Researchers say there’s no evidence that offshore wind development surveys contributed to the recent deaths of whales along the Mid-Atlantic coast, where officials have called for a moratorium.
Paid parking ‘a major issue’ in Topsail Beach
Topsail Beach, the lone town on Topsail Island to maintain free public parking, could be next in joining the ranks of beach towns that charge public parking fees.
New chapter begins for Black teachers’ old meeting space
Officials broke ground Friday for the renovation of the more than 5,300-square-foot building at Hammocks Beach State Park where Black educators convened during segregation.
Topsail Island panel to lobby for terminal groin funding
North Carolina law bars state money for terminal groins, but the Topsail Island Shoreline Protection Commission has made it a goal this year to change that law.
Researchers to evaluate why some seagrasses adapt better
University of North Carolina Wilmington researchers Jessie Jarvis and Stephanie Kamel recently received a grant to study seagrass resilience to help reverse the course of declining underwater meadows.
Federal rule reinstates longstanding clean water protections
President Biden’s final rule defining “waters of the United States” restores federal protections for streams, lakes, ponds and millions of acres of wetlands in North Carolina.
Ocean advocate Randy Sturgill shifts focus to help Ukraine
After careers in law enforcement and, more recently, a 10-year stint with Oceana, the Brunswick County resident plans to stay busy securing military gear and goods and shipping them to Ukraine.
Most of 2014 regional bike, pedestrian plan still just a plan
One advocate calls the mostly unrealized Croatan Regional Bicycle and Trails Plan “a critical step” in creating a true multimodal transportation system.
Pender revises zoning ‘to properly regulate’ solar farms
Commissioners amended zoning text Dec. 5, less than a week after a California-based solar company filed a lawsuit against the county for turning down its request for a permit.
Spineless specimens may hold clues for coastal researchers
The non-molluscan invertebrates collection at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences could unlock mysteries of the coastal environment and help better gauge the effects of climate change and pollution.
GenX study finds Chemours-specific chemicals in residents
Though GenX was not found in the blood samples of 1,020 residents in Wilmington, Fayetteville and Pittsboro who participated in the 2020-2021 GenX exposure study, three PFAS unique to the Chemours Fayetteville Works facility were in the blood of nearly all.
Draft wind energy areas off NC coast may be downsized
The recently announced draft offshore wind energy areas, including two off the northern North Carolina coast, may be scaled back before being finalized early next year.
Process of updating inlet hazard area rules to be continued
A rule approved in September deleted an exception that would allow homes of up to 2,000 square feet to be built in areas where the new erosion rate-based setbacks would prevent construction of new houses.
Corps reinstates seasonal dredging window at state ports
The Army Corps of Engineers’ action follows a federal judge’s ruling that the agreement with the state to eliminate the restrictions on hopper dredging meant to protect federally listed species was illegal.
Understaffed environmental agency ‘stretched to the limit’
With nearly 20% of N.C. Department of Environmental Quality jobs unfilled and hundreds of staff set to retire, cracks are revealed in permitting, regulatory functions.
Wildlife Commission, private firm vie for Southport tract
The state agency and the corporation are interested in the parcel near Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point for different reasons.
