The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a draft Environmental Impact Statement today looking at the impact of dredging the Charleston Harbor to 52 feet, the next step by the state to expand the Port of Charleston shipping channel to accommodate larger ships traveling through a larger Panama Canal. The public will have the opportunity to comment on the EIS. [Army Corps, P&C]

After the Supreme Court of the United States declined to take up appeals of rulings throwing out gay marriage bans, the S.C. attorney general’s office is staying the course in enforcing the state’s ban, saying that until a South Carolina ruling from state courts strikes down the ban, it’s S.O.P. for now. Political scientists and constitutional scholars say any effort to insist on a state ban once the pieces are in motion to dissolve it would be a waste of money. [P&C]

The P&C’s Schuyler Kropf expanded their story on T-Rav’s latest run-in with the law to include quotes from FitsNews’ Will Folks, who filed a police report accusing Ravenel of harassing text messages on Sunday. Folks told the P&C that he had no financial arrangement with the Ravenel campaign and was simply a “volunteer” when he appeared as a consultant in Southern Charm. [P&C]

The brother of indicted House Speaker Bobby Harrell resigned from a non-legislative position on a Statehouse committee that votes on state judicial candidates after accusations that it was a conflict of interest. Charleston attorney John Harrell was appointed to the position in 2007 by his brother, once one of the most powerful politicians in the state. [The State]

SCETV has canceled a scheduled gubernatorial debate after Gov. Nikki Haley declined to take part in a debate, prompting her Democratic opponent Vincent Sheheen to also pull out. The candidates for governor will debate on two other scheduled debates hosted by privately-owned newspapers and TV stations. Sheheen: “I will participate in the debate when Nikki Haley agrees to join us.” [The State, G’ville]

State taxpayers will spend a grand total of $505,622.20 in a lawsuit brought by Gov. Nikki Haley against Occupy protesters in Columbia in 2011, with $301,622.20 going to lawyers and $204,000 paid out in settlements to the protesters. [Free Times]

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