South Carolina § 49-3-60 - Procedures governing department action which may give rise to a contested case.

§ 49-3-60. Procedures governing department action which may give rise to a contested case.

(A) All decisions of the Department of Environmental Services involving the issuance, denial, renewal, suspension, or revocation of permits, licenses, certificates, or other actions of the department which may give rise to a contested case, except a decision to establish a baseline or setback line, must be made using the procedures set forth in this section. A department decision referenced in this subsection relating to a poultry facility or another animal facility, except a swine facility, also must comply with the provisions of Section 49-3-65.

(B) The department shall comply with all requirements for public notice, receipt of public comments, and public hearings before making a decision. To the maximum extent possible, the department shall use a uniform system of public notice of permit applications, opportunity for public comment, and public hearings.

(C) In making a decision about a permit, license, certification, or other approval giving rise to a contested case, the department shall take into consideration all material comments received in response to the public notice in determining whether to issue, deny, or condition a permit, license, certification, or other approval. At the time that a final departmental decision is made, the department shall issue a final written decision and shall base its decision on the administrative record, which must consist of the application and supporting exhibits, all public comments and submissions, and other documents contained in the supporting file for the permit, license, certification, or other approval. The administrative record also may include material readily available at the department, or published materials which are generally available and need not be physically included in the same file as the rest of the record as long as such materials are specifically referred to in the department decision. The department is not required to issue a final written departmental decision for issuance of routine permits for which the department has not received adverse public comments. The department is required to make a final decision granting the permit where the applicant has met all conditions in statutes and regulations governing that permit.

(D)(1) The department shall send a notice of a final departmental decision by certified mail, returned receipt requested to the applicant, permittee, licensee, certificate holder, and affected persons who have requested in writing to be notified. Affected persons may request in writing to be notified by regular mail or electronic mail in lieu of certified mail. Notice of decisions for which a written decision is not required pursuant to subsection (C) must be provided by mail, delivery, or other appropriate means to the applicant, permittee, licensee, certificate holder, and affected persons who have requested in writing to be notified.

(2) Decisions by the department become final thirty days after the mailing of a notice pursuant to item (1) unless the applicant, permittee, licensee, certificate holder, or affected person files a request for a contested case hearing with the Administrative Law Court.

(3) Within thirty calendar days after the mailing of the decision pursuant to item (1), an applicant, permittee, licensee, certificate holder, or affected person desiring to contest the agency decision may request a contested case hearing before the Administrative Law Court, in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act. Notwithstanding Section 1-23-600(H)(1), the entirety of Section 1-23-600(H) shall apply to timely requests for a contested case hearing of decisions from the Department of Environmental Services. The court shall give consideration to the provisions of Section 1-23-330 regarding the department's specialized knowledge.

(E) If a deadline provided for in this section falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or state holiday, the deadline must be extended until the next calendar day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or state holiday.

HISTORY: 2022 Act No. 139 (S.1010), SECTION 1, eff April 25, 2022; 2023 Act No. 60 (S.399), SECTION 5, eff July 1, 2024.

Effect of Amendment

2023 Act No. 60, SECTION 5, rewrote the section.