Folks living near the site of a former wood-treatment operation in Navassa in Brunswick County say their questions about its health risks have gone unanswered for too long.
News & Features
Can Hemp Take Root As Coastal Cash Crop?
Northeastern N.C. farmer Fen Rascoe is one of a few dozen in the state licensed to grow hemp, a once-important cash crop now legal again for the first time in decades.
Topsail Dune Rule: Is Legislative Fix Possible?
Both sides in the ongoing battle over Topsail Beach’s repeal of its dune-protection ordinance agree that a related provision recently stripped from a pending House bill was too broad.
Agency Moves to Revamp Red Wolf Program
The Fish and Wildlife Service is considering public input as it overhauls its red wolf recovery program, a controversial effort to save an endangered species.
Park Improvements Target Runoff Reduction
Tools for slowing the flow of polluting stormwater runoff were the focus of a recent event at the Cedar Point Recreation Area, part of a collaborative effort to restore water quality in the White Oak River.
Drilling, Seismic Opponents Rally … Again
More than 100 environmental advocates gathered this week in Wilmington to renew their battle against seismic exploration for oil and gas off the N.C. coast.
New Seismic Permitting Process Begins
Federal officials this week took steps toward approving permits for seismic exploration for oil and natural gas off the East Coast, as opponents warn of its threats to the coastal environment.
Can New Reef Design Save Historic Shoreline?
The Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site’s storm-battered shoreline on the Cape Fear will soon test how a new oyster reef design curbs erosion in a high-energy wave environment.
House, Senate Plans Differ on DEQ Cuts
The House and Senate must reconcile policy choices and a $15 million difference in funding for the Department of Environmental Quality as work on a final budget deal begins.
Bag Ban Repeal, Topsail Dune Rule Advance
The Senate has amended a bill that would now, among other things, repeal a longstanding ban on single-use plastic bags on the Outer Banks and address Topsail Beach’s dune-protection efforts.
With Feds’ Reversal on Seismic, What Next?
The Interior Department recently moved to restart the review process for applications for seismic exploration for offshore oil and gas but it remains unclear how long permitting will take.
Agencies Lack Power to Clear Derelict Boats
A recent federal report echoes what many agencies and state and local governments already know: Abandoned boats in public waters are a problem with no easy solutions.
Town: Park Without Ball Fields Not Worth It
Faced with a state report discouraging plans to develop much of the last maritime forest in Emerald Isle for ball fields, town officials say the proposed land deal may not happen without them.
Cape Lookout Solar Energy Goes Live
Cape Lookout has unveiled a new solar energy system that will power all of the park’s facilities, except for the lighthouse beacon, which is also set to be upgraded later this year.
Navy Unsure Why Trashy Disks Washed Up
The Navy says it’s investigating how dozens of smelly, circular, plastic garbage patties recently wound up on northern Outer Banks beaches.
Wilmington Stormwater Efforts Recognized
A collaborative effort to manage eight stormwater-reduction projects in the Wilmington area has earned the Environmental Protection Agency’s recognition for its work.
