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Emergency Orders for Sandbags, Sand Scraping and Minor Renourishment

DHEC OCRM has issued blanket emergency orders to local governments in Georgetown and Horry Counties to allow property owners along the immediate beachfront to conduct minor renourishment, sand scraping or install sandbags to provide temporary protection to beachfront structures from wave uprush. The accomplishment of any work under, 22-EO-HI1 for sandbags, 22-EO-HI2 for sand scraping, and 22-EO-HI3 for minor renourishment, issued in response to the impacts of Hurricane Ian is limited to only those habitable structures and critical infrastructure that would be deemed in an imminent danger from erosion. Per Critical Area Permitting Regulations R.30-15(H), imminent danger is described as when the erosion is within 20 feet of a structure. These orders are effective 30 days from the date of signature on October 1, 2022. If after that time, a structure is still considered in imminent danger, property owners may request an individual emergency order from the Department to extend the time for protection. 

DHEC has also issued an emergency order for returning sand to the beach in Georgetown and Horry Counties, 22-EO-HI4.

Lastly, DHEC has issued an emergency order for marine debris removal from the critical area(s) of all coastal counties, 22-EO-HI5, to allow the general public to remove boats and debris from the critical area(s) of the state using all best practices and measures. The public should report waterway debris, including vessels and structures to their local emergency management officials at the county or municipal level. 

Georgetown and Horry County Emergency Orders: 

Statewide Emergency Order:

Please be advised that federal authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USACE, may be required for the state authorized activities in the above emergency orders. You must coordinate with the USACE to determine if federal authorization is required. Please use the following link to assist you in understanding federal requirements: http://www.sac.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/.

Emergency General Permits

Emergency Authorization requests are available for reconstruction or repair of coastal structures (e.g. private/joint use docks, bulkheads, community docks, marinas) in the tidelands Critical Areas of Horry and Georgetown Counties impacted by Hurricane Ian. This Emergency Authorization only applies to the reconstruction and repair of previously permitted or grandfathered coastal structures. Individual coverage under this Authorization must be obtained from DHEC. DHEC will work expeditiously to review and issue decisions on each request. 

To request Emergency Authorization, please visit SCDES's ePermitting site. Applicants will need to create a user account, then select "Submit a New Form,” select “Search All Available Forms,” and choose "Hurricane Ian Emergency Authorization". If you need assistance submitting a request, please contact Marian Page at Marian.Page@des.sc.gov .

Report Erosion and Damage

SCDES OCRM encourages residents and officials to report damage to beachfront structures, including seawalls, revetments, dune walkovers and erosion using SCDES OCRM's MyCoast web and mobile application. This information will assist in prioritizing post-disaster damage assessment and coordination with coastal counties and municipalities. Property owners should also report damage to structures, including homes, to their local building officials. 

Post-Storm Recovery

Permitting priorities for DHEC OCRM after Hurricane Ian will focus on repair and maintenance of existing structures impacted by the event. Depending on the severity of damage to our coastal communities, issuance of permits for non-essential alteration to the critical areas may experience process delays. We appreciate your patience during this time. Structures located within the state's critical area jurisdictions that were impacted by Hurricane Ian may require various authorizations by DHEC OCRM prior to repair or reconstruction.