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.
News & Features
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.
Nonprofit Outlines Plan for Topsail Projects
Resource Institute of Winston-Salem, which was granted last year $5 million in state money, is set to lead a task force in prioritizing a list of 23 storm-mitigation projects proposed by the three Topsail Island towns.
Sunset Beach Must Redo Dredge Application
The state Division of Coastal Management has informed Sunset Beach that its application to dredge part of Jinks Creek must be resubmitted because of missing information, delaying the project until late 2019 or early 2020.
Northeastern NC Farmers Celebrate Soybean
After a challenging year, soybean farmers in northeastern North Carolina, where soybeans have long been an important crop, recently gathered for an annual celebration.
Florence’s Toll: Room Tax Revenues In Focus
The loss of hotel and motel rooms, rental cottages and condos from Hurricane Florence damage has yet to become clear as North Carolina beach town officials begin their annual budget process.
Kitty Hawk Living Shoreline to Protect Road
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.
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.
