Recognizing the importance of discarded oyster shells is one of the reasons Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) established its oyster shell recycling program in 2017. By building community support and key partnerships with restaurants, ReWa has contributed about 430,000 pounds to the state Department of Natural Resources oyster shell recycling and planting program.

Building a virtuous cycle

As a water resources utility, partnering with SCDNR’s South Carolina Oyster Recycling and Enhancement program was a natural fit for ReWa, according to Haley Denison, the ReWa watershed and natural resources specialist who coordinates the utility’s oyster shell recycling program.

In a very real sense, oysters perform a similar function to ReWa in filtering water and improving water quality. The animals inside oyster shells pull the nutrients they need to survive from the water surrounding them. At the individual level, the effect is tiny but multiplied by the hundreds and thousands of oysters that make up an oyster reef and the impact on water quality and the health of the surrounding ecosystem is profound.

“There are a lot of parallels,” Denison said. “(Oysters are) improving water quality, filtering up to 50 gallons a day from a single adult oyster once they’re mature.”

To many people, they’re also delicious.

Capitalizing on that fact was one of the reasons the Table 301 restaurant group opened The Jones Oyster Co. in late 2022. According to Steve Seitz, Table 301 vice president and chief operating officer, the restaurant and staff were committed from the start to recycling the thousands of discarded shells the restaurant generates every week.

But that would have been extremely hard, if not impossible, without ReWa’s shell recycling collection site near the intersection of Mauldin and Wenwood roads.

“I drive my pickup truck to the drop station up to three times a week on average,” Seitz said. “If it wasn’t available, I don’t know how we’d do it.”

Those three trips each week represent on average about 10,000-12,000 shells. The volume was so significant that ReWa had to significantly expand its drop-off site as soon as The Jones Oyster Co. started adding its shells to the program.

From the mountains to the sea

Even though Greenville is more than 200 miles from the coast, ReWa’s oyster recycling program represents a significant percentage of shells recycled through the SCORE program, according to Holly Sommers, SCDNR’s coordinator for the program.

Part of her job is educating the public about the critical importance of oyster shell recycling. Oysters need oyster shell to replenish themselves, Sommers said, and a healthy oyster reef is typically home to more than 120 species of fish and other marine animals.

Despite having one of the best shell recycling programs in the country, SCDNR has to purchase shells from shucking houses each year to accomplish its task of maintaining and replenishing oyster reefs all along South Carolina’s coast, Sommers said.

That’s expensive.

“(That’s why) it’s so important that we work with whoever we can throughout the state to recycle as much shell as possible,” she said.

But beyond collecting recycled oyster shells, ReWa staff and volunteers transport the shells to the coast and participate in reef builds. According to Denison, seeing how the shells are returned to the sea to sustain and bolster marine ecosystems underscores the interconnectedness of the entire water cycle.

“Just from working in the water industry, you learn pretty quickly how connected all of your actions and your network really can be,” she said.

She added that every reef build has been rewarding and that each time she and the other volunteers learn something new. They also enjoy meeting other volunteers from all over the Palmetto State.

“People are always fascinated to learn where the shells are coming from, that even up in Greenville we’re still recycling the shells,” Denison said. “They love to hear about the efforts we’re doing, so it’s a good community-building experience.”

Good to know:

The S.C. Department of Natural Resources’ oyster shell recycling and reef building program is funded through sale of saltwater recreational fishing licenses.

ReWa shell recycling, by the numbers

• Since it began in 2017, the program has recycled more than 429,495 pounds of oyster shells.
• ReWa volunteers used 13,125 pounds of shells collected this year for a reef build April 30 along Old Towne Creek in Charleston.

Why oyster recycling matters

According to SCDNR, the closure of most oyster canneries and shucking houses along the coast in recent decades has greatly reduced the amount of shells available to cultivate and restore the state’s oyster beds. Also, the increasing popularity of backyard oyster roasts and sale of by-the-bushel oysters have further reduced shell availability, as most of those shells tend to end up in a landfill.

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The successful effort to assemble several parcels along the Saluda River in the historic and rapidly growing Piedmont community was announced May 26 in a ceremony at the site.

According to the trust, the project represents its smallest but most complex conservation effort to date, which took the past two years to achieve.

The project involved assembling 12 acres across numerous parcels in the heart of Piedmont’s historic mill village along the Saluda River in southern Greenville County.

The parcels include:

• Two former FEMA flood buyout parcels located within the floodway
• A donated easement provided by the former textile mill property owners
• The acquisition of approximately 6 acres from a private family

Financing for the six-acre acquisition was made possible through a grant from GCHNRT, matching funds from the South Carolina Conservation Bank, private support from the Community Foundation of Greenville and additional support from the New Leaf Fund, which was established by Greenville native and longtime New York City parks planner Lea Rohrbaugh.

About four acres of the total are owned by Greenville County, which is in the process of transferring ownership to the Piedmont Public Service District as part of its efforts to develop recreational opportunities in Piedmont.

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Renewable Water Resources is currently completing a $37.5 million pump station project in the Conestee area, resulting in the trail closure south of Interstate 85. 

The trail will be closed from Parkins Mill Road to ReWa’s Innovation Campus off Mauldin Road. The Parkins Mill Road parking area for the Swamp Rabbit Trail will also be closed. 

No detour will be provided during the trail closure. The city requests that trail users not bypass barriers and avoid the area, which is an active construction zone.  

Trail users will be able to access the southern portion of the Swamp Rabbit Trail Blue Line at the ReWa’s Innovation Campus from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Parking will be available in the grass lot near the solar farm on the property.

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The award was given during a ceremony April 27 and presented by Lyles Cooper, SCLTN board chair and executive director of the Pee Dee Land Trust; and Jen Howard, SCLTN executive director.

In a statement announcing the award, Howard said as one of the fastest growing states in the nation, South Carolina is facing increasing development pressures which make land conservation a critical priority.

“That growth brings increasing pressure on landowners to sell their property for development,” Howard said. “Conservation easements and strategic land protection are essential to maintaining the balance between livability and economic strength that defines our state.”

In comments during the awards ceremony, the governor challenged the landowners and staff from the state’s 24 land trusts in attendance to continue their efforts to protect the state’s natural and cultural resources.

“South Carolina has been discovered, and that brings increased use of natural resources across our state,” McMaster said. “In order to support our economic prosperity and quality of life, we must continue to protect more land at a faster pace before it’s too late.” 

The Palmetto Conservation Leadership Award was created to honor extraordinary contributions to the permanent protection of South Carolina’s natural and cultural resources. 

Conservation achievements credited in part to the governor’s leadership include:

• Significant funding increases for the S.C. Conservation Bank
• Establishment of the state Office of Resilience to better coordinate conservation and resource management efforts
• Support for the 2024 Working Agricultural Lands Preservation Act, expanding tools and funding to protect family farms
• Facilitation of major conservation projects, including new state parks, forests, and large-scale easements across the state

For more information about the work of the South Carolina Land Trust Network, visit scltn.org.

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The city of Greenville plans to purchase two parcels on Reach Street from the Salvation Army, which has owned the land since the late 1960s. The undeveloped property is located within the floodplains of the Reedy River and Long Branch Creek.

Greenville City Council recently authorized the $420,000 land purchase at its April 13 meeting. A mix of public and private funding will be used to purchase the 16.8-acre site, including:

• $120,000 from the city of Greenville
• $100,000 from the Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust
• $100,000 match from the South Carolina Conservation Bank
• $100,000 in combined contributions from the New Leaf Fund and the Community Foundation of Greenville

Negotiations for the land purchase were led by the Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust. The trust was created by Greenville County Council in 2020 to protect natural, historical and cultural resources across the county.  

The open space acquisition marks the trust’s first partnership with one of the six municipalities in Greenville County. Carlton Owens, the trust’s technical advisor, explained that the “layer cake approach” to conversation is a common model since it often takes multiple partners to successfully complete. 

“This is one project out of 30 that the Greenville County Trust has been involved in in its first five years,” Owens said. “Our hope over time is that we in Greenville County can meet the international goal for open space and land conservation – that’s 30% of land area being maintained as natural habitats for wildlife, for water, for air quality, for all the things that go with it.”

Open space preservation

The city aims to preserve approximately 35% of Greenville’s remaining vacant land as open space, a goal outlined in the GVL2040 Comprehensive Plan. Greenville City Manager Shannon Lavrin said the land purchase at Long Branch Creek will be the largest to date in support of this goal. The city previously purchased an adjacent 4-acre parcel on Willard Street in 2022.

Greenville City Councilmember Lillian Brock Flemming said preserving open space ensures the city’s residents can live safe and healthy lives. 

“This is Greenville – hello – Greenville. So if it’s Greenville, there should be some green in Greenville,” Fleming said. “But more importantly, for the welfare and safety of the community, we need green spaces, and I’m very happy to be a part of this.”

Future enhancements are envisioned for the purchased property to improve flood capacity, elevate stormwater resilience and preserve the wildlife habitat. The open space acquisition is also part of a larger effort to preserve more than 60 acres of contiguous natural floodplain along Long Branch Creek, which is a tributary of the Reedy River. 

Owens said they are in discussions with a private property owner who owns approximately 20 acres of floodplain adjacent to the city-owned parcels. Approximately 18 acres of land further up Long Branch Creek are owned by Naturaland Trust, a local nonprofit conservation organization. 

“The long-term vision would be if we could get all this land along Long Branch Creek and enhance it, where there would be less flooding downstream and more natural habitats here. Everybody wins,” Owens said.

Quotes

“We have to spearhead projects like this, pull them together so that we can come up with a jewel. This is going to be another jewel for Greenville, not just the county, but the city also.” – Greenville County Councilmember Alan Mitchell.

“Unlike most other parklands which are developed for intensive recreational use, this one will be to allow nature to do what nature does. Flood when the flood rains come, allow those flood waters to slowly be released out and reduce flooding downstream.” – Carlton Owens, technical advisor for Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust. 

***

Property background

The Salvation Army previously used its property along Reach Street as a recreational site for its Boys and Girls Club, now named the Red Shield Youth Center.

The land also served as the inaugural site of First Tee Greenville, a nonprofit organization that provides golf lessons to help local youth build character. The organization is currently known as First Tee Upstate South Carolina.

“We are very excited about this opportunity. Not only are we able to partner with the city, but we’re able to preserve this property,” said Bea Walters Smith, director of community relations and development with the Salvation Army of Greenville.

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The series of talks about the natural world are designed to be engaging, collegial and informative in what FoRR describes as “science made social, education made entertaining.”

The inaugural session, “The Birds and the Bees & Native Trees,” will feature Rick Huffman of the South Carolina Native Plant Society and John Quinn, Henry Keith and Ellen Hard Townes Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies director at Furman University. Their talk will address the profound and important connections between native plants, birds, pollinators and healthy river ecosystems and how urban landscapes can become vibrant spaces for people and wildlife.

Admission is free and no RSVP is required. For more information about this or other events, visit friendsofthereedyriver.org.

Want to go?

First Friends of the Reedy River By-the-Banks summer speaker series.

• Topic: Birds and the Bees & Native Trees
• When: May 12, 6 p.m.
• Where: Southernside Brewing Co., 25 Delano Drive, Greenville

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Plans for a trail connecting communities from Inman in Spartanburg County, to Zirconia in Henderson County, North Carolina, continue to take shape following the official acquisition of the rail corridor in June 2025.

The two-state trail is being developed through a collaboration between two leading conservation groups: PAL: Play, Advocate, Live Well based in Spartanburg and Conserving Carolina based in Hendersonville, NC.

Trail development has now moved into the planning and design phase following a period of significant public outreach to gather community input on how the trail takes shape.

Currently, work involves engineering on the South Carolina portion of the corridor led by Seamon Whiteside. This phase will help determine key elements such as trail alignment, access points, and user experience.

For more information, visit saludagradetrail.org.

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The Orange Line currently branches off from the Swamp Rabbit Trail Green Line at West Washington Street and continues to Buncombe Road. Greenville County plans to add another 1.5 miles to the trail using an inactive train corridor to connect to Worley Road, near Other Lands. 

A feasibility study was conducted in 2025 to examine the potential of extending the Orange Line through the North Main neighborhood to the intersection at Wade Hampton Boulevard and North Church Street.

Greenville City Councilmember John DeWorken said the North Main neighborhood currently lacks a direct connection to the Swamp Rabbit Trail. He said residents typically access the trail by traveling down Main Street to Falls Park or crossing Rutherford Road and Pete Hollis Boulevard to reach the trail near the Amtrak train station. 

A preferred route for the North Main Connector was initially identified last fall based on public feedback collected for the feasibility study. However, the city has decided to take a different approach after residents raised concerns about creating a multi-use trail through the neighborhood. 

“At the end of the day, I think people love sidewalks and bike lanes, but they just were not enthusiastic to have the trail go in their front yard,” DeWorken said. 

Trail connections

The city now proposes extending the Orange Line from Worley Road to Rutherford Road on the northwestern side of the North Main neighborhood. A pedestrian crossing would be added on Rutherford Road to allow for safer access to the neighborhood. 

Another trail connection is proposed on the southeastern side of North Main, extending from Mohawk Drive near Community Tap to the Wade Hampton Boulevard and North Church Street intersection. The city also plans to complete pedestrian crossing improvements at the intersection.  

Trail users would use existing bike lanes and sidewalks to travel through North Main from Rutherford Road to Mohawk Drive. DeWorken said the city will look into potential sidewalk and bike lane improvements for the neighborhood in the future. 

City staff are currently working with the project’s design team to plan the new trail connections to the North Main neighborhood. According to the city, the team will also work with private property owners on easements for the project over the next several months.

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The city is currently working with consultants to develop a comprehensive master plan to enhance these key features over the next 10 years. The planning process for the city’s first Parks, Recreation and Tourism Master Plan kicked off in August 2025. Massachusetts-based Agency Landscape + Planning was hired as the project’s consultant. 

“For a city of our size, this is going to be very important for us,” said Will Young, the city’s director of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. “It’ll sort of direct us over the next five to 10 years and what we should be doing next.” 

Community members recently had the opportunity to provide input on the master plan during a public meeting on March 26 at the Prisma Health Welcome Center in Unity Park. Additional public feedback was gathered during Piedmont Natural Gas Downtown Alive on Thursday and Greenville Heritage Main Street Fridays on March 27 in downtown Greenville. 

The project’s consultants will analyze the public feedback and begin drafting the planning document over the next several months. The final master plan is expected to be presented to Greenville City Council for approval in the fall. 

Master plan elements

The Parks, Recreation and Tourism Master Plan will outline a clear vision for the city’s parks, trails, green spaces, recreation facilities and event programming over the next decade. This will include ensuring residents and tourists continue to have equitable and inclusive access to these amenities and services. 

Strategies for enhancing the city’s trail system will be incorporated in the master plan. Approximately 22 miles of trails are located within the city limits, including portions of the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail Network. 

Jill Dixon, a director at Agency Landscape + Planning, said enhanced trail connectivity has been a common request from residents. Community members have also asked for more amenities along the trails, such as restrooms, benches, drinking fountains and bike racks. 

Kraig Robson, a local resident who attended Thursday’s public meeting, said he would like to see the trails widened and have better demarcation between cyclists and walkers. This type of enhancement is planned to be completed along a high-traffic section of the Swamp Rabbit Trail between River Street and Unity Park in the coming months. 

In addition, the 10-year master plan will examine where future park and recreational facility investments are needed as the city continues to grow. According to the city, all residents live within a five-minute drive of a park. Approximately 46% of residents live within a 10-minute walking distance of a city park. 

Environmental protection guidelines will also be outlined within the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Master Plan. For example, the planning document will further support the city’s efforts to preserve as much as 35% of vacant land as open space, a goal introduced in the GVL2040 Comprehensive Plan. It will also include strategies to improve the resiliency of city parks and amenities when environmental challenges occur such as flooding or extreme heat. 

For more information on the master plan, visit greenvillesc.gov/2687/PRT-Master-Plan. 

Accreditation Goals

The city of Greenville’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department is in the process of achieving accreditation through the National Parks and Recreation Association. PRT Director Will Young said a master plan is required for accreditation, which they hope to complete in 2027.

By the numbers

The city of Greenville’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department oversees:

• More than 500 acres of parks and open space
• 39 total parks
• 22 miles of trails
• 47,085 square feet of dedicated indoor recreation facilities

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The master plan will provide a 10-year outlook for the city’s parks, trails, green spaces, recreation facilities and event programming. The city hired Agency, a Massachusetts-based planning firm, to develop the new master plan.

Community members are invited to a public meeting on March 26 to provide feedback on the parks, recreation and tourism master plan. The meeting will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Prisma Health Welcome Center in Greenville’s Unity Park. 

Public engagement sessions will also be held at the Piedmont Natural Gas Downtown Alive on March 26 and the Greenville Heritage Main Street Fridays on March 27. Both events take place at NOMA Square in downtown Greenville, starting at 5:30 p.m.

According to the city, the parks, recreation and tourism master plan will specifically outline goals and strategies for:

• Preserving open space
• Protecting the environment and tree canopy
• Improve the city’s parks and trail system
• Implementing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
• Enhancing arts and cultural events 

Additional public feedback for the master plan will be collected through an online survey. For more information, visit greenvillesc.gov/2687/PRT-Master-Plan. 

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The aim is to reduce hazardous forest fuels that contribute to fire risk and to improve habitat conditions for wildlife and recreation.

In the Upstate, parks where prescribed burns are planned include:

• Devils Fork and Oconee state parks in Oconee County
• Table Rock State Park in Pickens County
• Sadlers Creek State Park in Anderson County

Prescribed burns require specific conditions in order to be performed safely. Those conditions include humidity, wind and weather conditions and the level of ground moisture. Such conditions are variable and can change quickly, making it difficult for fire management teams to schedule or provide the public with advanced warning of where and when the burns will take place.

Burn notifications are posted on the state Forestry Commission’s website at scfc.gov. Additionally, officials at each impacted state park will do their best to notify the public about how fire activities may impact visitors.

The public should be aware trails and roads in and around affected parks may be temporarily closed during burns.

For specific information about park impacts, visit southcarolinaparks.com.

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The park is located near Blacksburg and east of Interstate 85 in Cherokee County near the North Carolina/South Carolina state line.

Wildland fire crews will be working in the following areas:

• Battlefield burn unit — 175-acre area between the park visitor center and Battleground Drive. The unit is bordered by Colonial Road to the north, the paved battlefield trail to the east, with Battleground Drive serving as the remainder of the eastern, southern and western boundaries.
• Eastline burn unit — 272-acre area at the eastern boundary of the park adjacent to Kings Mountain State Park, and bordered by a tributary of Long Branch to the south.
• Howser burn unit — 31-acre area bordered by private property and Rock House Road to the north and east. The unit includes the Henry Howser House and Mary Morris House.

Some access to trails and grounds within the burn areas may be restricted during prescribed burn activities, and surrounding communities may experience minimal smoke and visibility impacts during these times.

For more information and for updates on burn activities visit the park’s website at nps.gov/kimo.

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The tournament will be held March 19-21, 2027, in Greenville, with the competition hosted on Lake Hartwell in Anderson County. B.A.S.S. unveiled the 2027 Bassmaster Classic location on Feb. 24 alongside leadership from VisitGreenvilleSC and Visit Anderson, which are jointly hosting the competition.

Fifty-eight of the world’s top bass anglers will compete at the 2027 Bassmaster Classic, known as the “Super Bowl of Bass Fishing.” The competition includes a $300,000 first place prize. 

The Bassmaster Classic was previously hosted on Lake Hartwell in 2008, 2015, 2018 and 2022. An estimated 154,932 fans attended the tournament in 2022, generating more than $25.5 million in economic impact. Chase Anderson, CEO of B.A.S.S., explained that the upcoming tournament in 2027 will set the record for the most visits to a single venue in the organization’s history. 

“Lake Hartwell has consistently delivered elite-level competition and dramatic moments on bass fishing’s biggest stage, while Greenville and the surrounding Upstate region have proven to be outstanding hosts for anglers and fans alike,” Anderson said. “The combination of a world-class fishery, an engaged fan base and strong community partnerships makes the area an ideal setting for the 2027 championship.”

Look back: 2022 Bassmaster Classic

The 2027 Bassmaster Classic will also include the Bass Master Classic Outdoors Expo and associated events for fans hosted throughout Greenville and the Lake Hartwell area. Additional tournament details, such as weight-in venues, take-off locations and fan activities, will be announced at a later date.

“The Bassmaster Classic shows how tourism can be a true community engine — supporting jobs, local businesses and the quality of life our residents enjoy every day,” said Heath Dillard, president and CEO of VisitGreenvilleSC. “It’s a reflection of strong partnerships, incredible natural assets and a region that knows how to come together to host a world-class event.”

The event is presented by Under Armor. For more information, visit bassmaster.com.

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Working with a variety of funding partners and property owners in Anderson, Greenville, Laurens, Oconee, Pickens and Spartanburg counties in South Carolina and Polk County, North Carolina, nine new and amended conservation easements were secured on working agricultural lands along with forested and mixed-landscape properties.

Upstate Forever conservation efforts

The protected properties represent the diversity of landscapes that define the region, said Scott Park, Upstate Forever’s Glenn Hilliard Director of Land Conservation, in a statement announcing the conserved lands.

Among the protected properties are:

• Echols Farm — A 72-acre agricultural property in Anderson County with pasture, wetlands and mixed forests. Funding partners included South Carolina Department of Environmental Services 319 grant program, South Carolina Conservation Bank and Upstate Land Conservation Fund .
• Big Garvin Creek Farm — A 253-acre cattle farm in Anderson County with a 32-acre pond and forested riparian buffers along Big Garvin Creek. Funding partners were SCDES 319 grant program, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Regional Conservation Partnership program, SCCB and ULCF
• Stevenson Century Farm — A 132-acre, fourth-generation cattle and poultry farm straddling the Anderson-Oconee county line. Funding partners were SCCB, ULCF and Oconee County Conservation Bank.
• Moore Farm at Horsepen Creek — A 110-acre rural property in Greenville County that will help protect water quality along Horsepen Creek. Funding partners were Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust, SCCB and ULCF.
• RML Timber — A 1,219-acre property in Laurens County that is the second largest conservation easement secured to date by Upstate Forever. Funding partners included Sustain SC, SCCB and ULCF.
• Foster Fields — An 85-acre property of pasture, mixed hardwoods and stream frontage near Croft State Park, Funded by ULCF.
• Long Lane Farm — A 73-acre equestrian farm in Polk County, North Carolina, of managed pasture, hardwood forest and riparian buffer. The easement was a full donation by the landowner.

The new lands bring Upstate Forever’s 2025 conservation total to more than 2,700 acres protected through conservation easements. Since its 1998 founding, the organization has protected more than 44,000 acres.

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A $20.3 million federal infrastructure grant was awarded to the county in 2024 for the planned trail connector. The funding comes from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant program through the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

Greenville County Administrator Joe Kernell announced the county recently received the fully executed RAISE grant agreement from the U.S. Department of Transportation during a Greenville County Council meeting on Feb. 17. He said the grant does not require a local funding match.

Early plans show the new trail extension branching off from the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail northwest of West Blue Ridge Drive, following Langston Creek and ending at Poinsett Highway. Bob Mihalic, spokesman for Greenville County, said up to two miles of new trail could be created, but the total trail distance will be determined at the time of final alignment. 

The trail extension would also run through the planned 240-acre redevelopment of the former Union Bleachery/Cone Mills site. Construction on the redevelopment project’s first phase is expected to begin in the coming weeks.

Approximately six pedestrian bridges could be added as part of the project to increase pedestrian and cyclist safety at several roadways. The bridges are planned to span over West Blue Ridge Drive, Old Buncombe Road, North Franklin Road, Poinsett Highway, Sulphur Springs Road and the Reedy River. 

County Council Chairman Benton Blount campaigned on the need to build a pedestrian bridge over West Blue Ridge Road (S.C. Highway 253). Blount was elected in 2022 to represent District 19, which covers Sans Souci, Berea, City View and Parker. 

“District 19 has desperately needed an overhaul to give more accessibility to trails for our more underserved areas,” Blount said. 

County staff, with assistance from an outside program management consultant, plan to complete environmental assessments, topographic surveys and the preliminary engineering for the project. Mihalic said an environmental impact analysis will need to be created, in relation ot the National Environmental Policy Act. 

Designs will then be finalized for the project. Construction is tentatively expected to begin in 2030 or 2031. 

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