A new U.S. Senate bill, the Atlantic Seismic Airgun Protection Act, would create a moratorium on seismic exploration for oil and natural gas off the East Coast.
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Lawmakers: Beaches Need More Money
State lawmakers may move to tap a bigger share of local occupancy taxes to pay for beach renourishment projects during the legislative session that begins Monday.
Coastal Plain Is One of World’s “Bio” Hotspots
Those of us who live on or visit the N.C. coast know how special it is, but we’re also part of a larger region now recognized by an international environmental group as one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth.
Andrew Read Named Marine Lab Director
Professor Andrew Read has been named director of the Duke University Marine Laboratory on Pivers Island in Beaufort effective July 1.
Bills to Weaken Protections Are Ready
A legislative committee that is the gatekeeper for new environmental bills is ready with measures that weaken stormwater regulations and stream protections. The new session of the N.C. General Assembly starts next week.
Davis to Head Fisheries, Coastal Management
Braxton Davis, director of the state Division of Coastal Management, has been picked to also lead the state’s Division of Marine Fisheries,
Groups Worry Seismic Tests Will Happen
Despite the recent announcement that plans to drill for oil and natural gas off the N.C. coast will not move forward during the next five years, several firms continue to seek federal permits for seismic exploration in the Atlantic.
Coastal Author Peter Meyer Dies at 63
Peter Meyer, a self-described inquisitive coastal naturalist and author of “Nature Guide to the Carolina Coast: Common Birds, Crabs, Shells, Fish, and other Entities of the Coastal Environment,” has died.
Coastal Sketch: Kathleen Riely
Meet Kathleen Riely, a passionate advocate for coastal issues who was recently named executive director of the N.C. Beach, Inlet and Waterway Association.
Land Disputes Stall Sunset Beach Projects
A developer’s plans for residential projects at both ends of Sunset Beach in Brunswick County are in limbo over questions regarding ownership of the some of the land.
Legal Battle Over Titan’s Air Permit Ends
The four-year legal battle over air pollution from Titan America’s proposed cement plant in New Hanover County is over now that the company has requested cancellation of the air-quality permit and opponents have dropped their appeal.
Sam’s Field Notes: Painted Buntings
Birdwatchers on the N.C. coast love this time of year because it brings the arrival of one of their favorites, the strikingly colorful painted bunting,
A Journey Though History and Culture
More than a decade in the making, the Outer Banks Scenic Byway is finally a reality. The road links the history, culture and natural beauty of the coast’s Outer Banks and the Down East communities in Carteret County.
After the Titan Decision: What Next?
A month after Titan scrapped its controversial plans for a massive mining and cement plant near Wilmington, opponents of the project are hopeful a countywide planning effort in the works will help avoid future conflicts between economic growth and the environment.
Partners: The Fisherman and the Scientists
In a rare partnership David “Clammerhead” Cessna, a Carteret County fisherman, and UNC researchers Niels Lindquist and Joel Fodrie are working together on a new way to bring back North Carolina’s oyster populations.
Realtors Volunteer for Shoreline Work
Volunteers with the Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors plant seedlings to help restore salt marsh habitat as part of a living shoreline project at Carolina Beach State Park.

















