Environmental Planning

The following are some of the environmental planning activities of Central Midlands Council of Governments:

Water Quality Planning

Central Midlands Council of Governments is the designated water quality management agency for the five-county Central Midlands region. As such, CMCOG works closely with state agencies such as the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, the SC Department of Natural Resources and the SC Division of Regional Development, municipal and county government groups within the region, public interest groups such as the Sierra Club and the League of Women Voters and other organizations such as the River Alliance to protect the quality of area waterways both for current and future use. By ensuring our region's water quality, we provide safe drinking water for our citizens, allow for recreational activities such as swimming, fishing and kayaking on waterways like the Saluda River and Lake Murray, and maintain our region's economic vitality, all of which lead to a better quality of life.

Click here to download a Request for 208/201 Plan Conformance Certification

Air Quality Planning

In 1997, revisions were made to the CAAA's National Ambient Air Quality Standards, lowering the threshold on the maximum emissions allowed for the six principal pollutants, including ozone. The two components of ground-level ozone are oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). According to SC DHEC, within South Carolina the transportation sector is responsible for 53% of the NOx sources and 24% of the VOC sources. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (Department) recommends that the area within Richland and Lexington Counties encompassed by the boundaries of the Columbia Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) be designated a nonattainment area for violating the 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (air quality standard) based on 2000 through 2002 monitoring data. On August 23, 2002, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (Department) published a Notice of Drafting in the State Register for the development of an Early Action Plan for implementing measures to attain the 8-hour ozone standard prior to federal requirements. The Early Action Plan applies to those areas of the state that currently attain the 1-hour ozone standard, but may approach or exceed the upcoming 8-hour ozone standard.

Please visit the Central Midlands Open Space Planning Page and take the Green Infrastructure Survey.

View the Midlands Air Quality Report

Beginning July 16, 2007, CMCOG will be charging a $35 fee for all 208 conformance certifications. Click here for more information.