Dominion Energy has ordered owners to remove their boats from Pine Island by the end of June.

According to boat owners and others concerned about the island’s future, no boat slip rentals are available close to the Irmo area.

That has left boat owners with no other options, sources say.

One said he called Pine Is land after this was emailed to employees and was told the island club employees had been fired and their last day was in 2 weeks.

He said he spoke with the club president who said he was taken by surprise.

The Chronicle asked Dominion spokesperson Rhonda O’Banion about this. She only said that a decision about Pine Island will be made by the end of the year.

“Dominion’s handling of this is abysmal,” a source told the Chronicle.

“Using corona virus as a reason makes little sense when they’re leaving the other boat ramps on Lake Murray open.”

Dominion told employees that any money in the club’s accounts will be dispersed after financial obligations are met and they have met with legal and accounting matters, a source said.

Dominion executives promised employees nothing would change concerning Pine Island when questions were asked more than a year ago, a source said.

The 3 employee clubs here and in other service areas have been a benefit for employees of Dominion and before it SC Electric & Gas which was sold to the Virginia-based utility.

“What better way to recruit new employees than to show off something so beneficial to potential employees?” a source said.

“They are being shortsighted to the damaging effects of permanently closing these clubs on not only employees but families and friends and the community.

“Pine Island has been used by hundreds of organizations throughout the years for fund-raising,” he said.