A collaborative effort among residents, local and state entities and organizations to save a historic road in Kitty Hawk has led to the first time the state Department of Transportation has contributed to a living shoreline project as a way to protect a street.
News & Features
Surf City Addresses Deck Rules, Stirs Debate
Surf City town council adopted an ordinance allowing oceanfront property owners of unbuildable lots to build single-level decks no larger than 500 square feet, which is causing debate.
Report Blasts Wood Pellet Industry’s Effects
A new Rachel Carson Council report claims the wood pellet industry is driving clear-cutting of Southeastern forests, harming public health and exacerbating the effects of climate change.
Session Ahead: Oysters, Storm Damage, PFAS
Reports on shellfish mariculture initiatives, hurricane relief and GenX appear early on the agenda as the N.C. General Assembly ramps up its 2019 session.
Law Tweaks Coastal Barrier Resource Act
A new law amends the Coastal Barrier Resources Act, which bars federal spending including flood insurance in designated environmentally sensitive areas, but most of North Topsail Beach remains unchanged.
Sand Mine Rezoning OK’d, SUP Vote Delayed
After hearing from worried residents, the New Hanover County Planning Board voted Thursday to rezone 63 acres for a proposed sand mine, but a special use permit decision was put off until March.
Spate of Fed, State Bills Would Block Drilling
Offshore drilling opponents in the U.S. House and nine state legislatures introduced this week a barrage of bills to stop new drilling and seismic exploration for oil and gas.
Corolla Horses OK, But Va. Disease A Concern
A fatal disease afflicting the Chincoteague pony herd in eastern Virginia has not appeared among the wild horses of Corolla on the Outer Banks, but herd managers are keeping a watchful eye for symptoms.
STEM Project Helps Kids Understand Storm
A Duke University Marine Lab project helped young Boys and Girls Club members apply science, technology, engineering and math to better understand storm surge and their experiences during Hurricane Florence.
CRC: Changes to Dune Rules Add Flexibility
Changes to sand dune rules that would give property owners more leeway in moving sand shifted by winds or storms and allow for improved beach accesses are now set for final state approval.
Fresh Christmas Trees Useful After Holidays
Organizations and municipalities along the coast are finding ways to reuse natural Christmas trees, now that the holidays are over.
2018 Dominated by GenX, Florence, Election
The past year brought Hurricane Florence, one of the state’s worst natural disasters, record turnout for the election, and continued efforts to manage GenX contamination.
Land Purchases Bolster Conservation Efforts
Recent but unrelated purchases by the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust added acres to both the Gales Creek Preserve in Carteret County and the Brice’s Creek Preserve in Craven County.
Mattamuskeet Plan Awaits State Approval
The Lake Mattamuskeet Watershed Restoration Plan, which was 18 months in development, has been submitted for final approval by the state Division of Water Quality.
Riverkeeper, SELC Defend GenX Agreement
The Cape Fear Riverkeeper and a Southern Environmental Law Center attorney explained Wednesday in Wilmington their reasons for joining a controversial consent order that would give a nonprofit enforcement power over Chemours.
Recycling Industry Crisis Hits Coastal Firm
Owners of the company that provides curbside recycling services for Hatteras Island were recently hit with a big spike in landfill tipping fees, part of a growing challenge for recycling businesses nationwide.