Donors to CVSCEF
Susan Hilfer, Chair Kevin Kay, Vice Chair Paul Agnew Marian Brailsford Bruce Cole Sue Doran Greg Gregory Ben Johnson Millie Knowlton Willie Morgan Chynna Phillips Mark Robertson Harry Shealy Libby Smith Taylor Speer Mike Young
CVSC STAFF JOHN TYNAN President ZACH BJUR Land, Water, Ocean Project Manager HOPE BLACKLEY Government Relations Director JOHN BROOKER Energy Policy Director JALEN BROOKS-KNEPFLE Energy Project Manager MEAGAN DIEDOLF Senior VP of Policy & Government Relations EMILY DOSCHER Digital Engagement Manager KATE DURAND Communications & Public Relations Director REBECCA GEIGEL Finance & Data Manager KATIE WELBORN HAGAN Senior VP of Political Strategy
CVSC EDUCATION FUND BOARD OF DIRECTORS Cynthia Powell, Chair Emma Ruth Brittian Michael Brown Kevin Harvin Arnold Nemirow Ann Warner
HEIDI JOHNSON-YOUNG Community Leadership Project Manager
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We’ve done a lot over our 20-year history,
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CVSC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
and we have our eyes set on even bigger, bolder, and more impactful things in the years to come.
ALAN LEE Government Relations Manager KENDRA MALLETT-BRUNSON Senior VP of Impact & Collaboration MEREDITH MCNEELY Senior VP of Development & Operations TORI OLUSEYI Community Leadership Project Manager EVAN RENSHAW Partnerships & Engagement Manager
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