A proposed wind and solar farm near Newport in Carteret County faces mounting opposition and a new state permit process for which clear guidelines are still being created.
State Coastal Division Cuts Staff
Forced to trim its budget, the N.C. Division of Coastal Management cut five positions, including the assistant director in charge of enforcement and the planning director.
Deck the Halls With Recycled Cans?
For those of you aiming to make this season not only merry and bright, but green as well, there are a multitude of eco-friendly alternatives to consider when decorating, party planning and checking off the gift list.
Chemical Maker Hit With $2.5M Fine
A federal judge found that Elementis Chromium Inc., which has a plant near Wilmington, failed to notify its workers about the possible health hazards of one of the chemicals made at the plant.
A Different Bird for the Holidays
Several farms on the coast offer “pastured” turkeys, which are bred and raised the old fashioned way. No hormones or growth additives. These birds actually run around and eat bugs.
Work Begins on Controversial Subdivision
After years of environmental and legal disputes, land created when man-made canals were dug along Topsail Sound in Surf City is being developed.
Finally, a Sigh of Relief
Business owners who heavily depend on the busy fall fishing season at North Carolina’s national seashores are breathing a little easier today with the end of the federal government shutdown that closed the seashores.
Group: Terminal Groin Changes Merit New Study
A new design and location for a proposed terminal groin at Figure Eight Island are so extensive that the Army Corps of Engineers should restart the review process, says the N.C. Coastal Federation.
Clean Water for Swimming the Loop
Swim the Loop participants this weekend will benefit from years of work to clean up waters near Wrightsville Beach.
Turning on the Federal Spigot?
If N. Topsail Beach succeeds in its fight to change the boundaries of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act, federal money can be spent to subsidize flood insurance and development in town for the first time.
30-Year-Old Law Provokes a Fight
The federal Coastal Barrier Resources Act was meant to discourage development on some barrier islands. It hasn’t worked very well on N. Topsail Island and property owners there want it changed.
State’s Oyster Shell Recycling Ends
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ 10-year-old program to recycle oyster shells into oyster reefs ended earlier this summer after the N.C. General Assembly deleted the program’s money from the state budget.
Hagan, Jones Side With N. Topsail
Sen. Kay Hagan and Rep. Walter Jones have introduced bills to support North Topsail Beach’s push to persuade federal officials to erase much of its coastal barrier zone boundaries.
Bald Head’s Battle with the Sea
Officials on Bald Head Island in the mouth of the Cape Fear River are asking for a host of changes to state rules that they say are needed to allow them to better control worsening erosion.
Public Hearing on Titan Permit Set
The state Division of Air Quality wants to hear from the public before deciding whether to grant Titan America’s request for a permit extension. The company wants to increase the amount of pollutants emitted from its proposed Castle Hayne cement plant.
Pony Up to Park at Some N.C. Beaches
While only a handful of North Carolina’s coastal towns charge beachgoers to park, the oft-controversial topic is a recurring discussion in some towns, begging the question of whether free parking at the beach will eventually become a thing of the past.
