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Flu shots and dams … oysters and septic tanks … hospitals and landfills. What is the connection in all of these?

The connection is DHEC -- our Department of Health and Environmental Control. DHEC is larger than 76 percent of our towns in South Carolina. It is larger than Pickens, St. Matthews, Sullivans Island. Larger even than Pamplico, where a new four-lane highway is being built to attract tourism. DHEC has 3,500 employees -- and a budget of $600 million.

I tell you this not to criticize DHEC or its employees. They are doing the best job they possibly can. I say this because I believe it is time to put the environmental part of DHEC with environmental entities -- and put the health side of DHEC with health entities. The current agency is just too big for one person to run on a day-to-day basis.