Federal court judges upheld last week a 2021 district court decision that commercial shrimpers can continue to harvest by trawler in the Pamlico Sound without a Clean Water Act permit.
Coastal Policy
Rules panel sets Aug. 15 deadline on plan for beach mats
The state rules process to allow coastal towns, counties and private beachfront property owners to use portable, roll-out mats as an alternative to traditional beach walkover structures continues.
Climate peril, insurance, sand costs: No easy fix in Rodanthe
A possible inflection point in property insurance markets, a proposed $40 million beach nourishment project, talk of a needed act of Congress — officials struggle with at-risk oceanfront homes in Rodanthe.
Residents ask for more protections of Beaufort watershed
As potential development looms, some Beaufort residents are asking the Coastal Resources Commission to extend protections for Gibbs Creek watershed in North River.
Commission approves septic rule changes, flood disclosure
The state Coastal Resources Commission took separate actions last week to clarify two persistent issues: septic systems on the public beach, and residential flooding.
Topsail Island towns float plan to reduce plastic pollution
Topsail Beach officials are drafting what could be the state’s first ban on unencapsulated polystyrene for floating dock repair and construction, part of a Topsail Island-wide anti-pollution initiative.
Plastic pollution policy stalled but litter hasn’t: Duke study
Duke’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions found that the introduction of plastic pollution policies stalled on a national and global level when COVID-19 emerged, but the fight against plastic pollution in coastal North Carolina continues.
Declining, fluctuating spot numbers spur action, research
Commercial harvests of spot have been on the decline for more than 20 years and recreational numbers fluctuate, but a multistate management approach and independent research aim for sustainable stocks.
Coastal Resources Commission digs in on artificial turf
Addressing a growing number of permit questions, the coastal policy and rulemaking body has approved a prohibition on artificial turf within the 30-foot shoreline buffer in areas of environmental concern.
New Chafee map removes 2.5 acres in North Topsail Beach
Revised maps for the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System currently awaiting congressional approval remove only a small portion of North Topsail Beach from environmental protections that restrict federal funding that encourages development.
Corps collecting data for 20-year dredged materials plan
The Army Corps of Engineers is identifying sites and gathering data for a 20-year management plan to provide answers on where spoils from nonfederal dredge projects may be placed.
Jacksonville Adopts Derelict Vessel Ordinance
Jacksonville has become the latest coastal North Carolina municipality to adopt an ordinance to deal with abandoned and derelict vessels.
Motions Filed In Appeal Challenging CRC
An attorney for a couple suing the Coastal Resources Commission says reams of scientific studies on sea level rise and erosion are irrelevant to his clients’ property rights case.
Hyde Seeks FEMA Grants to Raise 114 Homes
Hyde County is applying for grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to elevate 114 houses in Ocracoke Village, which was inundated during Hurricane Dorian in September 2019.
Audubon Challenges CBRA Sand Mining Rule
The National Audubon Society has sued Interior Secretary Bernhardt over a decision to allow federal funds to pay for mining sand from Coastal Barrier Resources Act zones.
Property Owners Score Win in Bridge Dispute
A judge has granted a judicial review to property owners near the site of a planned bridge to Harkers Island, including the Coastal Resources Commission’s vice chair, who are challenging permits for the project.
