Three environmental groups are suing to stop the Savannah River harbor deepening project, saying federal officials did not get a South Carolina pollution control permit.

The Southern Environmental Law Center, which filed the challenge on behalf of the Coastal Conservation League, the Savannah Riverkeeper, and the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, cited a recent South Carolina Supreme Court decision that expands pollution regulations.

The lawsuit states the Army Corps of Engineers– which will oversee the dredging– cannot move any further unless it gets the permit.

“This situation is a once in a century, or maybe once in a millennium, project,” SELC senior attorney Frank Holleman told South Carolina Radio Network, “This is one of the most significant environmental projects to occur in South Carolina in our lifetime.”

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Environmental groups are weighing in on the choice of Mount Pleasant anti-union attorney Catherine Templeton as the new commissioner of the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). Templeton has served in Governor Nikki Haley’s cabinet this past year as director of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

Ann Timberlake, Executive Director of Conservation Voters of South Carolina, questions Templeton’s credentials to run an agency charged with protecting the health of the public and the environment of South Carolina.

The DHEC board chose Templeton over DHEC deputy commissioner Pam Dukes and Ingo Angermeier, a former chief executive of the Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

Timberlake has some concerns that DHEC may be moving in a new direction under Governor Haley. She cites Haley’s support of the Savannah River dredging as evidence. The South Carolina House voted unanimously Wednesday to stop the impending dredging of 36 miles of the Savannah River. The measure suspends DHEC’S authority for all decisions after 2007 that apply to state’s part of the Savannah River. The issue may be decided in court.

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The Department of Natural Resources board has picked its chief law enforcement officer to be the agency’s permanent director. Col. Alvin Taylor has been with DNR for 35 years and has been serving as interim director since John Frampton resigned in October.

Legislators, led by Newberry Senator Ronnie Cromer, discovered that Frampton felt he was being forced out by DNR Board Chair Caroline Rhodes. Frampton is now being allowed to retire on March 17.

Just today in the Senate, Richland’s Darrell Jackson called the board chairwoman to step down.

AUDIO: Sen. Jackson urges Cromer to take further action

Cromer says he reprimanded Rhodes in a letter. Taylor will become the official director in March.