IRE • Islanders for Responsible Expansion

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WALMART'S PLAN
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> FIGHT BACK
How to help, who to write, who to call

CORPS OF ENGINEERS PERMITS
Posted each Friday – May not come from "Walmart" per se

ABOUT WALMART
Everything you ever wanted to know

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Fight Back

THANK YOU for pitching in to keep Walmart where it is! Here are the best things we can do at this time to make our voices heard. **** DHEC / OCRM ****

There has been major confusion surrounding a public notice Walmart published in the Post and Courier on March 19th. DHEC says the notice was invalid and a false alarm.

The notice claimed that Walmart had filed their permit application with both DHEC and the Army Corps of Engineers and that public comments would be accepted through April 3rd.

Walmart did not give a project number or the name of a project manager. Walmart did TRY to file but the Corps would not accept their application at that time. They met with Walmart last week to go over some of their concerns.

Please wait to write DHEC and the Corps. We will let you know of any further news as we learn of it. Thank you for your patience!

ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

Although Walmart has applied for its permit from the Army Corps of Engineers, the Corps has not officially "accepted" it yet.

The Corps says they have some concerns about Walmart's application, and they met privately with Walmart last week to discuss these concerns.

The Corps would not give us any further details so this is all we know right now. Thank you for your patience as we learn more each day.

The Corps posts all permit applications filed during the week on their website every Friday afternoon. We will let everyone know as soon as we know something. You can also check the Corps' Public Notices page here.

Be aware that the permit may or may not come from Walmart itself. It may appear to come from another person or company. We are checking each permit to make sure we don't miss anything important.

Please wait to write the Corps until Walmart applies for their permit. For the moment there is no case number or project manager, so there is no one particular person to collect and read our letters. At this point, they may just get scattered and lost.

We will post the project manager's name, the case number, and the Corps' address once the permit application has been filed.

IMPORTANT: When you write the Corps, please copy our US Senators and Representative too. We have been told that letters copied to these elected officials can carry a lot more weight, as these officials have the ability to speak powerfully on our behalf. Click here for our Senators' and Representative's addresses and contact info.

CITY OF CHARLESTON

On February 6th, the City's Board of Zoning Appeals granted Walmart variances to cut down 30 grand trees. Grand trees are larger than 24 inches in diameter at chest height, and in theory they are protected by law.

Soon City Council will be asked to sell between 3.73 and 3.88 acres of wetlands to Walmart so that they can build their new supercenter.

Council members Katleen Wilson and Timothy Mallard – James Island and Folly Beach's two representatives – have stated publicly they will not support this proposal. There are 12 members on City Council however, and Wilson and Mallard urge us to contact the other ten as they could still be outvoted. Here is contact info for all twelve members. If you write one letter, PLEASE copy it to everyone. Your letter will have so much more impact that way!

  • Joe Riley, Mayor (Votes in cases of ties)
    City Hall: 80 Broad Street, Charleston SC 29401
    Email: rileyj@ci.charleston.sc.us

  • Katleen Wilson, District 12
    692 Travers Court, James Island, SC 29412
    843-795-7507 (h)

  • Timothy Mallard, District 11
    3095 South Shore Drive, Charleston, SC 29407
    843-270-5618 (w)

  • Larry Shirley, District 10
    PO Box 30368, Charleston, SC 29417
    843-747-7000 (w), 843-763-6207 (h)

  • Aubrey Alexander, District 9
    1400 Park Shore Drive, Charleston, SC 29407
    843-723-7150 (w)

  • Yvonne Evans, District 8
    23 Smith Street, Charleston, SC 29401
    843-722-2446 (h)

  • Louis Waring Jr., District 7
    PO Box 80085, Charleston, SC 29416
    843-763-5388 (w), 843-556-7343 (h)

  • Wendell Gilliard, District 6
    PO Box 31641, Charleston, SC 29417
    843-805-2345 (w), 843-402-9710 (h)

  • Jimmy Galant III, District 5
    PO Box 20247, Charleston, SC 29413
    843-723-7458 (h)

  • Robert Mitchell, District 4
    728 King Street, Charleston, SC 29403
    843-937-7663 (w), 843-853-2057

  • James Lewis Jr., District 3
    292 Sumter Street, Charleston, SC 29403
    843-219-8018 (h)

  • Deborah Morinelli, District 2
    2810 Garden Creek Road, Charleston, SC 29414
    843-763-4165 (h)

  • Gary White, District 1
    PO Box 599, Charleston, SC 29402
    843-364-1876 (h)

OTHER IMPORTANT ELECTED OFFICIALS

  • US Sentator Jim Demint

    Main District Office
    105 North Spring Street, Suite 109
    Greenville, SC 29601
    843-233-5366

    Washington Office
    340 Russell Senate Office Building
    Washington DC 20510-4002
    202-224-6121

  • US Sentator Lindsey Graham

    Main District Office
    101 East Washington Street, Suite 220
    Greenville, SC 29601
    843-250-1417

    Washington Office
    290 Russell Senate Office Building
    Washington DC 20510-4001
    202-224-5972

  • US Representative Henry Brown

    Main District Office
    5900 Core Avenue, Suite 401
    North Charleston, SC 29406
    843-747-4175

    Washington Office
    1124 Longworth House Office Building
    Washington DC 20515-4001
    202-225-3176

  • SC State Senator Glenn McConnell

    Email: sju@scsenate.org

    Main District Office
    27 Bainbridge Drive
    Charleston, SC 29407
    843-747-7554

    Columbia Office
    101 Gressette Building
    Columbia, SC 29201
    803-212-6610

  • SC State Representative Leon Stavrinakis

    Email: stavl@schouse.org

    Main District Office
    375 Meadow Breeze Lane
    Charleston, SC 29414
    843-724-1060

    Columbia Office
    420-D Blatt Building
    Columbia, SC 29201
    803-734-3039

  • SC State Representative Wallace Scarborough

    Email: wbs@schouse.org

    Main District Office
    PO Box 20010
    Charleston, SC 29413
    843-573-3053

    Columbia Office
    326-B Blatt Building
    Columbia, SC 29201
    803-734-2948

    LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

    Perhaps the single most effective thing you can do at this point is to write a letter to the Post & Courier. Your voice has so much impact at this level, because you are creating a public record of discord and disapproval. You are alerting your neighbors to the dangers of a new Walmart. You are creating awareness.

    Mass public outcry in the form of a STEADY STREAM OF LETTERS TO THE EDITOR is hard for public officials to ignore. Email your letter to barbara@postandcourier.com or send it to Barbara at 134 Columbus Street, Charleston, SC 29403.

    You must include your full name and contact information so they can verify who you are; otherwise they won't print it. Also, try to keep it short and sweet so more people will take the time to read it. Thank you!