Coastal Environmental Quality Program
The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium’s Coastal Environmental Quality Specialist works closely with state natural resource managers, community groups, scientists, universities, and decisionmakers to help sustain our coastal environmental quality.
This program focuses on helping communities enhance and conserve the coastal environment through proper stormwater management, improving water quality, and preventing harmful algal blooms.
Brooke Saari
Coastal Environmental Quality and Extension Services Specialist
New Publication
Regional Stormwater Pond Information and Programming
A team of partners from various organizations in South Carolina’s coastal areas collaborate on programming efforts yearly, including the Healthy Pond Series and Stormwater Pond Conferences.
Recent Projects in Coastal Environmental Quality
Water Chats
Water Chats is a technical training program designed to facilitate access to and use of new and emerging water quality research to inform natural resource management decisions in South Carolina. The program provides opportunities to share information on public and private sector advancements in water quality research and management applications that may benefit South Carolina’s community, environment, economy, and future.
Contaminants of Emerging Concern
The Southeast Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) Program was established to study the climatic impacts on CECs, such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in the region. CECs are defined as chemicals or substances that may not have regulatory standards, are not included in routine monitoring programs, and could have adverse toxicological effects.
Blue Gray to Blue Green
This collaborative project aims to reduce coastal plastic debris by promoting the use of and researching natural materials that can replace plastic use in the growing sectors of coastal aquaculture, restoration, and water quality protection.
Trawl to Trash
This program recruits and hires local commercial shrimpers to construct stow bags by upcycling old and discarded shrimp trawl nets, which they construct during their off-season. Stow bags are then provided to the public through outreach activities to encourage the reduction of trash in our local environment.
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