ISLE OF PALMS, SC – After months of legal uncertainty, a South Carolina Administrative Law Judge has reaffirmed that a seawall illegally constructed by Isle of Palms property owner Rom Reddy must be removed. The ruling, issued December 30, 2025, upholds an earlier order from October requiring the dismantling of the seawall, which blocks public beach access and accelerates erosion.

The South Carolina Environmental Law Project (SCELP), on behalf of the Coastal Conservation League (CCL), intervened in Reddy’s appeal of the enforcement order issued by the DES for the installation of a hard erosion control structure on Isle of Palms. A five-day trial was held in the spring of 2025.

Judge Ralph King Anderson III’s Amended Final Order requires Reddy to deconstruct the seawall, with removal potentially beginning as early as mid-summer 2026. Judge Anderson imposed a specific timeline and detailed requirements for a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for the removal and restoration of the affected beach area. The order requires Reddy to submit the CAP within 60 days, outlining removal methods, schedules, beach stabilization measures during removal and the use of beach-compatible sand for restoration that complies with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) Marine Turtle Conservation Program. Removal must commence within 90 days of CAP approval and be completed within 30 days thereafter.

While the judge rejected nearly all of Reddy’s legal arguments and reaffirmed that the seawall remains illegal and must come down, he did not reinstate the $289,000 fine initially imposed by the state Department of Environmental Services (DES). He also grounded his decision explicitly in the public-interest authority of the state. The Amended Final Order provides far more detailed and prescriptive corrective-action requirements than the October ruling, offering clarity and enforceability for the removal process.

“South Carolina’s coastline is a precious public asset that must be preserved,” said Amy Armstrong, Executive Director of SCELP. “This order affirms that illegal seawalls disrupt natural beach dynamics and harm public access. The Court has protected the public interest by mapping out a clear timeline for Reddy's seawall removal.”

The Court’s ruling is a critical victory for public beach access and coastal ecosystem health. The 1988 state law banning new seawalls was enacted to preserve the public beach environment for future generations. “Illegal seawalls may seem like a solution for individual property protection, but they ultimately lead to a loss of the dry sand beach humans enjoy and wildlife depend on. SCELP remains dedicated to defending South Carolina’s beaches against private interests that would destroy them.” 

CCL Executive Director Faith Rivers James said, “In this decision, the Court noted that this structure ‘accelerated erosion of the adjacent beach, which adversely affects the public.’  We agree with Judge Anderson’s assessment that ‘the public interests protected by the [Beachfront Management] Act override any interest to retain this seawall structure. CCL is pleased that the Court’s ruling affirmed the state’s interest in maintaining public access to the beach and ordered that the wall be removed in accordance with a detailed schedule and plan that complies with SCDNR’s Marine Turtle Conservation Program.”  

Any party may still request reconsideration of the Amended Order or file a notice of appeal in the South Carolina Court of Appeals. The case remains a focal point in the ongoing debate over coastal development, public beach access and climate resilience as rising sea levels and intense storms continue to threaten South Carolina’s shoreline.

SCELP and the CCL will closely assess the case and next steps, and continue to advocate for strong enforcement of coastal protection laws.
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MEDIA CONTACTS: 

Amy Armstrong, Executive Director 
South Carolina Environmental Law Project 
amy@scelp.org, (843) 527-0078 

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Faith Rivers James, Executive Director 
Coastal Conservation League
frjames@scccl.org, (843) 834-4999