The Senate’s 2017-19 spending plan approved Thursday would eliminate 45 Department of Environmental Quality positions and impose a three-year moratorium on wind-energy projects.
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Oysters, Aquaculture, Gear Cleanup Funded
RALEIGH — The Senate budget approved Thursday includes several provisions related to recent efforts to expand the state’s oyster and aquaculture programs. The spending plan adds $1 million each year for oyster sanctuaries, bringing the total annual spending to $1.4 million. The state’s cultch planting program to rehabilitate shellfish beds also gets a boost in… [Read More]
Cahoon Gavels First CRC Meeting as Chair
Renee Cahoon of Nags Head recently presided over her first meeting as chair of the state Coastal Resources Commission, and she also spoke with CRO about her new role.
Trails, Not Boat Ramps, in Final Park Plan
Based on public input, the plan for improvements and new amenities at Hammocks Beach State Park includes new trails and camping areas, but no motorboat ramps.
Fort Fisher Upgrades Facilities
Fort Fisher State Recreation Area in New Hanover County is set to celebrate recent upgrades paid for with the Connect NC bond at a ceremony on May 12.
Geodynamics: Mapping Beaches, Inlets
Coastal processes, such as erosion, accretion and channel migration, can be complex, but a Carteret County firm has technology and tools to make clear what’s happening.
Our Coast: Honoring British Allies of WWII
Since 1942, the lives of British soldiers who defended the Atlantic coast, including North Carolina’s, during World War II have been honored during ceremonies on the Outer Banks.
Cape Lookout Lighthouse Goes Solar
Officials at Cape Lookout National Seashore announced this week that the lighthouse is now powered by solar energy, and officials plan to celebrate the switch later this month.
Sam’s Field Notes: Baby Bald Eagles
Our naturalist Sam Bland recently spent a day in a kayak near Oriental, watching as young bald eagles learned to spread their wings and fly.
Team Tracks Ocean Energy From Land, Sea
In the second installment of our special report, the ongoing study of Gulf Stream energy at Cape Hatteras is undertaken from shore and aboard a research vessel at sea.
Legal Action Taken Against Offshore Drilling
A group of environmental advocacy organizations, including the North Carolina Coastal Federation, have moved to intervene in a case that could allow for offshore drilling six sites in the Atlantic.
Project Looks to Tap Gulf Stream’s Energy
The Coastal Studies Institute’s Renewable Ocean Energy Research Program is making headway in predicting the part of the Gulf Stream that’s the best resource for generating power.
Our Celestial Coast: What to Look For in May
The distant star Arcturus and closer neighbors, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars will be on display this month, along with the Eta Aquarids meteor shower.
NOAA Asks Public to Report Injured Whales
Federal officials said last week that humpback whales are dying at alarming rates along the Atlantic coast, but the explanation has eluded scientists.
AmeriCorps Funding in Limbo
Trump’s new budget proposal targets the agency that manages AmeriCorps, a program that promotes volunteerism, including in environmental education projects along the North Carolina coast.
Trump Signs Order on Offshore Drilling
President Trump signed an executive order on Friday aimed at removing restrictions on offshore drilling for oil and natural gas and halting expansion of marine sanctuaries.
