The first of three North Carolina public hearings this week on the new federal proposal for oil and natural gas leasing off the East Coast drew about 175, mostly drilling opponents.
N. Topsail Seeks Conservation Zoning Change
Officials in North Topsail Beach are proposing changes to the town’s zoning ordinance, such as striking language that prohibits the rezoning of conservation-designated areas.
Drilling Opponents Ready For Renewed Fight
Wilmington-area environmental advocates leading the recently formed offshore drilling opposition group Save Our Sea say lessons learned in recent anti-pollution battles have them prepared for the latest fight.
Navassa Residents Demand Health Answers
Folks living near the site of a former wood-treatment operation in Navassa in Brunswick County say their questions about its health risks have gone unanswered for too long.
Topsail Dune Rule: Is Legislative Fix Possible?
Both sides in the ongoing battle over Topsail Beach’s repeal of its dune-protection ordinance agree that a related provision recently stripped from a pending House bill was too broad.
Drilling, Seismic Opponents Rally … Again
More than 100 environmental advocates gathered this week in Wilmington to renew their battle against seismic exploration for oil and gas off the N.C. coast.
Can New Reef Design Save Historic Shoreline?
The Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site’s storm-battered shoreline on the Cape Fear will soon test how a new oyster reef design curbs erosion in a high-energy wave environment.
With Feds’ Reversal on Seismic, What Next?
The Interior Department recently moved to restart the review process for applications for seismic exploration for offshore oil and gas but it remains unclear how long permitting will take.
Researchers Reveal OBX Shipwreck Stories
As the 75th anniversary of the sinking of two World War II vessels off the Outer Banks approaches, researchers dive deep to uncover secrets that went down with the ships all those years ago.
Fed-Up Brunswick Environmentalists Regroup
Citing frustration with limits imposed by the town council, former members of a Sunset Beach committee are forming a new, countywide environmental group.
Judge Dismisses Topsail Dune Rule Case
A judge has thrown out a lawsuit challenging Topsail Beach’s repeal of the town’s dune ordinance, a decision that lifts a block on new building permits.
Plan Streamlines Re-Nourishment Permitting
The state will soon roll out a new biological review system to fast-track permitting for certain types of beach re-nourishment projects, trimming at least three months from the approval time.
Extent of Navassa’s Mess Clearer; What Next?
Ongoing environmental monitoring is providing more detail on the extent of creosote contamination in Navassa, as residents face decisions on site’s future.
Corps OKs Ocean Isle’s Terminal Groin Plan
Ocean Isle Beach has the federal permit needed to build an estimated $5.7 million terminal groin at the erosion-prone east end of the Brunswick County town.
New Hanover Adopts Industrial Zoning Rules
New Hanover County commissioners gave unanimous approval Monday to a much-debated set of zoning code changes setting rules for industrial special-use permits.
Bald Head Island Seeks to Mine Shoals Sand
Bald Head Island has applied for a permit to mine sand for beach re-nourishment from a federally protected area of Frying Pan Shoals.
