Sembler “Mega Mall” Faces Environmental Hurdles

By FITSNews || Assuming the South Carolina General Assembly awards a controversial $134 million incentives package for the Lowcountry “Mega Mall” being pushed by politically-connected developer Mel Sembler (which is looking increasingly unlikely at this point), the wealthy GOP financier’s next hurdle will be a lengthy and costly environmental battle.

In fact, a key part of that battle – a recently-concocted plan to discharge storm water into the New River (above, in Jasper County) and not the Okatie River (in Beaufort County) – is threatening to derail the floundering project.  Also, the latest environmental squabbling has many questioning whether or not the development’s primary legislative supporter has sold out his constituents.

Sen. Clementa Pinckney (D-Jasper), who has been leading the charge in favor of the controversial incentives package, has reportedly agreed to Sembler’s revised environmental plan for the 280-acre, 1.5-million-square-foot retail facility – which is located on the border of Beaufort and Jasper Counties.  That plan calls for storm water to be dumped into the New River, not the Okatie, as previously proposed.

“Draining that much storm water into the wetlands and headwaters of the New River would be an environmental catastrophe with devastating effects on wildlife, waterfowl, and migratory birds,” one local source tells FITS. “But it’s in Jasper County, so the bottom line is ‘who gives a rat’s ass.’”

Beaufort County officials have been battling with Sembler over previous plans to dump the storm water into the Okatie River, and appear to have succeeded in convincing the company that such a plan is a non-starter.

That leaves Jasper as the likely destination for the storm runoff …

Pic: Matt Richardson