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SC Public Service Commission election results
After almost a year of having a vacant seat in the seven-member SC Public Service Commission (PSC), the SC General Assembly has elected a new Commissioner for district four: long-serving Spartanburg County Councilman David Britt. Britt will represent most of Greenville and Spartanburg Counties. The General Assembly also elected Florence Belser (incumbent) for district seat two and Justin Williams (incumbent) for district six.
Lawmakers announced they would begin evaluating candidates for districts one, three, and seven in the fall so that they can hold elections in January 2026. Remember that because the Energy Security Act (H.3309) is awaiting a final decision, and the provision reducing the number of PSC Commissioners from seven to three was removed, we still have a seven-member Commission to ensure our utilities are regulated effectively.
Leadership confirmed for SC’s newest environmental agency
The Senate voted to confirm Myra Reece as Director of the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) last week by a vote of 29-9, quelling concerns over her support for environmental justice and upholding regulatory integrity. We look forward to continuing to partner with Director Reece and the staff at SCDES to implement on-the-ground water quality projects and other conservation initiatives throughout the Upstate.
New bill would limit local authority over cryptocurrency mining facilities
During a multi-day debate, S.163 — a bill to regulate the cryptocurrency mining industry — stalled after concerns emerged over its limits on local government authority. While parts of the bill are encouraging, such as requiring mining operations not to strain the electric grid, we believe the bill could include stronger language and clearer guidelines. As data centers become more prevalent, it’s important to differentiate between facility types and the varying impacts they can have — particularly around noise and energy usage — which have drawn concerns from communities across the Southeast.
S.163 would curtail the ability of local governments to implement local regulations, such as noise ordinances, that single out this industry, even in industrial areas. While we support a balanced, community-conscious approach to this growing, energy-intensive industry, we caution against provisions that weaken local oversight. The bill’s fate remains in the balance of the Senate as we enter into the final week of the legislative session.
New bill would invest in the next generation of conservationists
The Conservation Education Act (S.165), a bill that aims to help connect young people with nature, passed the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee last week and was read across the desk in the House. This bill establishes the SC Conservation Education Fund for use by the Department of Natural Resources to support classroom and outdoor natural resource conservation education. It needs one more important vote in the House before it’s ratified and sent to the Governor’s desk.
Clean energy financing bill moves forward
The Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) bill (S.256), which would help provide access to financing for clean energy and resilience improvements on agricultural, commercial, and multifamily property, is steadily making progress. Last week, the bill passed the full Senate Labor, Commerce, and Industry Committee, advancing to the Senate for a critical floor vote, but was held up by one Senator who has placed it on the contested calendar, which means — given that only three days remain and many Senate priorities need action — we’ll pick this bill back up again when the legislature returns in January 2026. You can learn more about this bill here.
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