The commission that establishes rules for coastal development held a public hearing Tuesday in Nags Head as part of its process to reinstate protections for Jockey’s Ridge.
The state’s Rules Review Commission removed in October 2023 the area of environmental concern, or AEC, designation, because it questioned whether Jockey’s Ridge is a unique geological formation.
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The Coastal Resources Commission has proposed a rule to redesignate Jockey’s Ridge as an AEC, “as well as use standards to protect the AEC from incompatible development and loss of sand,” according to the website.
The Division of Coastal Management, which takes direction from the Coastal Resources Commission, is accepting public comment until Nov. 4 on the proposed rule.
Comments can be submitted to Division of Coastal Management, 400 Commerce Ave. Morehead City, NC 28557 or to DCMcomments@deq.nc.gov. Include “Jockey’s Ridge” in the subject line.
Jockey’s Ridge is the tallest active sand dune along the Atlantic Coast of the United States. The protections put in place since 1984 stemmed from concern that commercial sand mining could have a negative impact on the integrity of the dune system and surrounding environment, according to the division.
All 17 who spoke out at the hearing in the conference room at the state park asked that the AEC protections be reinstated during the meeting, according to an Outer Banks Voice report.
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Coastal Resources Commission Chair Renee Cahoon told the about 40 who attended the public hearing that the AEC protections had been “dropped without even our knowledge or consent by a … power (the RRC) to just arbitrarily set the rules. So we’re trying again for the fourth or fifth time to be adopt this,” the Voice reported.
After the hearing, Cahoon continued her criticism of the Rules Review Commission to the Outer Banks Voice, suggesting nepotism was at play, and noting that the chair, Jeanette Doran, is the “President of the Senate’s daughter” and the commission has “the power to drop bills.”
Division of Coastal Management’s Policy & Planning Section Chief Daniel Govoni told the Voice that the meeting was to allow division staff to prepare a summary of comments and submit those to the Coastal Resources Commission for consideration during its Nov. 13-14 meeting in Ocean Isle Beach.
