NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The City of North Myrtle Beach and local environmental group, Preserving Ingram Dunes have around two months before construction could begin on the land, thanks to a stormwater permit approval made by the Department of Health and Environmental Control earlier in December.
The Ingram Dunes stretch more than 9 acres across North Myrtle Beach and are said to be the oldest and highest dunes on the coast of South Carolina.
“They’re right in the middle of North Myrtle Beach,” Damien Triouleyre, President of Preserving Ingram Dunes said. “They’re surrounded by houses and businesses, but when you walk in there you feel this peace that’s unmistakable.”
Preserving Ingram Dunes has been raising money for the past two years to buy the land to save it from being developed. They’ve raised around $100,000, plus the city’s $500,000 pledge, however, the owners of the Ingram Dunes are asking for $3.1 million for the land.
DHEC recently approved stormwater permits for the area, setting a deadline of two months before construction could begin on the dunes.
“The whole game has changed now,” Triouleyre said. “So now it’s very critical. The dunes are in even more danger than they ever have been.”
The South Carolina Environmental Law Project filed an appeal with DHEC asking them to reconsider granting the stormwater permits.
Preserving Ingram Dunes doesn’t know when DHEC will decide to review the permits or not. If DHEC does decide to review the ruling, it would give Preserving Ingram Dunes around another month to raise money to buy the land. If DHEC does not review the ruling, the group will appeal the ruling to the Administrative Law Court.
To learn more about the Ingram Dunes or to support buying the land, click here.
