Legislators included new ways to raise cash for coastal towns’ storm-related expenses and infrastructure needs, such as local-option sales taxes, in a spate of bills filed in recent days.
News & Features
Landowner Challenges Conservation Terms
The owner of a 12-acre property in Morehead City that was set aside for conservation more than a decade ago is asking a judge to remove deed restrictions and allow the land to be developed.
CRC Advances New Inlet Hazard Maps, Rules
The state Coastal Resources Commission last week gave preliminary approval to newly redrawn inlet hazard areas and guidelines for development within those areas.
New Signs Warn of Lake’s Troubled Waters
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service posted new signs this week at Lake Mattamuskeet to warn the public about the harmful algal blooms, another problem associated with the lake’s deteriorating water quality.
Retired General Frames Climate Change Risks
Retired Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Stephen Cheney, now CEO of the American Security Project think tank, told an audience in Wilmington this week that climate change poses a national security threat.
Wildlife Shelter Prepares for Baby Season
Folks at the Outer Banks Wildlife Shelter are in need of volunteers and donations as they get ready for the influx of young animals needing care and rehabilitation in springtime.
Push On to Change Sand Rule Interpretation
Topsail Island officials, with support from the state’s congressional delegation, are calling for changes that would once again allow use of a longtime source of sand for beach renourishment projects.
Watermen Continue Marine Debris Cleanup
A group of commercial fishermen have started work on a state-funded program to clean up debris left scattered across marshes and islands by Hurricane Florence.
Groups Move to Block Start of Seismic Tests
Conservation groups including the North Carolina Coastal Federation have filed in federal court a motion to block seismic surveys from beginning until a separate lawsuit is resolved.
Oyster Summit to Spotlight Mariculture
The daylong 2019 North Carolina Oyster Summit set for March 12 in Raleigh will focus on habitat restoration, the growing mariculture industry and related economic benefits and opportunities.
EJ Board Gives Voice to Poor Neighborhoods
The N.C. DEQ’s Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board this week toured poor communities near Wilmington that are plagued by contamination.
Outer Banks Towns Dig For Flooding Fixes
Outer Banks officials are tapping state grants, partnering on studies and taking other steps to address increasingly persistent flooding and faulty, inadequate drainage systems.
How A Beach Town Manages Coyote, Deer
Eradication is not the goal for Emerald Isle’s efforts to control wildlife within its town limits, rather officials seek to strike a balance so residents and wildlife can safely coexist.
Group Seeks Corps’ OK On Dredge Spoil Plan
The N.C. Beach, Inlet and Waterway Association has presented a plan to the Corps of Engineers to again allow towns and businesses to place dredge spoil in federally maintained disposal sites.
Reckoning with Climate Change Ahead
In the wake of Hurricane Florence, the North Carolina General Assembly has given more attention to climate change, though some legislators remain skeptical.
Questions Arise Over Dredge Firm Selection
An alternate member of the Oregon Inlet Task Force has questioned the proposed selection of a new company with no significant dredge experience as contractor to maintain Oregon Inlet.
