Though the federal government removed the Atlantic Ocean from its proposed five-year plan for oil and natural gas leasing, offshore seismic testing for fossil fuels will continue as planned.
News Briefs
Settlement Reached on Hofmann Forest
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and trustees of N.C. State University’s endowment fund and the university’s natural resources foundation have reached an agreement in which ditches must be plugged to restore natural water flow on 120 acres of the 79,000-acre Hofmann Forest.
Study: Military Aircraft Don’t Bother Shorebird
A recently published study shows American oystercatchers, a bird species of special concern in North Carolina and in other Atlantic states, are more likely to leave their nests when vehicles and pedestrians pass them than when military aircraft fly overhead.
Grant to Fund Gullah Geechee Preservation
The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation has awarded a $25,000 grant to the N.C. Coastal Land Trust and the town of Navassa to develop plans to conserve Gullah Geechee heritage.
N.C. Researchers Find Civil War-Era Shipwreck
State underwater archaeologists and researchers recently discovered off Oak Island the wreck of what may be one of three blockade runners used to penetrate the wall of Union naval vessels blocking the port of Wilmington during the Civil War.
Fisheries Chief’s Exit Remains Unexplained
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries director Louis Daniel’s recent resignation remains unexplained, but elected officials had raised issues of fairness and transparency.
State Hiring Entomologists to Prepare for Zika
The state is hiring two medical entomologists to study disease-carrying mosquitoes in North Carolina and prepare to fight the potential spread of the Zika virus.
N.C. Fisheries Director Louis Daniel Resigns
Louis Daniel, the director of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries resigned Monday, effective immediately, after nine years in the position.
Commission OK’d Sandbag Rules Too Late
The Coastal Resources Commission took too long to approve new temporary rules for sandbags on N.C. beaches, according to a ruling by the N.C. Rules Review Commission.
Hallas Receives Communicator Award
Sara Hallas, coastal education coordinator with the N.C. Coastal Federation’s northeast office in Manteo, recently received the 2016 Conservation Communicator Award from the Hugh Hammond Bennett Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society.
Federation Wins Stewardship Award
The Lower Cape Fear Stewardship Development Coalition, a regional nonprofit organization focused on protecting natural resources, presented its top award to the N.C. Coastal Federation.
Recent Sea-Level Rise Fastest in 3,000 Years
Sea-level rise during the 20th century happened at a faster rate than at any time during the past nearly 3,000 years, and human activity was a big factor, according to a study published Monday.
Study: Emission Cuts Save Lives, Money
New clean energy and transportation policies consistent with the Paris agreement would prevent hundreds of thousands of premature deaths and save billions of dollars if implemented in the U.S., according to a study published today.
Dare Commissioners Advance Beach Tax Plan
Dare County commissioners voted Monday to move forward on a proposal to create a special tax district to help pay for a planned beach-renourishment project later this year.
Corps Considers Shifting Shipping Channel
The Army Corps of Engineers is considering a plan to shift the channel in Beaufort Inlet westward, away from Shackleford Banks and closer to Fort Macon, to address shoaling problems.
Work Progresses on Hatteras Solar Garden
Work on Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative’s Community Solar Garden, which had been delayed, is now progressing and members can get bill credits for purchasing panels.
