N.C. opponents of lifting a ban on uranium mining in neighboring Virginia have high hopes that the proposal has perished on the political vine, but they’re still wary of backdoor maneuvers that could lead to mining.
Archives
Renewable Energy, LID on Environmental Agenda
We take a look at some of the environmental issues that will likely come up during the legislative session, which began in earnest when the N.C. General Assembly convened last night.
Bear Island in the Winter
Sam Bland, our naturalist, returned recently to the home of his heart, his spirit, his soul. Come walk with him on the winter beach as he rediscovers old friends — keyhole urchins and the murex, crystal skippers and fierce antlions.
Wow! This Is a Beautiful Place
The 51 photographers who entered our 2012 Photo Contest blew us away with their ability to capture the natural diversity and stunning beauty of the N.C. coast.
Life on Ocracoke Without the Ferry
The state ferry from Ocracoke to Hatteras Island has been out of service since Jan. 18 because of severe shoaling in Hatteras Inlet. The Coast Guard is delivering needed medications and off-island visits to the doctor’s office often require overnight stays.
They Deserve a Break Today?
McDonald’s request for an exemption to the state’s stormwater regulations illustrates how confusing the rules can be, especially when different regulators seem to enforce them differently. It all has one small-town mayor scratching his head in confusion.
Shark Star Mary Lee Drops by Ocracoke
A two-ton Northern Atlantic great white shark that has achieved Internet stardom as Mary Lee paid a visit to Ocracoke last week.
Preserving the Legacy of Ted Miller
The heirs of the late Ted Miller donated a small farm to the N.C. Coastal Federation, which is trying to decide how to best use it to fulfill Miller’s desire that the land benefit future generations.
Coastal Sketch: Bill Birkemeier
As head of the Army Corps of Engineers research center in Duck, this soft-spoken, jazz-loving engineer changed the way we think about the natural forces that shape our ocean beaches. He’s retired after 32 years.
Bay Scallops: Hold the Applause, Please
Bay scallop season will open later this month in some N.C. waters for the first time in years. While a harvest is good news and might in part be the result of improved water quality and seagrass beds, all is still not well for the tasty bivalve.
Why the Federation Is Opposed to Drilling Off N.C.
Producing and refining oil and natural gas is a dirty, smelly business that pollutes the water and air, mars the landscape and, when an accident occurs, can have life-changing effects. And all for what? A few months supply of gasoline?
Living Shoreline Permitting Still a Hassle
Though research increasingly supports the value of living shorelines over bulkheads and other types of manmade erosion-control methods, state and federal officials still struggle with streamlining the permitting system for them.
Fishing for Art Off N.C. Piers
Courtney Johnson drops her homemade pinhole camera off N.C. fishing piers and catches shadowy, abstract images of the ocean deep.
A Christian Response to Global Warming
Interfaith Power & Light, a coalition of churches, believes that promoting energy conservation and renewable energy is good stewardship of the Earth’s resources.
Swimming Standards May Be Tightened
North Carolina will likely tighten its recreational swimming standards this year at some places along the coast in response to new federal water-quality guidelines.
Global Warming’s ‘Evil Twin’
Rising acid levels in the oceans is one of the more alarming consequences of global warming. Corals, oysters, clams, starfish and sand dollars are just a few of the sea creatures that can be affected. “The oceans will become hot, sour and breathless,” says one scientist.
