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.
Lionfish Tournament: If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Eat ‘Em
The first annual lionfish tournament on the Crystal Coast recently ended. Lionfish are a prolific invasive fish that have set up shop in our local waters, to the detriment of the original inhabitants. Local groups are searching for a way to control the population.
On-the-Water Phase of Federation’s Southeast Office Move Complete
Wednesday afternoon, scores of onlookers watched as the future office of the N.C. Coastal Federation took to the water on its way to its new home in Wrightsville Beach.
Titan Asks to Increase Pollution Limit
Titan America wants to increase the amount of pollutants allowed at its proposed cement plant near Wilmington and has quietly bought more than 2,000 additional acres to mine limestone to make cement.
Wood Pellet Plans Raise Suspicions… Again
The N.C. State Ports Authority’s latest plans to bring wood pellet exporting facilities to its ports in Morehead City and Wilmington have again raised questions about the authority’s openness and willingness to involve the public.
Hike the Green Swamp
The 17,000-acre preserve in Brunswick County is home to numerous species of rare birds, alligators and carnivorous plants, such as the Venus flytrap.
Titan Fight Approaches Benchmark
Five years have passed since a handful of residents and environmentalists sat in the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners’ chambers to learn more about a company’s plans to build a cement plant just outside of Wilmington.
Greening Up the State’s Travel Industry
Eleven coastal businesses are among the 53 restaurants, lodges and parks in North Carolina that been inducted into a fledgling state program that recognizes travel businesses that take extra steps to conserve.
