The route for the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline is well inland, but its environmental effects could be far-reaching, including the coastal region.
Energy
Solar: Big Changes in Energy Bill Taking Shape
A proposed energy bill in the works in the N.C. General Assembly could bring surprising changes on renewable energy, including third-party energy sales and streamlined permitting for solar projects.
Oil: Keeping Atlantic Ban Meets Climate Goals
Any future oil drilling in the Atlantic and Arctic oceans, which Obama placed off limits during his final days in office, could push global warming to 4 degrees or beyond, says a recent report.
Business Group Calls For Atlantic Seismic Ban
A group of business leaders that included officials from the Carteret County and Outer Banks chambers of commerce went to Washington, D.C., this week to urge President Obama to ban seismic testing in Atlantic offshore waters.
Electric Car Chargers Slated for Eastern NC
A legal settlement with Duke Energy led to a $1.5 million program to install electric vehicle chargers in N.C., which many think will be good for business in the eastern part of the state.
Guide Offers Ways to Reduce Seismic Risks
A Duke Marine Lab professor has co-written a new guide to minimizing risks to marine mammals for use by companies preparing to do seismic surveys for offshore oil and gas exploration.
Studies Link Biofuel Demand, Habitat Loss
Researchers with N.C. State and the U.S. Geological Survey say increasing demand for renewable energy, such as biomass or wood pellets as a fuel source, comes with trade-offs, including loss of wildlife habitat.
Plans Presented for Offshore Wind Auction
Federal officials this week outlined the steps in the process for a proposed lease of offshore sites for wind energy off Kitty Hawk during a public information meeting in Nags Head.
Questions Raised as Farmers Turn to Solar
As more farmers lease their lands to solar in North Carolina, more communities and state officials raise questions over the potential effects.
Wind Farm Is Windfall for Counties, Farmers
The Amazon wind farm going up in Pasquotank and Perquimans counties is providing needed tax revenue and a nice yearly income to farmers.
Critics Charge an Ill Wind Blows From Raleigh
Supporters say a bill passed Monday by the state Senate will protect vital military air space from land-based wind farms, while opponents charge it’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing and is intended to kill wind energy.
Could Seismic Tests Harm Fish?
Opposition to the use of air guns to test for oil and natural gas deposits in the Atlantic Ocean has focused on whales and other marine mammals. Attention now shifts to fish.
Seismic Tests Continue to Make Waves
More scientists and coastal businesses are speaking out against the threat to endangered whales from seismic testing for oil and natural gas off the N.C. coast.
Groups Worry Seismic Tests Will Happen
Despite the recent announcement that plans to drill for oil and natural gas off the N.C. coast will not move forward during the next five years, several firms continue to seek federal permits for seismic exploration in the Atlantic.
Opponents Applaud Drilling Decision
Many on the N.C. coast applauded the announcement Tuesday that the federal government has taken Atlantic offshore waters off the list of proposed leasing areas for oil and natural gas drilling.
Trends Favor Cheaper Offshore Wind Power
As the federal government prepares to auction off areas for wind energy off the N.C. coast, trends in renewable energy hold promise that wind-power will soon become more competitive.