The quality of the water, the nutrients in the soil and the exchange of greenhouse gasses hang in the balance as saltwater moves farther inland than it ever has before. Five researchers are working to help people prepare for what’s ahead.
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Study Looks to Locals on Saltwater Intrusion
Five researchers are investigating the future risks of saltwater intrusion on the Albemarle-Pamlico peninsula and how the area’s residents will play a role in conserving their natural resources.
Saltwater Intrusion Is Changing the Coast
Saltwater’s slow movement inland has accelerated in recent years. It kills trees, harms crops, destroys the very land itself. Its effects are particularly pronounced in the agricultural region between the Albemarle and Pamlico sounds.
“Resting”
Photograph by Jody Merritt
A great egret poses on a tree branch in Morehead City. These birds were hunted nearly to extinction for their plumes in the late 19th century, sparking conservation movements and some of the first laws to protect birds. Today the graceful birds frequent the wetlands that checker North Carolina’s coastline.
Guest Column: Ill Wind Blows From Raleigh
A promoter of offshore wind energy argues that a request by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources to ban turbines within 25 miles of shore would kill any chance of developing wind farms off the N.C. coast.
The Mail Boat Aleta: Ocracoke’s Lifeline
Before email, before Instagram, mail to and from the islands of our coast went by boat. This is the story of one of those boats, the Aleta, which for almost 20 years was Ocracoke’s connection to the rest of the world.
Outer Banks Residents Say ‘No’ to Drilling
About 670 people showed up in Kill Devil Hills Monday for a federal public meeting on offshore oil and gas drilling. That’s more people than have ever attended one of these meetings. Their message was loud and clear.
Eureka! New Plan May Save Hofmann Forest
Three months after a deal fell through to sell the Hofmann Forest, N.C. State University outlined a new plan yesterday that will allow the university to keep much of the 79,000-acre forest and conserve great portions of it.
What Causes Dolphin, Whale Strandings?
Experts debate what causes dolphins and whales to wash up on shores dead, like the three bottlenose dolphins that were stranded on Ocracoke Island during the winter of 2013-14.
“Still Standing”
Photography by Cathy Martin
This photo of an abandoned water shed once used by the Pamlico Rowing Club of Raleigh is a popular subject for photographers and painters who visit Little Washington; however, little is known of the old building. Librarians at the regional library were able to dig up some clues.
Commentary: What Oil Money?
Todd Miller thinks the odds are pretty long that the feds will share revenues from offshore drilling with North Carolina any time soon.
Pumping Project Dumps Tons of Rocks at N. Topsail
A beach re-nourishment project at North Topsail Beach has covered the beach with tons of rocks. Though that’s against the law, state regulators have given the town a pass as long as tries to remove the rocks.
The Bear Lady: Her Life and Mysterious Death
They called Kay Grayson the “Bear Lady” because of her passion for feeding and protecting bears near her home in Tyrrell County. While it appears a bear may have dragged the remains of her body into the woods, the cause of her death remains unknown.
State Fines Duke Energy $25 Million
The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources yesterday levied the largest environmental fine in state history against Duke Energy for groundwater contamination from coal ash ponds at the company’s L.V. Sutton power plant near Wilmington.
Scientists Warn About Seismic Tests
As the N.C. officials evaluate a third request of offshore seismic testing, scientists warn that such testing for oil and gas beneath the Atlantic Ocean floor is likely to have significant effects on the reproduction and survival of fish and marine mammals.
McCrory Budget and the Environment
The proposed budget that Gov. Pat McCrory released last week cuts money to a grant program that protects water quality and sensitive land and continues the whittling of the state’s major environmental agency.
