The Pee Dee River Basin draft plan has been completed and is now available for public comment. The plan was developed over a two-and-a-half-year period by the Pee Dee River Basin Council, a working group of stakeholders with water interests in the basin, using the guidance of the South Carolina State Water Planning Framework published in 2019.
The public meeting is 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at the Clemson Pee Dee Research and Education Center, 2200 Pocket Road, Darlington. It serves as an opportunity for the Pee Dee River Basin Council to solicit residents' input about the draft plan, which is available online at des.sc.gov/hydrology. Public comments will be accepted from January 14 to February 13, 2025.
JD Solomon, Inc., and Brown & Caldwell have teamed as the primary consultant on the project. JD Solomon served as the lead facilitator.
JD Solomon Inc. provides solutions for program development, asset management, and facilitation at the nexus of facilities, infrastructure, and the environment. Visit our Facilitation page for more information related all types of facilitation. Subscribe for bi-monthly updates related to our firm.
We are thankful to our core clients and great professional team for making the past five years a success.
JD Solomon Inc. has reached its five-year milestone. We reflect on how blessed we have been and are especially thankful to our core clients, internal team, and several key advocates. We look forward to our sixth year and hope for many more to come.
Getting Past the Rocky Start
We did the official incorporation in December 2019 and opened the doors on January 2, 2020. Little did we know that COVID would shut the world down only two months later.
Nevertheless, we played to our niche strengths and core client needs. We also turned COVID into an advantage by being available on client sites when larger competitors would not.
The business got a little messy when JD took an interim town manager job that stretched from a 6-month assignment to an 8-month assignment. Nevertheless, we maintained our core focus and only lost a few clients in that timeframe.
The 3-Year Mark
According to the business 'book', reaching three years is like surviving the toddler years of any business. It’s rough figuring out finances, maintaining customers, knowing when to stay in your lane and when to get out, and finding experienced people in a small, niche firm.
Around 30% of new businesses are gone by year three.
The 5-Year Mark
In the third year, JD Solomon Inc. also divided into two operating divisions. The consulting arm was rebranded JD Solomon Solutions, and our not-for-profit arm sailed under the Communicating with FINESSE® flag. That helped with internal focus and allowed our core clients to not be inundated with CWF information.
As we moved into year 5, our team decided to stay lean, focus on core clients and services, and primarily use a part-time, senior workforce. That was a big decision at the time but one driven by a combination of personnel preferences and where the market was telling us to play.
By the business 'book', the 5-year mark is about being established and thriving. Approximately 50 percent of new businesses do not reach the 5-year mark.
We're extremely blessed and especially thankful to our core clients, internal team, and several key advocates.
“To infinity, and beyond”
As we commemorate the 5-year milestone, JD Solomon Inc. continues to provide practical solutions for complex challenges, maintaining a commitment to excellence and innovation in serving clients nationwide.
The practical solutions part is the key, meeting client needs where they are rather than where we all wish they could be. Operating context matters. After all, most of us know what we should do; knowing how to do it is the challenging part.
For more information about J.D. Solomon, Inc. and its services, visit our website at www.jdsolomonsolutions.com.
JD Solomon Inc. provides solutions for program development, asset management, and facilitation at the nexus of facilities, infrastructure, and the environment. Subscribe for monthly updates related to our firm.
Environmental issues cut through all aspects of our services.
What's hot in our world of environmental issues in 2024? The eight insights provide a good snapshot. Read a few of these articles and let us know your thoughts. Will the same issues and trends continue in 2025?
The Sources of the Insights
The insights were based on the most interesting people and topics we encountered in our travels. For the most part, travels include JD Solomon Solutions' consulting assignments. Sometimes, the insight's source is related to the follow-up conversations from a workshop or webinar.
As a lean, niche company, we tend to "see it, reflect on it, write about it." It's fun to see what has inspired us over this year.
What’s In Environmental?
JD Solomon Solutions brands itself in asset management (including reliability, risk, and operational resilience), program development, and facilitation. We contract a relatively small volume of work as environmental assignments.
However, the environment cuts through all aspects of our services. That’s further compounded by my career in the sector and my public service as the current chair and long-time member of the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission.
Visit the Environmental webpage for more information on our firm’s environmental services.
Helpful Articles on Environmental Issues from 2024
This is our list from December 2023 through November 2024.
2024 Hurricane Season Summary
As of October 30, 2024, this season's storms caused at least 372 fatalities and more than $200 billion in damage. Most of the property damage is due to Helene and Milton. Most of the fatalities are due to Beryl and Helene. Six articles are provided.
Will PFAS Be the First Use of Chevron by the US Supreme Court?
The US Supreme Court handed down its decision reversing the Chevron deference in late June 2024. Critics screamed that public health would be degraded and people would die. Supporters of the decision argued that the bureaucracy had run amuck. There has been a rash of lawsuits, but the reality is that neither extreme has happened.
Has the Supreme Court's Sackett Decision on Wetlands Changed Anything?
On May 25, 2023, the Supreme Court's decision in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency narrowed the definition of "waters of the United States" (WOTUS). The vote was 9-0. There is ongoing concern that the decision could decrease the protection of wetlands. One year after the Sackett decision, has anything related to wetlands changed?
Getting it Right! Using Statistical Process Control in Environmental Root Cause Analysis
We often jump to the wrong conclusions when non-compliance occurs. Using statistical process control (SPC) in environmental root cause analysis is one way to make sure you’re getting it right! Case examples and the seven rules of SPC are included.
Improve Your PFAS Communication with Advice from US Mayors
The United States Conference of Mayors created a PFAS Toolkit. The information and resources included provide insights into several key aspects that local governments and businesses should be aware of regarding PFAS and its communication. Key parts of the PFAS Toolkit and frequently asked questions are presented here.
The Big 7 Reasons that Environmental Impact Statements Fail
Starting an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) requires diving into a maze of regulations and assessments. Use these seven reasons that an EIS fails to populate your project risk register. Remember, the golden trio of clear communication, unbiased analysis, and sound documentation will make or break your EIS journey.
How General Permits Help Business and Safeguard the Environment
General permits are the bread-and-butter of most facility and infrastructure projects. On a larger scale, environmental permits are critical for reducing environmental and assuring compliance. In every major program or project, we start with an initial list of permits we must obtain.
Three Big Environmental Takeaways from East Palestine
There are many environmental lessons learned from East Palestine. The events that occurred there are the greatest environmental catastrophe in the United States in 2023. Yet, the literal and figurative train wreck has been de-emphasized nationally. These are three of the big takeaways.
Please give us your thoughts on topics we covered in 2024. Did what we saw and inspired us this year match your experience? Do you agree with the content of our insights? Will those issues and trends continue in 2025?
JD Solomon Inc. provides solutions for program development, asset management, and facilitation at the nexus of facilities, infrastructure, and the environment. Visit our Environmental page for more information related reliability, risk management, resilience, and other asset management services. Subscribe for bi-monthly updates related to our firm.
