Critical Area Permitting - Permit Objection & Appeal Procedures

Permit Objection Process

If you oppose a pending permit, a letter must be forwarded to DHEC OCRM explaining the reason for the opposition. You can also visit the DHEC public notice page to review a project description and associated plans and to also submit comments. All comments must be received within the Public Notice period. If twenty or more people request a public hearing on the pending permit, DHEC OCRM will hold a public hearing in the county where activity is located.

Permit Appeal Procedure

Once DHEC OCRM staff make a decision regarding a permit application, an adversely affected party may request a final review with the Board of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control to challenge the permit decision. A request for final review must be made to the Clerk of the Board within 15 days after notice of the decision has been mailed to the applicant. An adversely affected party may be the applicant, an adjacent property owner, or in some cases a third party or organization. For complete information, please see Guide to Board Review.