Southern United States Facing Major Threats – Part 2  December
21st, 2012 BY Hilary Feldman | No Comments  Moving to the second
set of places listed by the US Southern Environmental Law
Center, there is a certain underlying theme. In general, each
place is threatened by a combination of economic incentive and a
lack of long-term vision. Humble river banks and wetlands are
often seen as useless and unproductive areas. However, the
underlying truth is that these regions are major contributors to
processes that underlie healthy ecosystems.  Wetlands and
riparian zones are responsible for maintaining water quality,
providing essential habitat, and stabilizing the area between
aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. When we have removed such
zones, the result is commonly flooding and expensive damage.
Forests play similar roles in stabilizing soil, filtering water,
and sequestering carbon.  Here are the remaining five places
considered most threatened in 2009:  6. South Carolina: State-
owned utility company Santee Coo