National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Department of Commerce

Key Races - South Carolina Senate Race

This race pits State Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum (D) against Rep. Jim DeMint (R). Healthy oceans and clean beaches are important to the lifestyle and tourist-based economy of South Carolina and these issues should be very important to the public. DeMint's record on the environment has been terrible, as he has consistently voted against measures that would protect ocean resources and the broader environment. Tenenbaum has a history of favoring environmental protection, including measures that would improve ocean health.

The Candidates

Inez Tenenbaum, 53, is a lawyer from Lexington County, SC. She was elected South Carolina State Superintendent of Education in 1998 and reelected in 2002.

Jim DeMint, 53, is a businessman from Greenville, SC. He has represented South Carolina's 4th District in Congress, which includes Greenville and Spartanburg, since 1998 and was elected to his third term in November 2002.

The State

While South Carolina has only 187 miles of coastline, it is a state with a long and passionate connection to the coast and oceans. Two of its major population centers - Charleston and Myrtle Beach - are both located on the coast, and almost everyone in the state is at most a few hours drive from a beach.

The Issues

Coastal tourism is a major part of the South Carolina economy. In 2002, over 14.8 million people visited coastal South Carolina. Coastal tourism generates over $4 billion in annual expenditures (Sources: Official South Carolina Tourism site & Travel Assn. of America).

Recreational fishing is a significant element of these coastal expenditures. There are 400,000 saltwater anglers each year South Carolina, 53% of whom are from out of state. Approximately 18% of South Carolina residents age 12 and up participate in saltwater fishing each year (Source: American Sportfishing Assn.)

The major coastal and ocean issue in South Carolina is coastal development and land use. Development of the coastal zone has exploded from Myrtle Beach to Hilton Head, bringing with it impacts to fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, public access, drinking water, and other cumulative impacts.

South Carolina is also a major focus of efforts to protect loggerhead sea turtles, an endangered species. There are numerous beaches that provide loggerhead nesting habitat, and state and federal wildlife agencies have engaged in significant initiatives to protect those sites from development and disturbance. The pressure to develop South Carolina's coasts presents a constant issue for sea turtles, however.

The quality of the waters in coastal areas and along beaches is an important issue, particularly in the Myrtle Beach area. While monitoring of coastal waters continues to expand, the results are discouraging. Swimming advisories and beach closures, which are issued when harmful bacteria are found in the water, increased 162% from 226 in 2002 to 593 in 2003. These advisories are "probably due to heavier rainfall," which flushes bacteria from storm drained into the ocean. Of the advisories, 45% were due to elevated bacterial levels, while 55% were pre-emptive rain advisories. In 2003, all of those beach advisories were in Horry county (the Myrtle Beach area) (source: NRDC's Annual Report on Beachwater Quality 2004).

Voting Records/Public Service

Although she is in the second of two terms as State Superintendent of Education, Tenenbaum has not been a member of a relevant legislative body, and so has little voting record to speak of on environmental and ocean issues. However, she did serve as a member of the South Carolina Legislative Advisory Committee on Regulations of Hazardous Waste, a panel that resolved issues related to the regulations implementing the state's Hazardous Waste Management Act. She also served as a top aide in the Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee of the South Carolina House of Representatives, and practiced health, environmental, and public interest law.

In his three terms in the U.S. House, Jim DeMint has compiled a solidly anti-environment record. He received a score of just 5 (out of 100) on the League of Conservation Voters' 2003 National Environmental Scorecard (1st Session, 108th Congress). His previous scores were a 9 out of 100 in the 107th Congress and a 10 out of 100 in the 106th Congress. His most relevant anti-ocean vote in 2003 involved an energy bill, H.R. 6, which would change the Clean Water Act to allow oil and gas companies to pollute rivers, streams, and the ocean beyond with sediment and other contaminants that are lethal to fish and other aquatic life. DeMint voted against an amendment to the bill that would have stripped out these polluter-friendly provisions and the provisions remained in the bill passed by the House (Source: League of Conservation Voters).

Public Statements

On her website, Inez Tenenbaum makes the following statements regarding protection of the environment:

Inez Tenenbaum has shown a commitment to environmental protection throughout her career, from practicing environmental law in the late 1980s, to working as State Superintendent of Education to get tough on litter violators and help South Carolina students understand the importance of the environment in their lives and future.

Advocating Environmental Protection. As a state legislative staff member in 1978, Inez helped draft the South Carolina Hazardous Waste Management Act. This watershed environmental protection legislation was the first comprehensive state effort to deal with waste materials that threaten human health and the natural environment. She also served on the South Carolina Legislative Advisory Committee on Regulations of Hazardous Waste, a panel that paved the way for one of the best state programs of hazardous waste management in the region - a program that always receives high marks from the federal Environmental Protection Agency for its implementation of the regulations.

Encouraging Protection as State Superintendent. As State Superintendent of Education, Tenenbaum created a grant program to help schools clean up litter and keep campuses clean, funded by increased fines on litter violators. She also supported Envirothon, a hands-on educational program aimed at helping students better understand environmental challenges.

Supporting Cleanup of the Savannah River Site. For half a century, South Carolina has done its part for the national defense. Inez believes it is time for the nation to live up to its promise to clean up the chemical and radioactive pollution at the Savannah River Site for future generations of South Carolinians.

Improving Water and Air Quality. Inez would expand efforts to improve water quality in rivers, strengthen coastal estuaries, and protect air quality. In 2002, South Carolina ranked ninth in the nation for the most smog days, when at least one ozone monitor in the state exceeded the national health standard. Thirty six of the state's streams had consumption advisories because of mercury pollution. The state cannot continue to tolerate such high levels of pollution and sustain its economic growth and prosperity.

Promoting Fuel Cell Research. Scientists believe hydrogen fuel cells are the most promising alternative to gasoline-driven engines; fuel cells could virtually wipe out air pollution produced by fossil fuels. Inez backs increased federal research funding for alterative fuels, particularly on fuel cell research at the Savannah River Site National Laboratory. She also supports a meaningful consumer tax credit for buyers of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles when they come on the market.

Preserving Green Space. Inez supports continued efforts to preserve natural green space in the state, such as the recently created Congaree National Park and the ACE Basin conservation area.

http://www.inez2004.com/portal/files/
phatfile/OnePagerEnvironment.pdf

In addition, she has pledged to be a "voice for the coast in Congress."

http://www.inez2004.com/portal/
index.php?module=article&view=95

On his website, Jim Demint makes no statement about the environment generally or the coasts and oceans specifically.

http://jimdemint.com/demint_contents/issues/

Ocean Champions Voter Fund was unable to find any public statements by Jim DeMint on either the environment or the coasts and oceans.

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