The Water Log: Summer 2025

Greetings from the Clean Water Team! 

Things are heating up in the Upstate, and it isn't just the weather. Upstate Forever has made significant progress strengthening water policy in the Upstate these past few months.

First, please join us in thanking Anderson County Council for adopting a comprehensive Riparian Buffer Ordinance that will safeguard rivers and streams in Anderson County for years to come.

Second, we are glad to share that the Record of Decision (ROD) has been posted for the Cleanup of the Bramlett Road Site, a former manufactured gas plant site located along Bramlett Road in Greenville County.

Lastly, this summer marks the completion of a nearly two-year effort developing River Basin Plans for the Upper Savannah and Saluda River Basins that will serve as the foundation for South Carolina's State Water Plan.

Read on to get more details about these exciting developments!

Best regards,

Rebecca Wade

Clean Water Specialist

Upstate Forever

Anderson County Riparian Buffer Ordinance

Anderson County Council voted unanimously to adopt enhanced riparian buffer protections countywide on Tuesday, May 20th. This ordinance ensures that at least a 50' wide riparian buffer is required for new development along all Waters-of-the-State throughout the County.

This adoption marks the end of a many-years-long campaign by Upstate Forever and other clean water advocates in the County to strengthen riparian buffer protections. This ordinance will allow the County to better protect water quality and mitigate flooding as the region continues to experience rapid development.

As a recap, riparian buffers are the vegetated areas along the sides of waterways. These areas provide protection from the impacts of adjacent land uses by slowing down water run-off and by filtering pollutants before they reach a waterway. Riparian buffers are considered the last line of defense for water quality and have proven to be one of the most cost-effective and fiscally responsible methods for water quality protection and resilience.

We are thrilled to celebrate this win with our local partners and other clean water advocates. Please join us in thanking members of Anderson County Council with an email telling them you are grateful for efforts to protect water quality in Anderson County.

County Council Chairman Tommy Dunn: district5@andersoncountysc.org

County Council Vice-Chair Brett Sanders: bsanders@andersoncountysc.org

Councilman Chris N. Sullivan: cnsullivan@andersoncountysc.org

Councilman Glenn A. Davis: gadavis@andersoncountysc.org

Councilman Greg Elgin: gelgin@andersoncountysc.org

Councilman Jimmy Davis: jdavis@andersoncountysc.org

Councilwoman Cindy Wilson: district7@andersoncountysc.org

Three & Twenty Creek - Anderson County

Bramlett Road contamination site update

History of contamination

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) released its much-anticipated Record of Decision (ROD) on May 8th. This document represents the agency's formal announcement of the precise cleanup protocol that will be implemented on the site, a significant step forward in the remediation process.

As a recap, the Bramlett Road site encompasses approximately 35 acres in Greenville's Southernside community. This site is heavily contaminated with coal tar resulting from coal gas manufacturing that occurred from 1917-1951 by Southern Public Utilities and later Duke Power Company.

In addition to the manufactured gas plant site, coal tar migrated to other sites adjacent including wetlands and the Reedy River. This contamination has settled into sediment and groundwater on these parcels that are located next to Legacy Charter School and Mountain View Baptist Church. An illegal and unpermitted landfill was placed on top of the already contaminated parcels, now owned by a railroad company, CSX Transportation (CSXT). For more information about the history of the site, visit the South Carolina Environmental Law Project Bramlett Cleanup page.

SCDES releases clean-up plan

Since we last discussed this cleanup in August of 2024, SCDES has been reviewing public comments and developing the ROD that will guide future steps in the cleanup process. We are glad to share that SCDES selected a remedy that will excavate the entire landfill, excavate all impacted sediments across all parcels, monitor groundwater, and implement land use controls on site.

Even more exciting is that the agency chose to incorporate several other components into the remedial approach following the collective community advocacy received during the public comment period. These components include the removal of contaminated soils on the site's upper parcels to meet residential health standards, restoration of all wetlands impacted or damaged during the cleanup process, along with a commitment to address groundwater contamination after soils and sediment are removed from the site.

Overall, Upstate Forever sees this as a major success and proof of the power of public engagement. Without the community, environmental partners, and folks like you, this remedial plan would not be nearly as comprehensive.

At this point in the process, SCDES will need to renegotiate a new Voluntary Cleanup Contract with Duke Energy and CSXT. Participation from both of these parties will be necessary to initiate the cleanup effort, which SCDES estimates will take approximately six years to complete. We will continue to advocate for the most comprehensive cleanup of the site and will keep you updated on its progress.

Bramlett Road Contamination Site in Greenville County

Upper Savannah & Saluda complete Draft River Basin Plans

Upstate Forever is excited to share the draft River Basin Plans (RBPs) for the Upper Savannah and Saluda River basins. Each RBP takes two years to complete and includes a collection of water management strategies including policy, legislative, regulatory, technical, and planning process recommendations designed to ensure a river basin's surface water and groundwater resources will be available over a 50-year planning horizon. Upstate Forever Clean Water staff — Erika Hollis, Rebecca Wade, and Katie Hottel — have been participating members representing conservation interests in the Upstate River Basin Councils (RBCs) for the Broad, Saluda, and Upper Savannah.

The Upper Savannah and Saluda River Basin Councils recently finished drafting their RBPs in April and May, respectively. Following the completion of each draft, both Councils held a public meeting to introduce the plans to the community and provide an opportunity for public feedback. We highly encourage you to review these draft plans and provide any feedback you might have!

To view the draft plan for the Upper Savannah RBC, click here.

To view the draft plan for the Saluda RBC, click here.

Moving forward, Upstate Forever plans to stay engaged through the implementation of these plans and advocate for the inclusion of water quality in future planning iterations.

The Saluda River Basin Council Public Meeting on May 29th

Anderson Water Council RFP

The Anderson County Watershed Protection Council — also referred to as the Anderson Water Council (AWC) — is seeking grant applications! The AWC is a volunteer advisory committee working to assist nonprofit organizations including Upstate Forever and Savannah Riverkeeper in identifying, prioritizing, and funding projects to restore water quality in areas of the Savannah River watershed impacted by the Kinder Morgan 2014 petroleum pipeline spill.

Eligible organizations are able to apply for awards ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 for education and outreach, and up to $100,000 for site remediation and land protection grants in the impacted area.

Applications for this grant are being accepted until 5:00pm on August 15th. For more information about this funding opportunity, click here.

Discover Your Watershed 2025

The Clean Water team enjoyed participating in the 2025 Discover Your Watershed on May 24th at Lake Cooley! This was an excellent opportunity to check in with our stakeholders and promote Upstate Forever’s mission to protect drinking water resources.

In addition, this event was a great way to close our Phase 2 Section 319 grant for the Tyger River Watersheds.

In total, our team worked with project partners and completed

• 104 septic repairs/replacements
• 6 agricultural projects
• 6 conservation easements encompassing 511 acres

We are so grateful to have worked with this community for nearly 10 years to improve water quality in the Tyger River watersheds!

Rebecca Wade enjoying Discover Your Watershed 2025.

Until next time!

Thank you for signing up to receive The Water Log, UF’s email newsletter dedicated to Clean Water news, issues, and information. We appreciate your interest and dedication to safeguarding the Upstate’s water resources.  

If you have any questions about this topic or would like to learn about another Clean Water issue in a future edition, please contact Rebecca at rwade@upstateforever.org. 

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Upstate Forever is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects critical lands, waters, and the unique character of Upstate South Carolina.  Over the past two decades, we have worked to protect the natural assets that make the Upstate so special — our farmlands, forests, natural areas, rivers, and clean air. We are committed to ensuring that our communities are vibrant and retain their green spaces, outdoor heritage, and unique identities in the face of rapid development and significant sprawl. Our vision is an environmentally healthy, economically prosperous Upstate that offers a high quality of life now and for future generations.

Funding for watershed improvement projects provided wholly or in part by the US EPA under Section 319 Grants through the SC Department of Environmental Services (SCDES).

Funding for WBPs provided wholly or in part by the US EPA under a Capitalization Grants for Drinking Water State Revolving Funds Grant through the SC Department of Environmental Services (SCDES).

For more information, visit our website at upstateforever.org or send us an email.