Charleston woman will remain retain seat on agency’s leadership panel
Caroline Rhodes has resigned as chairwoman but will retain her seat on the Department of Natural Resources Board, apparently bringing to close one of the most turbulent chapters in the history of the panel that oversees the state agency charged with protecting wildlife and enforcing game and fish laws.
But whether Rhodes’ resignation as chair brings calm to the board remains to be seen. Gov. Nikki Haley has not named a new chair, and a request to her office for comment on the situation or a timetable for installing a new leader went unanswered.
Rhodes, who was appointed by Haley to the DNR Board chair in March 2011, issued a statement saying family considerations were the reason for stepping down.
“Recent events have occurred that have put a tremendous burden on my husband, with the tragic death of his pediatric partner and friend of 21 years, and he has asked me to step down as chairman so that we can have more time together, and I feel I must honor him,” Rhodes wrote in a letter to Haley.
Rhodes, from Charleston, denied that her resignation had anything to do with the controversy over directions that John Frampton, SCDNR’s former director, said she gave him to withhold staff involvement with the Savannah River Maritime Commission in assessing the proposed deepening of the Savannah harbor. Legislators say state law requires SCDNR to provide staff assistance to the commission.
The issue arose when a flap occurred over Frampton’s retirement. Two holdover members appointed by former Gov. Mark Sanford charged Rhodes and three Haley appointees on the DNR Board met in secret to push for Frampton’s early ouster.
A Senate inquiry into how the board handled that situation uncovered emails indicating that Rhodes told Frampton to withhold staff support and not attend a meeting of the Maritime Commission. Rhodes told a Senate panel that she never told Frampton to withhold support of the Maritime Commission.
That sparked a second inquiry and a call for Rhodes’ censure by Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, who introduced a resolution calling for Rhodes’ ouster and an investigation by Attorney General Alan Wilson into statements Rhodes made under oath at a Feb. 1 legislative hearing.
The resolution charged that Rhodes was untruthful during the hearing about her involvement with SCDNR’s role in the Savannah port dredging project, which SCDNR staff had opposed because of its environmental impact.
However, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, whose board was totally replaced by Haley, issued a permit that is now being challenged in court by environmental organizations who say DHEC no longer has permitting authority for the Savannah port.
Hutto and other senators grilled Rhodes on the issue at a subcommittee hearing March 15. At that time, Rhodes said she did not know that SCDNR was obligated by law to support the Maritime Commission at the time of the Commission’s December meeting at Fort Johnson on James Island.
“My concern,” Hutto told Rhodes then, “is your apparent lack of knowledge. Are you now aware that DNR has a significant and important role to place in the Maritime Commission’s deliberations?”
Rhodes replied, “Yes.”
When asked if she would remain on the DNR Board if Haley were to replace her as chair, Rhodes replied that she served at the discretion of the governor. When asked if she would voluntarily step down as chairwoman she said, “No.”
A week later, she told Haley she was giving up her role as DNR Board chairwoman. Haley commended Rhodes for her service.
“We appreciate the service Caroline Rhodes has given as chairman,” said Rob Godfrey, a spokesman for the governor, “and we look forward to her continued service on the board.”
In Rhodes’ last DNR Board meeting as chairwoman on March 23, the Board voted unanimously to affirm its support of the SCDNR staff’s position on the port dredging.
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