By Gina Vasselli – Post & Courier – July 16, 2011

A case involving less than a quarter-acre of land on Pawleys Island has set a new precedent for wetlands protection in South Carolina. A majority of the S.C. Supreme Court ruled this week that the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control has jurisdiction over isolated wetlands, a reversal of the Georgetown County Circuit Court’s ruling and previous operating procedure. “A landmark decision,” said Amy Armstrong, director of the S.C. Environmental Law Project and a member of the Georgetown County League of Women Voters, which brought the suit against developer Smith Land Company. The suit was filed over a 0.332-acre lot on Pawleys Island, 0.19 acres of which is an isolated wetland, meaning it does not have a direct connection to other waters or wetlands. For full article, click here.