Personal Injury Attorney in Georgetown, SC

Liberty Steel Georgetown Inc. has been hit with a $7 million lawsuit by the South Carolina Public Service Authority for allegedly failing to fulfil an electricity service agreement. According to the lawsuit, filed Feb. 13, Liberty Steel “entered into a South Carolina Public Service Authority Service Agreement for Large Power Electric Service” with Santee Cooper on May 1, 2023.The agreement states Santee Cooper was to sell electricity to the mill for five years, which was to be paid monthly. If Liberty Steel “stopped operations or defaults during the initial term resulting in termination” the mill agreed to pay Santee Cooper “a sum equal to the cumulative total of the Minimum Monthly Bills” for the remainder of contract, the lawsuit states. The filing states Liberty Steel failed to pay for November 2024 service charges of $167,280.50 and December 2024 service charges of $166,942.56, for a total past due balance of $334,233.06. In a January 2, 2025 letter to Liberty Steel, Santee Cooper gave notice of termination of the Agreement and made demand for the amount due. And since the mill has ceased operations, they owe for the remainder of the contract in the amount of $6,628,482,” the lawsuit explains. That, along with the unpaid balance, equals $7,000,465.79, which is what the lawsuit is seeking. Tariffs Not Yet Helping Georgetown MillIn 2018, there were good news reports about the future of the steel mill in Georgetown. It was announced that the steel making plant – which had been idle for about three years – was reopening. And credit was given to President Donald Trump’s plan to put tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.At that time, it was announced by Liberty Steel that 125 people were being hired or rehired to operate the mill.In October of 2024, Liberty Steel announced it was going “idle” and was suspending operations. They said, in a press release, they were “monitoring market conditions and evaluating options with the intention of restarting when the market conditions improve.”On February 10, President Trump announced 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from all U.S. trade partners, effective March 12. He described the tariffs as a crackdown on subsidized Chinese metal that is flooding global markets and—he argues—putting U.S. producers out of business. So, does this mean market conditions will improve enough in the steel industry for the Georgetown mill to reopen?We tried to get that answer from Liberty Steel. We sent a message to Liberty Steel Head of Communications Andrew Mitchell. We asked if the tariffs could possibly cause a reopening of the mill. We received a six-word answer.“There’s no update from previous guidance,” Mitchell responded – meaning nothing has changed since the October announcement.

GEORGETOWN — On a map of South Carolina state parks, there's a noticeable gap in Georgetown and Williamsburg counties.

"There's a major void in this area," John Moon, a state park ranger, said.

Huntington Beach State Park lies in eastern Georgetown County, while Williamsburg County doesn't have any state parks.

But that gap is about to be filled.

Two state parks are planned for Georgetown County, and at least a portion of each park could open this year. Black River State Park will stretch from Kingstree in Williamsburg County through Andrews to Georgetown. Ramsey Grove State Park will be situated about 15 minutes from historic Georgetown off U.S. Highway 701.

The state’s first linear park

Moon’s home overlooks the tea-colored Black River and the dense tree line that stretches along the bank. Every now and then, a yellow lab named Buddy wades up the river from a neighboring property to roam Moon’s backyard.

Moon is the head ranger at Black River State Park, and living on the property is one of the perks that comes with the job, he said.

Soon, 70 miles of lush forest and swamp land along the Black River, including the land Moon lives on, will become a haven for outdoor recreation and reflection on the past.

It will be the state’s first linear park, which means the tracts will follow the river and be accessible from the water. There will be campsites along the river that kayakers can use to take a break from paddling and explore new sections of the park.

"You could break it down into a week-long vacation of just being on the water and staying overnight at various places," Moon said.

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The park will sprawl across some 1,800 acres and be divided into several tracts, Moon said.

It will open in stages, with the first tract set to open this spring. It will be called “The Meadows” and will include state park staples such as campsites, a picnic area, hiking trails, kayaking and opportunities for fishing and birding.

The Meadows will also contain the park’s visitor center and provide opportunities to learn about the river’s historical significance. There will be an emphasis on the river’s importance to indigenous and Gullah-Geechee people, Moon said.

“I want to have the opportunity to create programs that tell that story," he said. "But not by me, not by just by a random employee or park ranger, but by them. I want to bring them into that mix, give them the opportunity to tell their story.”

Moon lives on a tract called High Bluffs. It will be a more secluded portion of the park only available by reservation and will include an airstream village on the bank of the river.

Eventually, Moon will move to a different house on the property, and his current residence will be rented out as well.

High Bluffs sits on roughly 162 acres and has a soft opening date of fall 2025.

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A major goal of the park is to revitalize surrounding communities such as Andrews and Kingstree, Moon said.

The towns once prospered because of the textile industry. But as that industry left, the communities lost vital jobs.

Moon remains hopeful that people will visit nearby towns after exploring Black River State Park. More visitors could mean the development of new restaurants and other local businesses.

“This is an opportunity to create some economic growth and development in those communities,” Moon said.

The park will also protect land from future development and promote flood plain resiliency, he said.

The expected completion date for the full park is 2030, but there could still be some changes and improvements made after that.

"I like to say that no park’s ever completed," Moon said. "I mean, every day you're always making it better. You're always trying to improve the experience."

Ramsey Grove

Building Ramsey Grove State Park has been a steady, deliberate process.

Brandon Goff, head ranger at the park, said he understands the gravity of his choices. He strives to create a park that pays homage to the land it’s built on, and that means questioning every decision he makes when planning it. He's OK with that if that makes the park the best it can be, he said.

"This is something my son is going to see, you know, when he’s an old man, that his dad was a part of building something that preserves and protects something special in the community," he said.

The fact that Goff grew up only 30 minutes away from the park makes it particularly special to him.

Right now, the park is still in its early stages. Test digs are being held to determine sensitive areas on the property that might contain archaeological resources. Infrastructure work is underway on water lines and the road.

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The park is also in the process of renovating the ranger residences and a house that will eventually be rented out to guests.

With the grandeur of its live oak grove, towering longleaf pines and view of the Black River, Ramsey Grove is a breathtaking place to visit, Goff said.

But he pointed out that what makes a park special isn’t always the landscape; it's the ability for people to connect with the land.

"The beauty is almost secondary to the moment," Goff said. "When you land there, that’s when you’ve done your job well."

The property was once a rice plantation. As a steward of Ramsey Grove, Goff said he has a responsibility to protect and promote its cultural and historical significance.

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"All of the plantations and properties, especially those that planted rice and were part of that economy, were integral to what Georgetown is today," Goff said.

Sharing the history of the enslaved people in the region can sometimes make for difficult conversations, Goff said, but it’s important.

There will be wayside exhibits and ranger-led tours to explain the area's history.

Ramsey Grove doesn’t have an opening date, but the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism hopes it will open sometime in 2025, Sam Queen, SCPRT communications director, said.

When the 2,600-acre park does open, it's expected to offer hiking trails, biking trails, a duck impoundment and an area for deer hunting.

Plans for the park also include space for events such as pumpkin patches, oyster roasts and weddings.

Goff hopes visitors to Ramsey Grove can leave with a new experience that invokes a sense of interest and wonderment.

"Any park ranger wants their visitor to enjoy their time at a park," he said. "And the ultimate experience would be to create a memory."

GEORGETOWN — Georgetown County's water supply contains "forever chemicals" that could pose a danger to thousands of residents, and local utilities don't have the resources to remove the contaminants, according to two lawsuits filed this week.

The city of Georgetown and the Georgetown County Water and Sewer District filed lawsuits that seek damages for the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — commonly called "forever chemicals" because they don't naturally break down — in the Pee Dee and Waccamaw rivers.

The city gets its drinking water from the IP Canal, which carries water from the Pee Dee River, and serves approximately 20,000 water customers. The Georgetown County Water and Sewer District relies on the Waccamaw River to provide drinking water to about 18,500 customers.

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The rivers contain levels of PFAS that the Environmental Protection Agency considers unsafe, according to the lawsuits.

“The levels of PFAS detected far exceed the EPA’s most recent Health Advisory, Maximum Contaminant Levels (“MCL”), and Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (“MCLG”),” both lawsuits stated.

PFAS have been used since the 1940s in a variety of industrial and commercial products. The chemicals resist heat and repel oil and water, making them useful for products like firefighting foams, stain- and water-resistant coatings and non-stick coatings.

But these substances can build up in people and animals over time, potentially leading to health concerns. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to heart and liver problems, deadly cancers and developmental damage to children.

The EPA set limits for six kinds of PFAS, and water utilities must follow those limits by 2029.

More than 20 defendants are named in the latest lawsuits, including Darling Fibers (previously called Fiber Industries), which owns a textile company in Darlington.

Darling Fibers releases wastewater containing PFAS into Black Creek, which flows into the Pee Dee River upstream from where Georgetown draws water from the IP Canal. It also releases wastewater containing PFAS upstream from where the GCWSD gets its drinking water, according to the lawsuits.

Darling Fibers could not be reached for comment.

Companies such as 3M, Dupont and Daikin America were also named as defendants. The companies have been involved in national PFAS lawsuits and have been identified as major manufacturers and distributors of PFAS.

PFAS cannot be removed by standard treatment technology, according to the lawsuits. The city and the GCWSD argue that they would need to upgrade their treatment facilities to remove the chemicals from the water.

"Georgetown will be forced to incur substantially increased capital and operating expenses related to PFAS removal from drinking water and wastewater. Georgetown seeks compensation from Defendant for these PFAS-related expenses," the lawsuit filed by the city stated.

The lawsuit filed by the county water district also seeks compensation for creating and operating updated treatment facilities.

Attorneys for the city and the GCWSD could not be reached for comment.

Both lawsuits cited negligence, continuing nuisance, public nuisance, trespass, failure to warn and violation of the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act as causes for action.

The cases are similar to others filed statewide and across the country. In August, Conway-based Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority filed suit over PFAS contamination in the Waccamaw River, which also provides drinking water to Horry County residents.