Securing South Carolina’s Future: A Decade for Conservation Leadership
Picture a South Carolina where state and local leaders drive sustainable growth, safeguard our air, land, and water, and create opportunities for businesses to thrive alongside clean energy innovation. In this future, state and local leaders know that protecting our environment strengthens—rather than hinders— progress. This is a South Carolina that can lead the way in advancing conservation priorities through community-driven solutions that balance prosperity and resiliency.
This vision could become a reality by 2034, but only if we take action now. With investments in bold conservation leadership, future-forward policies, and engaged advocates, we can demonstrate that conservation is not a partisan issue but a fundamental investment in our communities, businesses, and way of life in South Carolina.
Meeting the Challenges of a Changing South Carolina
Our natural landscapes and abundant resources are central to our identity as South Carolinians. Yet, the environmental threats we face are becoming impossible to ignore. Sprawling development is eating away at the places we rely on, threatening the land that feeds us, the water we drink, and the spaces where we live and gather. Pollution puts our health at risk, while higher energy costs and extreme weather make daily life more difficult for families across the state.
South Carolina currently lacks the political will and leadership needed to advance bold, lasting solutions that meet these increasing threats head-on. Without action, we risk losing the resources that sustain our communities, businesses, and quality of life—sacrificing South Carolina’s long-term success for short-term gains.
“Nature works hard for South Carolina—feeding our farms, fueling outdoor tourism, and supporting goodpaying jobs. When we protect our natural resources, we’re investing in a promising future.”
The CVSC Difference
Securing clean air, safe water, and protected land isn’t just an environmental challenge—it’s a political one. The policies that shape our future are written, debated, and decided by elected officials, making political action the most powerful tool we have to protect our natural resources. Yet, lasting progress can’t be tied to shifting political winds. We need durable, bipartisan solutions that stand the test of time—solutions that bring people together rather than divide them. This is where Conservation Voters of South Carolina (CVSC) excels.
For more than two decades, CVSC has been the driving force behind the policies safeguarding South Carolina’s air, land, and water. We don’t just advocate for conservation, we shape the political landscape to make it happen. By holding lawmakers accountable, electing champions for the environment, and leading strategic legislative campaigns, we’ve secured major victories for our future.
CVSC is leading the way with innovative programs and strategies that unite communities around shared values, demonstrating that conservation isn’t a partisan issue—it’s a South Carolina value. By working across the aisle, we help ensure that environmental policies stand the test of time rather than being undone with each election cycle.
Our approach delivers real results such as securing funding for land and water protection, removing toxic chemicals from drinking water, and expanding clean energy. By bridging divides and focusing on common ground, we transform environmental priorities into lasting action, safeguarding the Palmetto State for generations to come.
THE PATH FORWARD
We believe lasting conservation victories come from building political power. That’s why our strategy is rooted in three core principles:
Invest in People:
Change starts with individuals. We equip communities, advocates, and future conservation leaders with the tools, training, and resources to shape the policies that impact their lives. By cultivating the next generation of leaders, we ensure conservation has a strong and growing voice in South Carolina politics.
Build Political Power:
Passion alone isn’t enough— we must turn it into political power. By engaging voters, holding elected officials accountable, and making conservation a decisive issue in elections, we ensure that environmental policies are prioritized at every level of government.
Drive Bold Policy:
With a mobilized base and political power, we do more than defend the status quo—we push the boundaries of what’s possible. We pass and protect policies that safeguard South Carolina’s environment, drive sustainable economic growth, and strengthen our communities for generations to come.
CVSC doesn’t just play in the political arena—we are the front line of defense for South Carolina’s environment. We take action where it matters most, leveraging the power of people, politics, and policy, to deliver real results.
Long-Term Strategic Priorities
At CVSC, we’re thinking beyond the next election cycle or legislative session. Our 10-year strategic plan sets bold, ambitious goals that transcend shortterm wins. By spanning the 2028 and 2032 Senate elections and four House elections, we will build lasting political power and ensure conservation becomes a permanent, bipartisan value woven into decision-making at every level in South Carolina.
We will be prepared for leadership changes by building the influence and relationships needed to keep conservation at the forefront, no matter who holds office. Over the next decade, this vision will unfold through a clear, focused set of priorities.
01
Strengthen Conservation Leadership
South Carolina needs bold, conservation-minded leaders to champion policies that protect our environment and communities. From the State House to local boards, the right leadership ensures that smart growth, clean energy, and land protection remain top priorities.
Without strong representation, short-sighted policies will continue to fuel unchecked sprawl, weaken environmental protections, and ignore the needs of the future.
Over the next decade, we will train, support, and elect conservation champions—adding at least 30 new conservation champions to the State House and 10 to the Senate while also securing bipartisan conservation majorities in 10 key counties. We will also prepare advocates to serve on local boards, commissions, and electric cooperatives, ensuring conservation leadership at every level of government.
To make this vision a reality, CVSC will expand our team to nine dedicated staff driving campaigns, candidate recruitment, and leadership development.
02 Secure the Spaces That Sustain Us
03 Protect Water from Source to Tap
South Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, making it critical to protect the places we love while making sure communities remain healthy, vibrant, and connected. Without bold action, unchecked growth will erase the lands that define South Carolina’s history and future, along with the farms that feed us, the forests that clean our air and water, and the natural spaces that connect our communities.
Over the next decade, we will safeguard 3 million acres of culturally and environmentally significant landscapes—because once these places are lost, they’re gone forever. We will also secure $250 million annually through state and local funding, pass policies that further protect sensitive sites, provide tools and incentives for sustainable growth, and implement conservation strategies in the 10 fastest-growing counties.
Success will require six dedicated land and water policy staff and significant resources for state and local ballot referenda.
Clean, safe water is a fundamental right, yet in South Carolina, it is increasingly threatened by industrial overuse, aging infrastructure, and harmful contaminants like toxic chemicals. Protecting this vital resource is essential to public health, environmental sustainability, and economic resilience.
We will advocate for policies that ensure sustainable water management, balancing the needs of people, nature, and businesses while safeguarding drinking water from harmful contaminants. By advancing policies that equitably manage water use, improve water quality, and reduce pollution, we will protect the health of every community in South Carolina.
These efforts will require two additional staff and an increased investment in strategic communications and outreach campaigns.
04 Expand Access to Environmental Decision-Making
Our strategy hinges on ensuring that all South Carolinians have access to political and policy-making processes. A healthy environment depends on peoples’ voices in decisions that shape their communities, yet barriers often prevent meaningful participation.
We will advocate for policies that advance fair, open, and inclusive environmental decision-making while supporting partners in efforts to ensure voters are engaged in elections. Our efforts will focus on reforming legislative and regulatory processes and strengthening public participation.
To drive this work, CVSC will establish a new Civic Access & Participation department with four policy and program managers, strategic communications support, and resources for partner engagement.
Advance Clean Energy & Transportation
South Carolina’s growing energy demands—from data centers, industrial facilities, and population growth—are forcing a choice: embrace a clean, 21stcentury energy economy or remain dependent on costly, polluting fossil fuels.
Our state deserves a clean, affordable, and equitable energy future. We will champion policies that put South Carolina on a path to a carbon-free future by 2050, expanding clean power and storage, improving efficiency, and addressing the legacy of energy injustice in historically burdened communities. And because transportation is the largest source of carbon pollution in the state, we will also advance a Clean Transportation Act to build a modern, emissions-free transportation system with equitable access to affordable, clean mobility options.
To achieve this, we will pass major clean energy and efficiency policies that prioritize environmental justice, expand solar adoption in 10 key counties, defend against anti-solar policies, and build coastal support for offshore wind. We will also elect and sustain a clean-energy-focused Public Service Commission (PSC) while mobilizing engaged ratepayers to push for just, sustainable energy policies.
With an increased focus on local advocacy, regulatory accountability, and PSC implementation, we will expand our clean energy team to nine staff and make significant investments in strategic communications, lobbying, and outreach.
06 Build Partnerships That
Power Progress
South Carolina’s future depends on solutions that reflect the needs of all. To tackle our state’s biggest environmental challenges, we must engage a diverse coalition—business leaders, faith groups, local advocates, and conservation allies—ensuring that every voice is heard and every community benefits. Without inclusive collaboration, critical environmental policies risk being shaped without broad public support, limiting their impact and longevity.
Over the next decade, we will deepen transformative partnerships, expand our coalition, and train the next generation of advocates to drive meaningful change. By uniting people from all backgrounds, we will strengthen environmental solutions that work for every South Carolinian.
Success will require two dedicated partnership managers and an annual investment to support campaigns and outreach that connect communities to conservation.
“Ensuring that current and future generations of South Carolinians can enjoy clean air, safe water, and protected natural spaces is one of the most important challenges of our time. I’m grateful for CVSC and its members for their leadership in making that vision a reality.”
A BOLD FUTURE
Transforming South Carolina’s future requires bold ideas and the resources to bring them to life. CVSC has already built a strong foundation by mobilizing voters, forging bipartisan alliances, and securing critical environmental victories that protect our air, land, and water. We’ve proven that strategic, community-driven advocacy delivers real results. Now, to meet the growing challenges ahead, we must scale up.
Over the next decade, CVSC will expand its reach into every corner of the state, building a movement strong enough to drive lasting policy change and withstand the shifts of an ever-evolving political landscape. We have the expertise, the track record, and the momentum, but scaling our impact requires significant investment.
This is why we’re committing to raising $55 million over the next decade— $5.5 million each year—to power this work. To grow our work and compete with well-funded opposition, we must have the capacity to mobilize voters, elevate conservation as a winning issue, and ensure that pro-environment leaders have the support they need to deliver results. This isn’t just about defending progress; it’s about driving it. Every dollar we raise fuels the policies and leadership securing South Carolina’s future.
What we do today through strategic investments determines what kind of South Carolina we leave behind. Now is the time to ensure future generations can experience the same opportunities and special places we do.
“As a board member, I’ve seen firsthand how CVSC maximizes every dollar for the greatest impact. Its lean, highly skilled team consistently delivers results. That’s why I don’t just support it with my time—I invest in it as a donor.”
– Arnie Nemirow, CVSC & CVSCEF Board Member, Mount Pleasant