UNC chose an interim director for its new environmental policy center amid heightened concerns both on and off campus about the potential for political interference in the center’s work.
Coastal Policy
Groups Want Industry to Get More Scrutiny
Environmental groups and residents have proposed changes for New Hanover County’s special-use zoning permit process that would provide the public more detail on the potential effects of industrial development.
Riggs’ Exit Leaves Void on CRC Science Panel
Some of geologist Stan Riggs’ former colleagues on the Coastal Resources Commission’s science panel say his recent resignation left a void in terms of scientific expertise.
New Flood Maps Could Save You Money But…
Proposed revisions to coastal flood maps shift many properties out of the most flood-prone zones. That will result in lower flood insurance premiums, but some officials fear it could also lead to complacency.
Catfish Blues: Rule Threatens Native Species
Scientists and commercial fishermen worry that a recent regulatory change could kill the commercial market for blue catfish, an invasive species that left unchecked could wipe out native fish populations in North Carolina waters.
Making Inlets More User Friendly, Less Scary
The chairman of the panel that manages coastal development rules wants to create a new term that downplays the perils of owning beach property near coastal inlets.
Little Money for Leaking Underground Tanks
There are more than 5,000 sites in the state — 720 along the coast — that are contaminated from leaking, underground petroleum tanks. Thanks to budget cuts, there’s not nearly enough money to clean them up.
Open Space Can Be Money in the Bank
Stream buffers, wetlands and other types of dedicated open space in your community can save coastal homeowners money on their federal flood insurance.
Agreement Leads to Flap Over Lake Levels
A recent deal between federal and state officials to co-manage the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge has prompted worries that water levels in the state’s largest lake will be raised, driving away waterfowl and flooding adjacent lands.
Port Gets OK to Widen Turning Basin
The Coastal Resources Commission voted Tuesday to allow the N.C. Port of Wilmington to enlarge its Cape Fear River turning basin to accommodate bigger ships.
Just a ‘Misunderstanding,’ State Says
State environmental officials responded this week to EPA’s warning about limiting people’s rights to challenge permits by noting that it’s all a “misunderstanding.”
EPA Warns State on Permit Cases
An EPA official has warned the N.C. environmental secretary that actions to limit the public’s right to challenge pollution permits will prompt the agency to step in.
Groups Question Land Ownership
Environmental groups are questioning whether the developer of a controversial subdivision on Sunset Beach actually owns the land.
Derelict Boats Are Subject of Survey
The survey is designed to assess the extent of abandoned and derelict boats in N.C. coastal waterways. They can be hazards to navigation and ticking environmental time bombs, but no one does much about them.
Group Threatens Legal Action to Protect Wetlands
The N.C. Coastal Federation plans to notify two federal agencies today that it intends to sue them for not enforcing federal law to protect more than 250 acres of wetlands in Pamlico County.
CRC Won’t Fill Science Panel Vacancies Yet
Uncertain of what an updated sea-level rise report would accomplish, two members of the N.C. Coastal Resource Commission’s Science Panel resigned this year. The chairman won’t fill any positions until the release of that report in 2015.
