The Bramlett Road site is located in the Newtown neighborhood of the Southernside community and is the site of a former Duke manufactured gas plant, which operated from 1917 to 1951. Coal tar waste from the plant was discharged into several ditches and eventually migrated across Bramlett Road, where it settled into the sediment and groundwater near Mountain View Baptist Church and Legacy Charter School. CSXT now owns the site and allowed an unpermitted landfill to be placed on top of the contamination. In the mid-90's, the S.C. Department of Environmental Services (DES), formerly known as the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), first became aware of the contamination - and 30 years later, it still has not fully been cleaned up.

On June 6, at a Public Meeting at Mountain View Baptist Church, DES presented its preferred alternative for cleaning up the site from a list of five alternatives offered by Duke. These alternatives ranged from no action (Alternative 1) to remedial actions gradually increasing in scope (up to Alternative 5). While DES's proposed plan (Alternative 5) does involve the excavation of both the contaminated sediment around the site and the landfill material on top, it does not provide a remedy for treating the contaminated groundwater around the site. Without addressing the groundwater, the extent of contamination will only continue to grow - further leaching into the Reedy River, and beyond.

SCELP and our partners are advocating for the following additions to DES's proposed method, which together we call Alternative 5+:

• A long-term groundwater remedy, including a pump and treat process that would prevent the continued discharge of contaminated water.
• Restoration of all wetlands on all parcels around the site, not just immediately adjacent to the landfill.
• Excavation of all contaminated sediment found on all parcels, including down the entire length of the ditch where the parcels drain into the Reedy River.
• Heightened monitoring, sampling, and studying of the site and surrounding areas in the future.

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Here's how you can help:

• Share your public comment with DES before the deadline on August 6.
• In your comment, include the reasons why you think DES's preferred cleanup method does not go far enough.
• Urge DES to act NOW in ordering that Duke and CSXT finally clean up and restore this site, which is 30 years overdue.
• Share this page with friends and family or share our social media posts about Bramlett on Facebook or Instagram.

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Public comments can be submitted in the following ways:

• Mail your comment:
  Greg Cassidy, Project Manager
  Dept. of Environmental Services
  2600 Bull Street
  Columbia, SC 29201

• Email your comment:
  cassidga@dhec.sc.gov

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