Site Contact: Benjamin Franco , On Scene Coordinator, Franco.Benjamin@epa.gov

2060 Frontage Road, Anderson, SC 29621, www.epaosc.org/flexaform
While responding to the American Screw and Rivet Site, OSC Crowley and SCDHEC observed a nearby site consisting of several overturned drums, a dilapidated building, and stained soils. SCDHEC met with the owner of the facility, finding that it was a closed springs manufacturer and the owner was now a hobbyist manufacturing biodiesel. SCDHEC requested that the owner provide cleanup for the spilled materials and requested EPA assistance in addressing the site. OSC Crowley met with the owner, who concluded that he would be unable to undertake the cleanup requests being made. With approved access, OSC Crowley and START conducted a walkthrough of the site, documenting over 100 drums and totes, several more small containers, significant soil staining, discolored vegetation, and one or more fuming drums. In addition to biodiesel, some chemicals found include Barium Chloride, Sodium Cyanide, Arsenic Acis, Hydrochloric Acis, Hydrobromic Acid, Isopropyl Ether, and Picric Acid. START will establish perimeter air monitoring around the site and begin making entries to collect samples for hazcatting. ERRS will mobilize to begin removing impacted soils and establishing a staging area for materials.

The State: $292 million added to state budget An increase in jobs the past 12 months will bolster state income tax receipts By ADAM BEAM

State economists added an extra $292 million to the state budget Tuesday, the result of South Carolina adding 26,000 jobs over the last 12 months.

More people working means more people are paying state income taxes. In October, when state economists released their first revenue forecast, South Carolina had a 10.5 percent unemployment rate.

Six months later, the unemployment rate was 8.9 percent – the first time South Carolina has had fewer than 200,000 people on unemployment rolls in more than three years, according to Robert Martin, a state economist. “That’s a very positive sign.”

State income tax refunds also were down $93 million, which means more money for the state.

The state Board of Economic Advisors unanimously approved adding the money to the state budget Tuesday.

It is the second time in recent months that the board has added money to the state budget. In November, the board added more than $1 billion in new money to the budget, about half onetime money and the rest projected to recur annually.

Tuesday’s revised forecast calls for an additional $137 million in one-time money for the budget year that ends June 30. State lottery officials also added an extra $18 million in one-time revenue after that agency saw a surge in ticket sales preceding the Mega Millions record jackpot in March. Lawmakers most likely will spend the one-time money, meaning it won’t be available next year, on state construction projects.

But the big move was to add an extra $137 million in recurring money for the state’s budget year that begins July 1. That money should be available in future years to spend as well, meaning lawmakers can spend it on recurring obligations.

And fight over it.

Tuesday afternoon, after learning of the new state money, state Sen. Kevin Bryant, R-Anderson, proposed a budget amendment to use $93 million of the new recurring money to pay for two tax-cut proposals passed by the House of Representatives.

The first would cut state income taxes by about $84 a year for most taxpayers, reducing state revenue next year by $78 million. The second would cut taxes for small business owners, reducing state revenue next year by $15 million.

“Of the close to $1 billion in new money brought in this year, this is less than 10 percent,” Bryant said of the proposed tax cuts. “If 10 percent is good enough for the Lord, I think 10 percent might be good enough for the taxpayer.”

State Sen. Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, the chairman of the Senate’s budget committee, told Bryant that he supported the tax cut for small businesses but asked Bryant to withdraw his amendment so lawmakers could have more time to study it.

If Bryant can get his amendment passed, he likely would find support in the House and the governor’s office.

Gov. Nikki Haley has long advocated for lawmakers to use any extra money either to pay down state debt or to return to taxpayers. Rob Godfrey, Haley’s spokesman, said Tuesday, “The governor believes it’s time to give the people and businesses this state tax relief.”

Rep. Brian White, R-Anderson, head of the House budget panel, said he supports using the extra money to pay for the House’s proposed tax cuts. He cautioned against rushing to spend the new money, especially when the state is only a few years removed from a budget crisis that caused massive cuts in state spending.

“The growth is there,” White said. “I was just shocked the growth was $137 million. On the one hand, that’s good that we are growing, but we need to manage that money wisely.”

Bryant, a Tea Party Republican, is not optimistic that will happen. “All this money is going to be spent,” he said. “I hope I’m wrong.”

Site Contact: Jeffery Crowley On Scene Coordinator crowley.jeffery@epa.gov

1625 Manse Jolly Road, Anderson, SC 29621, www.epaosc.org/ASR

On June 02, 2011, EPA’s removal program received from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control a referral for the assessment of the facility located at 1625 Manse Jolly Road, Anderson, Anderson County, South Carolina. On November 2010 SCDHEC received information that the facility had stopped operations and declared bankruptcy. In May 2011 SCDHEC conducted an inspection of the facility and documented leaking holding tanks and overflowing sumps. SCDHEC also documented the presence of approximately 80 poly totes some of which were labeled hazardous waste, drums, as well as other containers such as pails, small plastic drums and cardboard containers. On June 02, 2011 Telephone Duty received from the removal program DHEC’s referral package and dispatched OSC Negron to conduct an assessment. On June 03, 2011 OSC Negron along with START personnel met with SCDHEC representatives and after obtaining access from the property owners and the bankruptcy trustee proceeded to enter the facility. Initial assessments from the facility revealed 44 poly totes exposed to the elements. Some totes exhibited cage corrosion and an advanced state of degradation. After entering the facility’s building the OSC observed overflowing sludge filled sumps, water ponds in multiple areas, totes labeled with hazardous waste stickers and pH 2 annotations, cardboard containers in advanced state of degradation some of which had spilled their contents, drums and multiple other containers.

S. 1512 is a bill I introduced to rectify the inequity of nearly 200 candidates being removed from the ballots on last week’s Supreme Court Ruling. Even though s.1512 was amendment and passed out of the Judiciary Committee it received a minority report by Sen. Jake Knotts of Lexington. A minority report in essence kills the bill unless the Senate puts the bill on special order. Senate rules dictate that a motion for special order cannot be made until the bill is on the calendar for 6 days. That means s.1512 could not be taken up until May 23, far too late for any effect.

However, there are more than one way to skin a cat. Today, the Senate put h.3392, which is a bill that deals with election law and can be amended with s.1512’s Judiciary Amendment. H. 3392 is on third reading, so it is possible to amend it and pass it out of the Senate Wednesday afternoon. If the House votes to concur, it would avoid a conference committee and go straight downstairs for the signature of the Governor.