Senate adopts state budget with strong support for conservation
After two full days of debate, the Senate passed the annual state appropriations bill (H.4025) last week, amending the version previously approved by the House. We were especially encouraged to see the Senate prioritize funding for the S.C. Conservation Bank and its Working Agricultural Lands Protection Fund. However, the budget process is far from over — the House will take another look in what's informally known as the "H.2" phase, likely making additional changes before the budget heads to a conference committee, where a smaller group of lawmakers will reconcile the final version after sine die.
We’ll provide a deeper dive into the final budget when it emerges from the conference committee in the coming weeks. For now, here are a few highlights from the Senate’s version:
- $46.8 Million for Conservation Bank grants, including:
- $ 16 Million in base funding, most of which is used for conservation grants
- $ 30.5 Million for conservation grants
- $10 Million for the Working Agriculture Lands Protection Fund
- $20 Million in a new fund under the Conservation Bank for “State Resource Agency Strategic Land Acquisition,” a fund that can be used for agencies like the Department of Natural Resources and the Forestry Commission.
This substantial investment reflects the Senate’s strong recognition of the Conservation Bank’s vital role in conserving natural lands, protecting working farms and forests, and ensuring access to clean air and water. We are grateful for the Senate’s leadership and will continue monitoring the budget process as final negotiations approach.
Public Service Commission Elections Set for This Week
A few weeks ago, the Public Utilities Review Committee (PURC) held interviews with candidates seeking to serve on the Public Service Commission, which regulates electric and gas utilities across the state. After evaluating candidates’ experience and understanding of utility issues, PURC advanced four names for consideration: David Britt for District 4 (an Upstate district vacated by Commissioner Tom Ervin last year in opposition to the Energy Security Act (H.5118)), Florence Belser (incumbent) and Richard McIntyre for District 2, and Justin Williams (incumbent) for District 6. The full General Assembly is expected to vote on these candidates on Thursday, May 1.
C-PACE Bill Advances Toward Full Committee
Last week, the Labor, Commerce and Industry (LCI) Special Subcommittee voted favorably on S.256, an important bill that would enable local governments to establish Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) programs by ordinance. These voluntary, market-driven financing tools have been implemented in 37 other states to unlock private investment in projects like rooftop solar, energy efficiency, battery storage, water conservation, and flood resilience. C-PACE allows property owners to repay project costs over time through a property tax assessment, offering more affordable and accessible capital for high-impact improvements. The full LCI Committee is expected to take up the bill this week — a significant step forward for clean energy and resilience in South Carolina.
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