In South Carolina, a resident seeking public records on pollution levels at a local elementary school was stunned after being quoted $2.4 million to access the documents.
The extraordinary price tag drew attention from Gov. Henry McMaster, who criticized the cost as a "ridiculous" price to pay for public records.
Here's what to know
According to SCNow, a request for documents about contamination at Black Creek Elementary School in Darlington, South Carolina, has drawn criticism from McMaster after the requester, Brady Hill, was told by the Department of Environmental Services that obtaining the records would cost them $2.4 million.
The dispute centers on pollution tied to forever chemicals discovered in the soil of the school's playgrounds, according to SCNow. Despite the concerns, state and local officials have said the concentrations are not high enough to be considered dangerous.
The school district also refused additional testing by Yale University in August 2026, the outlet noted.
More background
Forever chemicals, often called PFAS, are a broad class of compounds known for lingering in the environment.
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Officials have not deemed the measured levels at the school dangerous, but the compounds' persistence has raised concern locally. The refusal of further testing leaves less room for independent verification.
Open-records laws are intended to let residents see how agencies are handling matters involving health, land, and public money. When that access is priced far beyond what most people could reasonably afford, public access is effectively limited.
McMaster's criticism suggests the controversy goes beyond a single records estimate to broader questions of accountability when environmental concerns reach a school playground.
What's being done?
McMaster's criticism is increasing scrutiny of the state agency's handling of the records request and of how such fees are calculated.
In response to mounting criticism, the DES granted the records to Hill for free.
Formal public-records requests can create a paper trail for lawmakers, journalists, and community members to follow, even when agencies resist or attach major costs.
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