CVSC Summer 2024 Newsletter

SUMMER 2024 NEWSLETTER

Friend,

Table of Contents Letter from the President................................. 1 2023-2024 Legislative Scorecard............. 3 Legislative Recap: Energy.............................. 5 Legislative Recap: Land................................... 7 Outside of the General Assembly............ 9 2024 Election Strategy..................................... 11 CVSC Political Intel Network........................ 12 Update: Public Service Commission.... 13 Update: SC Rosenwald Trail Study........ 14 Palmetto Leadership Academy............... 15 The Grove: Monthly Donor Collective... 17 Save the Date: Green Tie Awards........... 18

When I talk to CVSC supporters and new environmental advocates, I often pose the question, “What is the most effective tool to protect the environment?” Their answers vary widely but usually include some version of advocacy and lobbying, endorsements and elections, or education and training. If you were to ask me, however, I’d say it is a bit of a trick question. My answer is “all of the above.”

CVSC’s role in South Carolina’s environmental movement is to build political influence and use this influence to advance conservation policy in the General Assembly. That job requires many tactics, including lobbying, electoral engagement, education, and leadership training.

As our team continues to grow, we can use each of these tools to more intentionally build power for conservation and push for bold environmental policy change. Take the recent energy debate in the General Assembly, for example. The South Carolina House introduced a dangerous and far-reaching energy bill that would allow fossil-fuel interests to destroy our environment and raise our rates with little to no oversight from state regulators. So we threw everything at it.

Our response was proportional to the threat it posed to South Carolina’s environment and ratepayers, and we did everything we could to defeat this dangerous legislation.

Our government relations and energy policy teams were in the Statehouse lobby daily, educating lawmakers and lining up votes and voices in opposition.

Using Every Tool to Protect Our Environment Our political team communicated to lawmakers that supporting this misguided energy bill would disqualify them from a CVSC endorsement this election cycle.

Our communications team deployed a comprehensive outreach campaign that included TV and digital ads across the state, earned media placements, and direct mail and phone calls to advocates in key legislative districts, touching voters over 6 million times throughout this campaign.

Our partnerships team mobilized community members to the Statehouse countless times, driving over 100 advocates to a rally on the Capitol steps and signing up over 75 community voices to speak at committee hearings.

Through these efforts, we built additional influence. We used our political power to prevent one of the most dangerous pieces of energy legislation from becoming law, proving those wrong who told us that we didn’t have what it would take to stop the top priority of the Speaker of the House. As this newsletter went to press, the bill is still not–and likely won’t become–law. In stopping the bill so far, we’ve already defied the odds. But we can and must continue the fight.

We will closely monitor conference committee discussions around the disastrous energy bill and mobilize immediately to oppose it if it gains traction.

This year, we’re also working to elect a bipartisan and pragmatic slate of cleanenergy-minded candidates. We’ll continue communicating to the public about the risks of over-relying on fossil fuels. We’ll continue to build partnerships with people throughout the state who share our conservation values so that we can connect them to the political and policymaking process. We’ll continue to identify and train aspiring public servants in communities throughout the state to build a bench of conservation decision-makers who will serve our state for years to come.

CVSC has built political influence and achieved the impossible this legislative session because of outstanding and steadfast supporters like you. But we will continue to need your support, voice, and vote as we forge ahead. Together, we can and will continue to build power for the environment and advance policies that protect the air, land, and water we all love.

Thank you for all of your support and all you do.

With gratitude, John Tynan President

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Legislative Scorecard It is that time again! We have closed out another two-year legislative session at the South Carolina Statehouse, and now you can see how your legislators voted on a range of critical conservation issues.

We scored each Representative and Senator based on their votes to protect endangered agricultural lands, roll back protective regulations, pass harmful energy legislation, and more.

This year, the House’s view on energy policy was a clear dividing line between Representatives. Senate scores were incredibly high across the board, showing that they work through consensus and didn't take as many controversial votes.

How did your Representative or Senator vote on the legislation that impacts our environment in South Carolina? Scan the QR code or visit cvsc.org/scorecards to find out.

Legislative Recap: Energy This session, CVSC was the driving force behind a monumental effort to prevent the enactment of a far-reaching and dangerous energy bill championed by fossil fuel interests (H.5118). This bill aimed to greenlight costly gas megaprojects, notably one along the Edisto River, while dismantling key protections for ratepayers, landowners, and the environment within South Carolina's regulatory and permitting framework. If passed, the bill would have resulted in increased electricity bills for South Carolina consumers, the construction of extensive new pipelines crisscrossing sensitive areas of the state, and the establishment of large, polluting facilities leading South Carolina to a future characterized by high emissions and pollution.

CVSC and the conservation community’s response was proportional to the untold environmental destruction posed by this bill, introduced by Speaker of the House Murrell Smith in February after an unsuccessful stakeholder input process.

CVSC launched PalmettoPowerGamble.com, organized a rally at the Statehouse against H.5118, drove dozens to testify at hearings, ran TV and digital ads, and drove thousands of calls and emails into legislative offices. Despite a groundswell of opposition and a strong media narrative building against the bill, the House approved the bill with relatively few changes. CVSC and partner efforts helped slow down the bill and highlighted major issues and concerns.

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These efforts paid off when the bill hit a major roadblock in the Senate. After a rushed committee process, a bipartisan group of Senators spoke out against the bill, utility overreach, and how quickly the bill was moving forward. The bill was amended in the Senate, making it little more than a non-binding policy statement. Because the House and Senate versions of the bill were so different, the legislation has been sent to a conference committee and has an uncertain future.

Because of our leadership and opposition, the energy bill championed by utilities is now on life support. To the South Carolinians who stepped up and spoke out against this harmful legislation–thank you. We couldn’t be more proud of our advocates and the this team for all of the hard work and dedication to protecting the South Carolina we love.

Stopping H.5118 Unfortunately, the fight isn’t over yet. This summer, H.5118 is headed to a conference committee where legislators could try to pass this bill again or put it at the top of the agenda for next year. We’ll keep you posted on ways to take action in the coming months.

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Legislative Recap: Land With South Carolina now the fastest-growing state in the nation, it’s more important than ever to advance both land protection policies and smart growth policies to safeguard our natural resources and the health of our communities.

This year, we celebrated the passage of two pieces of legislation that will provide tools for protecting more land and water in South Carolina. A third piece of legislation was introduced, and although it didn’t pass, it has spurred lawmakers to think about the role they can play in advancing smart growth from the legislature.

For all of these bills, CVSC worked tirelessly to find co-sponsors, educate lawmakers, and drive public support, which will have a lasting impact on land protection and accessibility across South Carolina.

Working Agricultural Lands (passed) The Working Agricultural Lands Bill (H.3951) will protect farmland in the state from rampant development. It creates a dedicated fund at the South Carolina Conservation Bank to purchase conservation easements that ensure working agricultural land stays that way for generations to come.

Trails Tax Credit (passed) The Trails Tax Credit Bill (H.3121) will help to expand and enhance trail connectivity in the state by offering a tax credit to private landowners who encumber their property with a public trail. The COVID-19 pandemic put an enormous strain on our trail systems, and this bill helps ease that strain by encouraging the accessibility and connectedness of South Carolina’s trails.

Transferable Development Rights (did not pass) The Transferable Development Rights Bill (H.4996) would have been a tool for towns and counties to shift growth away from areas they want to protect and into areas that are advantageous for growth. These programs can protect open land, wetlands, farmlands, and more while increasing density, affordable housing, and efficient public services in other areas.

Although this bill did not pass, we will continue to fight for new tools to promote smart growth in South Carolina.

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Outside of the General Assembly Despite a busy legislative session, CVSC has engaged in exciting developments outside the Statehouse.

Amid a pivotal election year, we've expanded our political team and endorsed 34 conservation-minded candidates for the House and Senate.

We've also kicked off the SC Rosenwald Trail Study, a project to preserve historical Rosenwald Schools and create a statewide trail network. In our ongoing work with the Public Service Commission, we've advocated for smart energy solutions and mobilized public opposition to significant rate hikes proposed by major utilities. Finally, our inaugural Palmetto Leadership Academy has successfully graduated its first cohort of Fellows, who are now poised to take on leadership roles across the state.

Read on for more details about these exciting initiatives and our ongoing efforts to protect South Carolina's environment and communities.

Conservation Voters In Action 2024 Election Strategy In a pivotal year—when every House and Senate seat is up for grabs—CVSC has expanded our team to enhance our impact throughout this critical election cycle.

In January, we welcomed Austin Brown as our Upstate Political Manager. Austin has been monitoring actions of Greenville County Council, developing strategies to hold its leadership accountable, and is leading our efforts in State House and State Senate races throughout the Upstate.

In April, we continued our expansion by hiring Tyler Mason as our Lowcountry Political Manager to enhance our efforts in Charleston County and beyond. Tyler's role involves forging strong relationships with local leaders and conservation partners and leading the charge on a slate of House and Senate efforts throughout the state.

In the early part of the year, our team was busy with the rigorous candidate evaluation process as the election season heated up. We contacted every candidate who filed to run for House and Senate seats across South Carolina to participate in candidate surveys and interviews with our staff. After careful deliberation, the CVSC Board endorsed 24 candidates for the House and 10 candidates for the Senate across the State.

At CVSC, our bipartisan approach ensures that we support candidates who champion conservation, irrespective of their political affiliation. Our team is implementing robust campaigns to support these candidates through political mail, phone calls, texts, digital ads, and door-knocking.

Scan the QR code or visit cvsc.org/elections to see the candidates we endorsed and how they fared in their primary races.

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Primary Election Results

CVSC Political Intel Network To further bolster our election strategies, we launched the CVSC Political Intel Network, a crucial initiative that allows community members to enhance CVSC’s political efforts. By joining this network, supporters can share any political communications they receive—texts, emails, or voicemails. This real-time information is invaluable to the CVSC team, helping us know what voters hear and see in their districts. This enables us to craft precise messaging and strategies that support conservation-friendly candidates and counter those who oppose our goals.

Though the primaries have concluded, there’s still time to sign up for the CVSC Political Intel Network. Simply scan the QR code and register using our online form. You'll be equipped to send us any political communications with just a text. As a participant, you'll gain exclusive insights into the electoral process, hear about important volunteer opportunities with campaigns, and see firsthand how your contributions drive our success in electing true conservation advocates in November.

Join the Political Intel Network

Looking to November As we move toward the general election, we remain dedicated to advancing conservation causes through strategic political action. Your involvement is crucial as we strive to elect conservation champions who will uphold our conservation values and ensure the preservation of the South Carolina we love.

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Update: Public Service Commission The Public Service Commission (PSC) works to oversee power companies’ energy plans and requests for rate increases. Early in the year, CVSC arranged for expert speaker Aaron Schwartz from RMI to present our fifth educational briefing to the PSC, highlighting battery storage basics, market trends, and examples of successful battery projects in other states.

Aaron met with several legislators and advocates, and his discussions helped to inform the debates at the PSC and the General Assembly. For example, Aaron highlighted that Hawaii replaced an entire coal plant with battery storage, which CVSC staff and lawmakers used to oppose fossil-fuel-backed H.5118.

Also this year, Duke Energy Carolinas filed at the PSC requesting a 15.5% increase in its rates, although it reached a settlement agreement with several parties in the case that would reduce the amount of the increase by about one-third. Dominion Energy has also requested a 14.21% increase in its customer bills. CVSC drove ratepayer participation in these cases, leading to significant testimony opposing the increases.

Driving public participation at the PSC is crucial in ensuring that the Commission and utilities know the public is watching and ultimately holding utilities and the regulators accountable for their actions. The PSC will decide on the rate hikes this summer, so stay tuned for updates!

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Update: SC Rosenwald Trail Study The South Carolina Rosenwald Trail Study officially kicked off after receiving state funding in 2023! CVSC is proud to have lobbied for the study last year to help bring the initiative to life.

You may recall that nearly 500 Rosenwald schools were built in rural African American communities in South Carolina in the early 1900s. However, only about 40 remain standing in various states of repair due to development, sprawl, and neglect. Without action, those that remain could soon be lost forever. Protecting these schools and the land they occupy broadens the impact of conservation efforts by protecting cultural and historical landmarks that traditional land protection efforts have overlooked and under-invested in. All land tells a story, and the story of Rosenwald Schools deserves to be told and protected.

CVSC serves on this study's steering committee along with The WeGOJA Foundation, Earth Design Inc., and South Carolina Parks Recreation & Tourism, among others. The steering committee has begun the study with six pilot Rosenwald Schools to develop a model for a scalable trail network. We are engaging community groups to inform the planning process and ensure the resulting network benefits all those involved.

Once the study is completed, CVSC and Rosenwald partners will present their findings to the General Assembly in hopes of creating a State Rosenwald Schools Trail Network. We’ll keep you updated as this initiative progresses!

Hannah Rosenwald School, photo by Gregory McKee

Supporting Future Leaders We're thrilled to share the exciting journey of our inaugural cohort of our Palmetto Leadership Academy (PLA)! As a program under the CVSC Education Fund, the PLA is dedicated to nurturing, educating, and supporting the next generation of conservation leaders for boards and commission service.

In our first cohort, 13 passionate individuals embarked on a transformative sixmonth journey, eager to delve into the intricacies of public service and environmental stewardship. At the heart of PLA's mission is the belief that leadership is not confined to a select few but is accessible to all who are willing to learn and serve. Our Fellows, from diverse backgrounds and experiences, exemplified this ethos as they navigated through sessions covering board basics, community engagement strategies, the nuances of policy intersectionality, and the importance of diversity and inclusion in leadership.

Throughout their journey, our Fellows had the privilege of learning from seasoned leaders and experts in the field. From insightful discussions with Kent Lesene, Director of Government Affairs at the SC Association of Counties, to engaging sessions with Fiona Martin, Member of the SC Planning and Zoning Commission, our Fellows gained invaluable wisdom and forged meaningful connections with South Carolina's most prominent conservation advocates.

The inaugural cohort concluded their PLA journey in June, and we're thrilled to witness their continued impact as they pursue roles on local boards and commissions across the state.

PLA Fellows on Page 16, pictured left to right: McKenzie Watson, Nicholaus Outen, Karine Debaty, David Artushin, Robert Reese, Michael Layer, Alecia Brewster, Bridgett "BT" Tabor, Ava Dean, Joana Lagunes Arauz, Don "DJ" Polite. Not pictured: James Heil 15

Join Us for the Next Cohort Are you passionate about driving change in your community? Do you aspire to make a difference in environmental conservation and public service? If so, we invite you to join us for the next cohort!

Applications are now open for individuals who are eager to grow their network, expand their policy knowledge, and contribute to the health and environment of their community by serving on boards and commissions across the state.

Whether you're a seasoned advocate or a newcomer to public service, PLA welcomes individuals from all backgrounds and experiences.

Scan the QR code or visit cvsc.org/scpla to apply for the upcoming cohort and subscribe to our email list to stay updated on future deadlines. Join us on a transformative journey toward leadership and conservation excellence.

Apply for the PLA

Congratulations to our PLA Fellows!

Our inaugural cohort of Fellows graduated in June of 2024, and we can’t wait to see how they’ll use what they’ve learned to serve communities across the state.

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For Passionate Conservationists Like You Our beautiful state faces threats to its environment and community health every day. From overdevelopment to contaminated wells and waterways to rising seas and extreme flooding driven by climate change, the need for environmental action has never been more urgent.

The Grove is CVSC’s community of monthly donors devoted to building an inclusive and impactful conservation movement through collective action.

Your monthly gift to CVSC will: Help us advocate for stronger environmental protections and policies Fight against pollution and ensure access to clean water for all Combat climate change and promote clean, renewable energy solutions

Join The Grove With the dedicated support of our Grove members, CVSC is protecting South Carolina’s air, land, and water at the Statehouse and beyond.

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AWARDS LUNCHEON Save the Date | September 18, 2024 | 701 Whaley

CVSC Staff

PO Box 1766 Columbia, SC 29202

John Tynan, President Zach Bjur, Land, Water, Ocean Project Manager John Brooker, Energy Policy Director Jalen Brooks-Knepfle, Energy Project Manager Austin Brown, Upstate Political Manager Mark Ellington DeCristoforo, Government Relations Manager Meagan Diedolf, Senior VP of Policy & Government Relations Emily Doscher, Digital Engagement Manager Kate Durand, Communications & Public Relations Director Rebecca Geigel, Finance & Operations Manager Katie Welborn Hagan, Senior VP of Political Strategy Heidi Johnson-Young, Community Leadership Project Manager Alan Lee, Government Relations Manager Kendra Mallett-Brunson, Senior VP of Collaboration & Impact Shea Maple, Director of Major Gifts Tyler Mason, Lowcountry Political Manager Meredith McNeely, Senior VP of Development & Operations Tori Oluseyi, Community Leadership Project Manager Evan Renshaw, Partnerships & Engagement Manager Erin Siebert, Energy Policy Associate Heather Singleton, Annual Giving Director