Sierra Club

The decision this week to allow development around the ancient Angel Oak on John's Island is just another example of DHEC's inability to provide leadership on one of its key mandates: to protect our environment.

Governor Haley's appointees are just continuing a legacy of rubber stamping permits for big business and big development, in spite of any loss or damage to our fragile ecosystems in this state.

Couple this with the recent decision to allow the rich homeowners to build groins at Debordieu beach to protect their properties, despite warnings it will damage important areas at the renown Baruch research area, and a clear picture emerges about what is important in this state:  the rich, the powerful, the well-connected and well-appointed.

The rest of us can pick up the pieces and hope they don't come gunning for what little scraps of paradise we have left in this state.