BLYTHEWOOD – As part of the construction of the new Exit 26 interchange on I-77 and connecting roads project in Blythewood, SCDOT (South Carolina Department of Transportation) will be closing and detouring a portion of Community Road beginning the morning of May 5, 2025. The closure will remain in place until March 31, 2026.
The closed area will be between north of Northpoint Blvd and
south of the public storage business located at 860 Community Rd.
Access to all businesses along Community Road will be
maintained as the businesses are not located within the closure area. The
closure will provide access for crews to construct new roadways, bridges,
retaining walls, and other structures as part of the overall interchange
project.
Changeable message boards have been deployed along Community
Road alerting motorists of the upcoming detour schedule. Signs will be
installed along the detour route to provide directions on how motorists can
navigate to the north or south end of Community Road.
BLYTHEWOOD – A section of Wilson Blvd/U.S. Hwy 21 will be closed three days in April to move long pieces of rail and materials across the highway. The closed section will be on either side of the entrance to Boomer Road.
Detour and road closure signs will be placed prior to road
closure.
Closures will occur April 13 (10 hours) and Thursday, April 17 through Friday, April 18 (36 hours).
BLYTHEWOOD – Scout Motors, which is expected to create over
4,000 jobs in the Midlands, is the target of an ethics complaint recently filed
by a pair of S.C. watchdog groups.
On April 29, the S.C. Policy Council announced that it had
joined the S.C. Public Interest Foundation in filing an ethics complaint
against Scout Motors.
A State Ethics Commission spokesperson said via email that
the agency “can neither confirm nor deny the existence of a complaint.” The
commission does not officially release complaints unless the agency determines
there’s probable cause.
The ethics complaint distributed to media outlets this week
by the Policy Council asserts Scout Motors EV, a Volkswagen subsidiary, failed
to register as a lobbyist principal before the state awarded Scout $1.3 billion
in economic development funds via Act 3 of 2023.
Stakeholders of the $2 billion project are pushing back,
using terms such as “nonsensical” and “factually inaccurate” to describe the
complaint. “Scout Motors did not have registered lobbyists in South Carolina
before April 2023 because we were not lobbying,” a Scout representative said in
a statement. “Scout Motors had no direct role in advancing the legislation that
passed last year, and any suggestion otherwise is factually incorrect.”
A spokesperson for Gov. Henry McMaster called the complaint
“nonsensical,” saying it “demonstrates a fundamental ignorance of the law and
reality.”
“The governor and officials from the Department of Commerce
asked the General Assembly to approve the proposed economic development
incentive package in order to convince Scout Motors to locate and invest in our
state,” the statement reads.
A S.C. Department of Commerce spokeswoman referred The Voice
to the governor’s office’s prepared statement.
How the deal developed and the timing of payments to Scout
rubbed the policy council and foundation the wrong way, however.
South Carolina law defines a lobbyist principal as “the
person on whose behalf and for whose benefit the lobbyist engages in lobbying.”
A lobbyist principal also “directly employs, appoints, or
retains a lobbyist to engage in lobbying,” the law states.
Lobbyist principals must further register with the Ethics
Commission within 15 days of “employing, appointing, or retaining a lobbyist.”
Scout failed to properly register, according to the ethics
complaint.
The complaint asserts Scout didn’t register as a lobbyist
principal until a month after state lawmakers voted on March 13 to appropriate
$1.3 billion in state surplus funds to Scout.
In the complaint, the policy council and foundation state
that Scout executives actively met with governor’s office staff, state
lawmakers, and other state officials on three occasions prior to March 13.
Scout leaders met with state officials in Washington, D.C.
on October 22, 2022; at a private dinner in the Governor’s Mansion on February
2, 2023; and at a “Confidential Economic Development Dinner” at Williams-Brice
stadium on February 26, 2023, according to the complaint.
“The facts cited above raise legitimate questions about
whether Scout Motors or its representatives engaged in direct communication
with lawmakers and/or the governor regarding Act 3 of 2023 before the law was
passed,” the complaint states.
Per standard procedure, the ethics commission will assign an
investigator if there are sufficient facts to investigate.
Once the investigator presents their findings to the
commission, at least six commissioners must vote on whether or not probable
cause exists to hold a contested hearing.
If the ethics commission finds Scout in violation, the
manufacturer faces a $100 fine per violation.
In 2023, parent company Volkswagen reported annual revenues
of 26 billion euros, or about $27.75 billion, according to the company’s annual
report.
Scout is currently building an electric vehicle plant on
1,100 acres off I-77 near Exit 27. It’s slated to open in 2026.
FAIRFIELD COUNTY — As many as 1,000 to 1,600 residential
units could be coming to Fairfield County if Fairfield County Council approves
a request from Haven Homes to rezone 392 acres from Industrial (I-1) zoning to
Residential 2 (R2) zoning.
The property, bordered by Gum Springs Road, Devil’s Race
Track and Highway 34, was rezoned just over a year ago from Rural Residential
District (RD-1) zoning to Industrial zoning despite an outcry against the
industrial zoning from residents in the area.
Some of those same residents now worry that R2 zoning could
bring what it allows – higher density with duplexes and triplexes as well as
single-family homes. Homes in the surrounding area are mostly high end homes on
large acreage parcels.
According to officials knowledgeable of the proposed
project, the buildout could take 10 years or longer.
The developer is looking to Winnsboro for water and sewer,
according to Winnsboro Town Manager Jason Taylor.
“We have sufficient capacity to provide service out there,” Taylor
said. “But we do have limited capacity and would have to review the project and
look at how it will affect our capacity moving forward.”
Two other developers are also looking at property for
subdivisions in Fairfield County. Officials say the homes are following Scout
and could bring growth to the County.
Council’s next regular meeting will be held on Sept. 25 6
p.m. at 250 North Walnut Street in the new county government complex.
BLYTHEWOOD – A public meeting is set for Sept. 19 for
members of the pubic to ask questions and learn more about the progress of the
Scout Motors project in the Blythewood Industrial Park.
A number of state and county agencies and other
organizations with connections to the Scout Motors project will be on hand to
seek feedback and provide information to the public.
Hosted by TeamSC, the meeting will include the South
Carolina Department of Commerce, the South Carolina Department of Health and
Environmental Control, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History,
the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and the South Carolina
Department of Transportation.
The meeting will be held from 4 – 7 p.m., at Doko Manor
located at 100 Alvina Hagood Circle in Blythewood.
The purpose of this meeting is to seek feedback and provide
information to the public on the Scout Motors development site, and the
proposed I-77 Exit 26 Interchange and connecting roads. The public will have an
opportunity to review materials and individually discuss the project with
representatives from various agencies.
This drone view of the northern portion of the Scout site in the Blythewood Industrial Park shows some of the graded areas adjacent to wetlands. Approximately 500 acres of the site is currently being grassed over, a statutory requirement when a project of this magnitude is expected to stop work for more than 15 days. | Contributed
BLYTHEWOOD – On Monday, Aug. 28, construction was suspended on the Scout Motors site in the Blythewood Industrial Park. Richland County Economic Development officials told The Voice that the work stoppage is only temporary as the company awaits the issuance of a wetlands permit, and it is not known how long the work stoppage will last. In addition, last week, the county substantially ramped up its acquisition of more mitigation sites.
Approximately 500 acres of the Scout site in Blythewood is
currently being grassed over, a statutory requirement when a project of this
magnitude is expected to stop work for more than 15 days.
Sources in the Richland County Office of Economic
Development said the work stoppage was not ordered by any agency, but was agreed
to with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.
An earlier letter from the EPA referenced that a couple of culverts
over existing streams had been graveled over. In both cases, a county source
said, the culverts were already there, and we were just trying to make it
possible for pickup trucks and a tractor to cross into other areas of the site.
Drone photos show excavation adjacent to wetlands on the
site that raised concerns with DHEC and other environmental agencies. A source
with the Richland County Office of Economic Development said no excavation work
has been done within the wetlands, other than placing the gravel.
They were grading on the high points of the site until we can get the wetlands permit, and we had pretty much come to the end of the road of how much we could grade on the dry side, anyway, the source said.
In an email statement to The Voice, Richland County Economic
Development Director Jeff Ruble and S.C. Secretary of Commerce Harry Lightsey
wrote, “Construction work at the Scout Motors site is not ending; this is a
pause in activity while permitting moves forward, including the period for
public comment. As we look forward to the opportunities Scout Motors’
tremendous investment will bring, we value the people who call Blythewood home
and want to make sure they stay informed about the project’s progress –
especially as construction efforts will ebb and flow until completion.”
In a 7-page letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers –
dated June 29 – the Southern Environmental Law Center, on behalf of the
Congaree Riverkeeper, strongly suggested that, “this project warrants the
preparation of an EIS (Environmental Impact Study).” Such studies can take a year or more to
complete.
County and state officials have been meeting with the regulatory
agencies in charge of oversight of the Scout project to discuss the project’s
issues and concerns and to find solutions.
County sources said Scout and Commerce are confident in a
general path forward.
The county’s Office of Economic Development said that in
addition to the work stoppage, state and county officials have recently been
exploring increases in its mitigation plan. Those increases have been
substantial.
In addition to the 5,000-acre Bidler Tract mitigation site the
county is purchasing off Bluff Road and the Sheldon Island in the Broad River,
the county now plans to restore approximately 91,450 linear feet of streams in
the Sumter National Forest, generating approximately 335,000 stream restoration
credits.
Those streams are mostly owned by the Federal Government and
the county would not normally earn mitigation credits from them since the
Sumter National Forest mitigation is out of the eco-region and service area of
the Scout impact site. A spokesperson for the county explained that if the
availability of like-kind streams in need of restoration in proximity to the
site are minimal or non-existent, the Corps could take the Sumter mitigation
site into consideration as they are confirming credits.
In its June 7, 2023, letter to the Corps, the Southern
Environmental Law Firm pointed out, however, that there are opportunities to mitigate
impacts within the same watershed – such as Crane Creek or another suitable mitigation site – and
questioned why the county had rejected such opportunities.
“We understand that this site would not only provide
mitigation in the same watershed, but would also provide benefits to downstream
environmental justice communities who will be impacted by the project,” the
letter stated.
According to the county’s Office of Economic Development, the
total linear feet of stream on the combined, revised mitigation tracts is
approximately 256,279, of which approximately 92,700 linear feet will be
restoration/enhancement. The remainder will be preservation.
The sites will also be preserving 1,649 acres of wetlands
and enhancing an additional 810 acres of wetlands. The total revised credit
generation is still being calculated, but county officials said it will be more
than 500,000 stream credits and approximately 3,293 wetlands credits, which they
explained is more than is actually needed.
In addition, the applicants will be applying 42,510 stream
credits from the Mill Creek mitigation bank, of which 9,255 credits are
preservation and 33,255 credits are restoration.
An official with the Office of Economic Development said the
county is confident that the wetlands permit will be acquired, but that it may
take some time.
He also said he did not believe an environmental impact study
is warranted for the project.
BLYTHEWOOD – New proposals concerning road widening and new road and rail extensions to the Scout Motors development were shared with the Blythewood Planning Commissioners at their regular monthly meeting on Monday night.
One proposal, explained by Brooks Bickley of the S.C.
Department of Transportation, is to relocate the Boomer Road entrance to U.S.
21 about 150-200 feet towards the Town of Blythewood, then re-route U.S. 21
from that new Boomer Road intersection southwestwardly through the former
Google property, to just past the Fairfield Electric power station where it
would tie back in to U.S. 21.
Under that proposal, Farrow Road would also be realigned to
intersect with the re-routed U.S. 21. The newly proposed connector road from
the Scout plant would then pour into a point along the rerouted section of U.S.
21 where additional turn lanes would be added, according to Bickley.
“The rail spur that’s going to feed the Scout development
was originally proposed as an at-grade crossing on U.S. 21,” Bickley said. “In
order to avoid an at-grade crossing there, one alternative is to take the
re-routed section of US 21 over the rail.
The new connector road that will be coming from the Scout
plant, over the newly proposed Exit 26 interchange on I-77 (between Exit 24 and
Exit 27) would then tie in to the rerouted U.S. 21.
“Another part of this project for S.C. DOT would be the
widening of I-77 northbound,” Bickley said. “That widening would start just
north of Exit 24 where it actually necks down from three lanes to two lanes in
the northbound direction. We would continue that third lane north to give
additional capacity to I-77.”
The proposal also calls for the rerouted section of U.S. 21
to be widened to 3 to 5 lanes.
Thomas and Hutton is contracted by Richland County to do the
widening work on Blythewood Road between Syrup Mill Road and Muller Road, with
an extension of work (turn lanes primarily) to continue a short distance on
Muller Road. Thomas and Hutton are also contracted with the county to widen
Community Road to four lanes and to construct the new county road from the
Scout plant east across the proposed I-77 interchange to U.S. 21.
The County’s Penny project includes the current installation
of a new roundabout at the Community and Blythewood Road intersection.
“So this is going to be the new north axis that the county
will own,” Bickley said. “We don’t have a lot of details on the proposed Exit
26 interchange yet, but Norfolk Southern will be installing the new rail line
which will come from the other side of Highway 21 down across and into the
site,” Bickley said.
“We’re in the process of doing a traffic study right now
that should be to us in the next couple of weeks,” he said. “Once we have that
traffic study it can give us final recommendations of what actual improvements
need to be done and where.”
Bickley said the traffic count was finished before school
ended and that S.C. DOT is just waiting on the calculations to be finalized.
During a reception at Smoked restaurant in Columbia on Sunday, hosted by Scout Motors EV, Scout officials and state and county government officials talked about the historic significance of Scout vehicles and Scout’s potential impact on the future of the state, county and Blythewood. Shown here with Scout CEO Scott Keogh, left, are S.C. Governor Henry McMaster and Richland County Councilman Derrek Pugh, who represents Blythewood. | Barbara Ball
COLUMBIA – During a press conference on Monday, Scout Motors Inc hosted an official signing ceremony of the Project Development Agreement with Scout President and CEO Scott Keogh, Governor Henry McMaster and Secretary of Commerce Harry Lightsey.
Earlier, McMaster signed House Bill 3604, the joint
resolution to approve the largest economic investment in the state’s history.
Following the press conference and signings, Scout and SC state officials hosted a series of media roundtables where Keogh and other state and county leaders fielded questions from the media. The following are the answers to some of those questions.
Gov. McMaster signs the project agreement with Scout Motors. | Contributed
On-Site Job Training
Brad Neese, ReadySC vice president of economic development,
said ReadySC will build a $25 million training center adjacent to or on the
Scout campus that will be staffed and run by ReadySC.
Neese said training has to take place before the production
facility is competed and that he expects training will begin in 2025, before
the plant opens in 2026.
“So, we’re going to be working hard to get the walls up and
get it ready for people to come in and start training,” Neese said.
“As jobs become
available, they will be posted on scoutmotors.sctechjobs.com,” he said. “We already
have about 1,500 people who are looking for jobs and have given us their
information,” Neese said.
Test Track
Asked if Scout Motors would incorporate a test track for
potential customers to drive cars on when purchasing, Scout Motors CFO Chris
Condon said, “Some sort of experience/delivery center we think is quite
important to the brand.”
“One of the things our product offers is just that – a fun
experience – so rather than just being a truck like any other electric truck
that may be out there, getting to come and feel what that looks like, what its
capability is, in our early sketching how to lay out the plant, we’re trying to
reserve some space for some sort of delivery experience, whether that’s a
formal track or just some off-road opportunities, there’ll be a drive component
to it should we find a way to include that.
Hiring for 3 Different Types of Jobs
Jobs that apply to the actual planning and building of the
production facility.
Jobs for experienced professionals – a supply chain leader,
a director of fire and safety, a director of talent acquisition, etc.
Early career/entry level jobs around functions like
purchasing and supply chain.
“We are not yet hiring for manufacturing,” Alexis Juneja
said. “Those will come as we get closer to the start of production.”
State Incentives
“The total state incentive package is $1.291 billion,”
Lightsey said. “In addition to that, Scout will have the opportunity to earn
job development tax credits based on the number of people they hire over a
period of time, and then they have to maintain that number over a period of
time. That comes to about $180,000 if they (Scout) max it out.
“Scout is committed to invest $2 million and hire 4,000
people. Their performance against that will determine how they earn the tax
credits in terms of making sure that the state is protected first of all,” he
said.
“A study by an economist at the Darla Moore School of
Business at the University of South Carolina established that by 2029, three
years after the start of production, the state will already be over $15 billion
to the good, and for every year after that, we will accrue an additional annual
benefit of over $4 billion dollars,” Lightsey said. “So we believe that the
growth generated by Scout justifies this investment.
“In the extremely unlikely event that Scout does not stay in
South Carolina, they would be subject to clawbacks for all of the investment
that is not public infrastructure. So the investments we’re making in preparing
the site for them totals about $790 million that is subject to clawback,” he
said.
“In addition to that part of the $1.291 billion is a $200
million loan to Scout Motors to invest in some soil stabilization work on the
site. That will be repaid by Scout with interest,” Lightsey said.
Both the loan repayment and the clawback provision are
guaranteed by Volkswagon.
Richland County Council Chair Overture Walker said the
County paid about $31 million for the site Scout will locate to, plus the
county offered a 40-year fee-in-lieu of tax agreement at a 4 percent assessment
ratio.
“There’s also a special source revenue credit on the table
that doesn’t kick in until year 16,” Walker said. “The county is also offering
an unprecedented stipend for child care for employees’ children.”
Child Care Stipend
“It has not yet been decided how the child care stipend will work – whether it must be used only on an on-site child care facility or whether it can be applied to the cost of other child care facilities in the community,” Director of Richland County Economic Development Jeff Ruble said.
Richland County Director of Economic Development Jeff Ruble, left, and panelists answer media’s questions.
