General Assembly to Consider Reauthorization of State Conservation Bank

Reauthorization of the State Conservation Bank is before the General Assembly this year, with the current authorization set to expire in 2018. Since its founding in 2002, the State Conservation Bank has been the vehicle for protection of some 290,000 acres in South Carolina, including wetlands, forests, farmland, and historic sites. The Bank funds both direct purchases of land and conservation easements that protect the current use of land. The proposed Senate legislation (S.219) would extend the Conservation Bank for ten years, through July 1, 2028.