SC Gov. Henry McMaster recognized for environmental protection efforts

Sammy Fretwell, The State (Columbia, S.C.) on Sep 16, 2026

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — Gov. Henry McMaster said Wednesday that South Carolina’s effort to improve the economy and educate the state’s children should be balanced with protecting a scenic landscape that includes ancient trees, significant salt marshes and an abundance of wildlife.

At a luncheon in Columbia, McMaster said protecting the state’s environment is as important as landing good jobs and providing quality education. He said it’s only common sense to save the special places that define South Carolina.

Jobs, education and the environment “are essential to each other,’’ McMaster said. “They form equal parts of the prosperity of this state.’’

He spoke at the Conservation of Voters of South Carolina’s Green Tie awards, an annual event that draws hundreds of conservationists, business people, lawyers and politicians. The group, one of the state’s largest environmental organizations, gave McMaster its lifetime conservation leadership award.

McMaster, who leaves office next year, received a standing ovation for his environmental protection efforts.

The governor, a Republican and booster of President Donald Trump, has broken with the president on conservation issues, pushing to protect land before it is developed, opposing offshore oil-drilling, supporting the electric vehicle industry and acknowledging the threat of climate change and rising sea levels. He’s also opposed efforts to build seawalls that speed up erosion of public beaches.

The candidates to replace him as governor, Republican Alan Wilson and Democrat Jermaine Johnson, haven’t said much about the environment in their campaigns.

Other South Carolina governors have championed environmental protection, but some conservationists say it has been a challenge for McMaster considering what they view as Trump’s disdain for environmental protection.

While McMaster didn’t offer any new initiatives as he leaves office or mention Trump during Wednesday’s speech, the governor said people should understand the significance of protecting natural resources in the state . South Carolina has some of the most extensive salt marshes on the East Coast and deep forests, with towering ancient trees, such as the Beidler Forest between Charleston and Columbia, he said. The state also attracts migrating wildlife, such as the Monarch butterfly.

“Your own good health is dependent on this environment,’’ he said. “If you’re not going into the woods every now and then, you’re missing a whole lot of life.’’

McMaster hasn’t satisfied environmentalists on some issues, such as on efforts to build new power plants, but green groups say the governor has generally been a champion of conservation in rapidly growing South Carolina. One of his biggest legacies is the push to preserve an additional 7 million acres of land to complement the 3 million already protected. The state has 19 million acres overall.

“Under his leadership, conservation and resilience have become defining priorities for the state,’’ the Conservation Voters said.

McMaster formed the state Office of Resilience to help prepare for problems that often result from the changing climate. The resilience office, for instance, has been involved in protecting land that might otherwise be developed and impacted by coastal flooding. It also has developed a state resilience plan.