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S.C.’s river systems have been polluted for decades, and it’s literally becoming a sticky situation. Coal tar, a byproduct of making gas, is a toxic substance + suspected carcinogen. From the 1800s through the 1950s, gas plants disposed coal tar in nearby rivers – and now it’s time to clean up the mess.

Extracting coal tar from riverbeds is both difficult + expensive. Cleaning projects in Chattanooga + Charleston have been largely successful, but Columbia’s extraction efforts are lagging.

Since 1990, SCE&G has spent $77.5 million for coal tar removal in Columbia, Charleston, Florence + Sumter (charging ~$3.25/customer/year to help with the cost). ~11 acres of coal tar covers the Congaree River bed, yet SCE&G says obtaining the necessary permits would be too difficult to warrant pursuing the Congaree project. Local groups like the Southern Environmental Law Center + Congaree Riverkeeper have threatened lawsuits if work is not started soon.

5 min read / The State