Gov. Pat McCrory welcomed a new federal environmental review that opens the N.C. coast to seismic testing for oil and natural gas, but a number of groups and hundreds people at town meetings disagree.
Energy
Are These Bad for Tourism, Home Values?
Opponents of a now-dead wind farm in Carteret County claimed that the turbines would depress property values and kill tourism. We take a closer look.
Testing for Offshore Drilling Sets Off Debate
Kure Beach’s endorsement of seismic testing for offshore oil and natural gas has sparked a debate about the effects of such tests on marine mammals.
Wind Farm Plan Causes a Chill in Carteret
A proposed wind and solar farm near Newport in Carteret County faces mounting opposition and a new state permit process for which clear guidelines are still being created.
What? Fracking on the Coast?
Banning the use of injection wells for wastewater from fracking and expanding the regions under consideration for exploration, including several coastal counties, were among the issues detailed in a recent meeting of a legislative committee.
Wood Pellet Plan May Hinge on Faraway Policies
Eco-policy in the United Kingdom could decide, more than all the blueprints and well-laid plans, the future of wood pellets here in North Carolina.
Wood Pellet Plans Raise Suspicions… Again
The N.C. State Ports Authority’s latest plans to bring wood pellet exporting facilities to its ports in Morehead City and Wilmington have again raised questions about the authority’s openness and willingness to involve the public.
Wildlife Agency Maps Wind Farm Concerns
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released a new map of North Carolina that shows the best and worst locations for wind farms.
Wind Projects on the Ropes, But Not Out
Land-based wind power projects in Beaufort and Pasquotank counties are still in the works, despite considerable challenges that have raised doubts about their future.
Opponents of Uranium Mining Breathing Easier
N.C. opponents of lifting a ban on uranium mining in neighboring Virginia have high hopes that the proposal has perished on the political vine, but they’re still wary of backdoor maneuvers that could lead to mining.
Legislators Worry About Va. Uranium Mining
A state legislative commission yesterday sent a letter to Virginia’s governor expressing “significant concern” about the possible adverse effects uranium mining in the Roanoke River Basin could have in North Carolina.
Feds Call for Offshore Wind Proposals
In a significant first step toward developing wind energy off the N.C. coast, the federal government yesterday asked for project proposals for three offshore areas, one off the Outer Banks and two near Wilmington.
Possible Uranium Mining Raises Fears
While Virginia ponders mining uranium, residents along the Roanoke River, state officials and legislators worry about the consequences for North Carolina.
Solar Energy Providing Jobs in Eastern N.C.
The newest commercial-scale solar project near Bath will power about 2,000 homes and pump $20 million into the local economy.
Who Will Pay for Ports’ Pellet Plan?
Aside from being a good tongue twister, that’s the $70 million question that has yet to be answered after the N.C. Railroad Co. declined to financially back a pellet storage facility at the state port in Morehead City.
Federation Leads Push for Review of Wood Pellet Plan
The N.C. Coastal Federation and an advocacy group in Carteret County are pushing the N.C. State Ports Authority to adhere to state law and do an environmental review of its plans to ship wood pellets from the port in Morehead City to European power plants.
