(A) The conditions established in this section for data recovery licenses apply in addition to the terms and conditions for all licenses established in §§ 54-7-670 through 54-7-730.

(B)(1) An applicant may not be issued more than one license at a time for a single submerged archaeological historic property or submerged paleontological property unless the institute determines that the applicant is capable of carrying out all proposed activities in a manner satisfactory to the institute and that the licenses can be properly supervised and administered by the institute.

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 54-7-760

  • Data: means any information related to the site of submerged archaeological historic property or submerged paleontological property which includes, without limitation, artifactual and/or paleontological material, remote sensing survey charts, magnetic tape records of positions, site maps, feature plans, photographs, measurements, and historical documentation. See South Carolina Code 54-7-620
  • Data recovery: means a systematic study carried out in accordance with a research plan which may include data collection, excavation, and artifact or fossil recovery. See South Carolina Code 54-7-620
  • Excavation: means the process of moving, removing, or disturbing bottom sediments to expose submerged archaeological historic property or submerged paleontological materials. See South Carolina Code 54-7-620
  • Historic property: means a district, site, building, structure, or object significant in the prehistory, history, upland and underwater archaeology, architecture, engineering, and culture of the State, including artifacts, records, and remains related to the district, site, building, structure, or object. See South Carolina Code 54-7-620
  • Institute: means the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology. See South Carolina Code 54-7-620
  • Licensee: means any person or entity authorized to perform certain recovery operations from a submerged archaeological historic property or submerged paleontological property under the provisions of this article by the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology. See South Carolina Code 54-7-620
  • Paleontological property: means paleontological material or any site which contains paleontological material. See South Carolina Code 54-7-620
  • Preservation: means the identification, evaluation, recordation, documentation, curation, acquisition, protection, management, rehabilitation, restoration, stabilization, maintenance, and reconstruction of a submerged archaeological historic property or a submerged paleontological property. See South Carolina Code 54-7-620
  • State: means the State of South Carolina. See South Carolina Code 54-7-620
  • Submerged: means beneath or substantially beneath the territorial waters of the State or submerged at mean low tide. See South Carolina Code 54-7-620

(2) The institute may issue a data recovery license for an appropriate period not to exceed one year. The licensee may request in writing renewal of the license for the same additional period. Upon application and payment of an additional fee not later than thirty days before the expiration of the license, the institute may renew a license under which work has adhered to the license if the institute finds the renewal to be in the best interest of the State.

(C)(1) In areas disturbed under license, all artifacts encountered must be recovered by the licensee, with the exception of large artifacts such as cannons, anchors, and hull remains which would require special handling, storage, and preservation. The licensee shall contact the institute when large artifacts or hull remains are involved.

(2) In areas disturbed under license, all specimens encountered must be recovered by the licensee, with the exception of fragile fossils which would require special handling, storage, and preservation or complete or partial intact skeletal remains. The licensee shall immediately contact the museum if complete or partial intact skeletal remains are found if the fossil needs special handling to insure its preservation on excavation.