CLEMSON -- A switch to e-mail to communicate with shoreline permit holders on Lake Hartwell could save thousands of dollars in mailing costs for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The nearly 12,000 shoreline permit holders on Hartwell are being asked to voluntarily provide e-mail addresses so they can be receive information and updates about shoreline use permits electronically, said Virgil Hobbs, Hartwell project operations manager.

Each mailing to the permit holders on Hartwell costs more than $5,000 in postage per mailing to the nearly 12,000 permit holders on Hartwell – as well as the cost of the paper, envelopes, labels and the labor involved in stuffing envelopes, Hobbs said.

“Our goal is to establish an e-mail database of all our shoreline permit holders to allow us to contact our customers and lake residents with beneficial information regarding their permits,” Hobbs said.

In addition to the operating cost savings to the Corps, e-mail is convenient, secure and environmentally-friendly, Hobbs said.

No change is slated at this time for permit holders on the Corps two other Upstate lakes - Thurmond and Russell, said Billy Birdwell, a Corps spokesman. The Corps will be monitoring the degree of success on Hartwell, which is the Corps' largest shoreline management program in the nation in terms of the number of permit holders.

At a time of tight budgets, the Corps' Hartwell Office can use the money saved on postage for needed projects such as campground, restroom and hiking trail maintenance and repair, Birdwell said.

The change is an efficiency measure in terms of cost savings and speedier communication, Birdwell said. E-mail also is easy for people to pass along and share information with others.

Permit holders can provide the information directly to the Corps' Hartwell Project Office by e-mail at cesas-op-h@usace.army.mil.

The subject line should be “e-mail address” and include name, permit number and up to two e-mail addresses to receive electronic notices.

Shoreline permit holders also can phone in their e-mail addresses calling toll free 1-888-893-0678, ext. 0.