Leaders gather to discuss events targeting disastrous flooding in S.C.
September 1, 2021
Pictured SEATED L-R are Ethel Bunch, Sustain SC; Dr. Susan Johnson, MUSC; Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Tom Mullikin, who chairs the S.C. Floodwater Commission; Joelle Teachey, Trees Upstate; and Maj. Gen. (Ret.) William Grimsley, S.C. Dept. of Veterans Affairs. STANDING L-R are DeWayne Gary, Global Eco Adventures (GEA); Charlie Mullikin Whitney, GEA, Thomas Mullikin Jr., GEA; Laurie Traywick, S.C. Dept. of Education; Gettys Brannon, S.C. Boating and Fishing Alliance; Brant Tomlinson, GEA; Chrysti Shain, S.C. Dept. of Corrections; Tyler Ryan, ABC Columbia; Doug Wood, S.C. Forestry Commission; Desiree Watson, McAlister Communications; and Travis Spainhour, the Milliken Forestry Company.
By W. Thomas Smith Jr.
An organizationally diverse gathering of state leaders led by S.C. Floodwater Commission Tom Mullikin held a solutions-seeking, event-planning, flood-mitigation session at the Palmetto Club in downtown Columbia, Tues., Aug. 31.
Officially, the POWERPLANTSC planning committee, the group ironed out details for forthcoming events like POWERPLANTSC (which this year planted 3.4-million tree seeds across South Carolina) and SC7 (an annual exploratory expedition across the Palmetto State) which are efforts geared toward creating the highest-level of broad-based community involvement in environmental protection and floodwater mitigation. Both are “inextricably connected,” says Mullikin.
“How can anyone not be enthusiastic for what we are doing here when we all see what has happened again in Louisiana,” said Mullikin, referring to the recent disastrous flooding from Hurricane Ida. “This is vitally important work.”
Attended by senior representatives and communications officials from the S.C. Dept. of Education, the S.C. Dept. of Corrections, the S.C. Forestry Commission, the Milliken Forestry Company, the Medical University of South Carolina, Trees Upstate, McAlister Communications, Sustain SC, the S.C. Boating and Fishing Alliance, the S.C. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Global Eco Adventures, and the Mullikin Law Firm; the group hammered out three deliverables: (1) An Arbor Day project, (2) a July 30 artificial reef project, and (3) a cumulative project-goal of one-million trees planted across S.C. in 2022.
The Arbor Day project is a pilot program aimed at planting trees in designated high-risk areas of flood vulnerability.
The artificial reef project, which will also involve divers (many of whom are former U.S. military combat divers and special operators) from FORCE BLUE, is slated to coincide with the final day of the SC7 2022 expedition.
“We enjoyed tremendous success this year planting a record-number of trees on a single day here in S.C. with POWERPLANTSC 2021,” said Mullikin. “And through SC7 – now with two successful expeditions under our belt – we’ve created greater public awareness of our state’s natural beauty and its susceptibility to disastrous flooding.”
Mullikin added: “We need everyone involved. For instance, I want to see 1,000 SCUBA divers working with us on the artificial reef project. We can and we will. We’re going to do everything better this time [on all forthcoming projects]. We’re going to be even bigger. And we’re going to keep our foot on the gas.”
The next planning meeting is slated for later in September.
