Bill Text: SC H4210 | 2019-2020 | 123rd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Geological Survey Unit of DNR
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-21 - Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Hewitt [H4210 Detail]
Download: South_Carolina-2019-H4210-Introduced.html
A BILL
TO AMEND SECTION 48-22-40, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE DUTIES OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY UNIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE DIVISION TO CONDUCT TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING USING LIGHT DETECTION AND RANGING (LiDAR) DATA COLLECTIONS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH CERTAIN FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY STANDARDS, TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FLOOD MITIGATION PROGRAM, AND TO REQUIRE THAT THE TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES' WEBSITE.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 48-22-40 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 48-22-40. In addition to other duties assigned to it, the unit:
(1) shall conduct field and laboratory studies in geologic reconnaissance, mapping, prospecting for mineral resources, and related gathering of surface and subsurface data. Investigative areas include offshore and onshore lands in this State;
(2) shall provide geologic advice and assistance to other state and local governmental agencies engaged in environmental protection or in industrial or economic development projects. In addition, the unit must be involved actively in geologic aspects of regional planning and effective land use in the State;
(3) shall encourage economic development in the State by disseminating published geologic information as bulletins, maps, economic reports, and related series and open-file reports to appropriate governmental agencies and private industry. The unit is encouraged further to initiate and maintain appropriate industrial contacts to promote the extraction and conservation of South Carolina's earth raw materials and their manufacture to the economic improvement of the State;
(4) shall provide unsolicited advice, when appropriate, to the Mining Council and its associated state regulatory agency, on geologic and related mining matters in keeping with the intent of the South Carolina Mining Act;
(5) shall operate and maintain a central, statewide repository for rock cores, well cuttings and related subsurface samples, and all associated supplemental data. Private firms and public agencies are encouraged to notify the unit before exploratory or developmental drilling and coring;
(6) must be the state's official cooperator on topographic mapping. The federal expenditure for this purpose at least must equal that of the State. The unit may conduct cooperative work with appropriate agencies of the United States Government in its geologic activities and investigations;
(7) shall conduct topographic mapping using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data collections at least every five years and share this information with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Flood Mitigation Program to ensure compliance with Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines and standards for flood risk analysis and mapping activities under the Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning Program. The unit is authorized to work with local, state, and federal governmental entities in South Carolina to complete the topographic mapping and must work with the Flood Mitigation Program to publish the results to the public on the Department of Natural Resources' website; and
(8) shall provide a minerals research laboratory related to the identification, extraction, and processing of industrial minerals and minerals of economic potential wherever found throughout the onshore and offshore areas of the State. The minerals research laboratory is encouraged to accept mineral research projects from South Carolina businesses or citizens on a per cost, per unit basis and to encourage expended use of the raw materials of the State. The minerals research laboratory may accept public and private gifts or funds and may enter into cooperative agreements for the purpose of applied research in the metallic and nonmetallic minerals of this State."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
