Dare County commissioners voted 4-3 Monday to reject a ban on plastic drinking straws proposed by a United Methodist Church youth group.
News Briefs
Carteret County To Get More Artificial Reefs
The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries’ Artificial Reef Program will begin this week in Carteret County construction on two new estuarine artificial reefs and sink a retired tugboat at an existing artificial reef site later.
Panel Backs State’s GenX Health Goal
The state environmental and health secretaries’ Science Advisory Board recommended Monday that officials continue to use a health goal for GenX of 140 parts per trillion.
Corbett to Lead Coastal Studies Institute
East Carolina University announced Friday that Reide Corbett will serve as the new University of North Carolina Coastal Studies Institute director.
Dare Names Contractor to Build Dredge
The Dare County Oregon Inlet Task Force selected EJE Recycling of Greenville as the contractor for the public-private partnership to build and operate a dredge to maintain Oregon Inlet.
Clean Water Advocates Win in WOTUS Case
A federal judge in South Carolina has blocked the Trump administration’s effort to prevent an Obama-era Clean Water Act rule from becoming law.
Commission Plans Inlet, Harbor Dredging
The Dare County Waterways Commission discussed dredging Rodanthe and Avon harbors and Hatteras Inlet during its Aug. 13 meeting in Buxton.
Science Advisory Board to Talk GenX, TCE
The state Secretaries’ Science Advisory Board will meet Monday in Raleigh to discuss the board’s GenX report, trichloroethylene and hexavalent chromium.
Public Calls for Stronger EPA Action on PFAS
Residents and state officials demanded Tuesday during a meeting in Fayetteville that the EPA take a more active role to address potentially toxic substances detected in the air, water wells and the Cape Fear River.
BOEM to Survey Offshore Sand Resources
The public has until Sept. 10 to comment on a draft environmental assessment for proposed surveys to identify, map, monitor and research offshore sand resources for beach re-nourishment and other uses.
Farm, Food and Friends Dinner Aug. 26
Carteret Local Foods Network will host a Farms, Food and Friends 2018 Dinner Club meal Aug. 26 at the N.C. Coastal Federation’s Earthwise Farm in Ocean, between Morehead City and Cape Carteret.
Photo Contest to Promote Estuaries Week
NOAA Office for Coastal Management is celebrating National Estuaries Week, Sept. 15-22, with its third annual photo contest of any of the 29 national reserve sites, including the four in North Carolina.
Catch Wild Caught Festival This Weekend
Enjoy homegrown music and fresh-caught seafood during the seventh annual Wild Caught Local Seafood and Music Festival Aug. 17-18 at the Gloucester Community Center in Down East Carteret County.
Red Wolf Program Comment Period Reopens
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reopening the public comment period for a proposed rule that would remove management efforts from existing private lands and instead focus continuing efforts on certain public lands in Hyde and Dare counties
Beachgoers View Sea Turtle Nest Excavation
The public was able to view Tuesday the Cape Hatteras National Seashore staff excavating a nest of baby loggerhead turtles lcoated about a quarter mile north of the Lifeguard Beach stand.
‘Jug Handle’ Bridge Construction Set to Begin
Construction is set to begin on the new “jug handle” bridge on N.C. 12 near the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, an area susceptible to breaches during storms.
