Record of Decision announced for Bramlett Road cleanup

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) released its much-anticipated record of decision (ROD) on May 8, 2025. This document represents the agency's formal announcement of the precise cleanup protocol that will be implemented on the site, a significant step forward in the remediation process.

The Bramlett Road site encompasses approximately 35 acres in Greenville's Southernside community. This site is heavily contaminated with coal tar resulting from coal gas manufacturing that occurred from 1917-1951 by Southern Public Utilities and later Duke Power Company.

In addition to the manufactured gas plant (MGP) site, coal tar migrated to other sites adjacent including wetlands and the Reedy River. This contamination has settled into sediment and groundwater on these parcels that are located next to Legacy Charter School and Mountain View Baptist Church — pictured below. An illegal and unpermitted landfill was placed on top of the already contaminated parcels, now owned by a railroad company, CSX Transportation (CSXT).

Since we last discussed this cleanup in August of 2024, SCDES has been reviewing public comments and developing the ROD that will guide future steps in the cleanup process. We are glad to share that SCDES selected a remedy that will excavate the entire landfill, excavate all impacted sediments across all parcels, monitor groundwater, and implement land use controls on site.

Even more exciting is that the agency chose to incorporate several other components into the remedial approach following the collective community advocacy received during the public comment period. These components include the removal of contaminated soils on the site's upper parcels to meet residential health standards, restoration of all wetlands impacted or damaged during the cleanup process, along with a commitment to address groundwater contamination after soils and sediment are removed from the site.

Overall, Upstate Forever sees this as a major success and proof of the power of public engagement. Without the community, environmental partners, and folks like yourselves, this remedial plan would not be nearly as comprehensive.

At this point in the process, SCDES will need to renegotiate a new Voluntary Cleanup Contract (VCC) with Duke Energy and CSXT. Participation from both of these parties will be necessary to initiate the cleanup effort, which SCDES estimates will take approximately six years to complete. We will continue to advocate for the most comprehensive cleanup of the site and will keep you updated on its progress.

For more information about the history of the site, visit the South Carolina Environmental Law Project (SCELP) Bramlett Cleanup page.

If you have any questions about the Bramlett Road site, please contact Clean Water Specialist Rebecca Wade rwade@upstateforever.org.