New Hanover County is set to launch a pilot program with UNCW to compost food waste from the university, the latest effort to extend the life of the rapidly filling county landfill.
News & Features
Inventory Tracks ‘Armoring’ of Beaches, Inlets
Newly released data lists all hardened structures, beach re-nourishment projects and other changes made to East Coast beaches since 2012, raising questions about what should be done to offset their effects.
Troubled Rivers: Can Farm Buyouts Help?
With the listing of North Carolina’s Neuse and Cape Fear among America’s most endangered rivers, there’s support for another buyout of hog farms in the 100-year floodplain.
Coastal Towns Brace For Beach Funding Cuts
Local government officials gathered last week in Nags Head to discuss how to respond to expected federal and state funding cuts to beach and inlet management programs.
Cape Fear Pollution Fix: Call It a ‘Swamp?’
A plan to address water quality problems in the lower Cape Fear River includes reclassifying the part of the river that flows by Wilmington and the state port as “swamp water.”
Plan Streamlines Re-Nourishment Permitting
The state will soon roll out a new biological review system to fast-track permitting for certain types of beach re-nourishment projects, trimming at least three months from the approval time.
Bag Ban Repeal Wrapped Up in Controversy
State legislators’ efforts to repeal a longstanding ban on single-use plastic bags on the Outer Banks have sparked anger among residents and business owners.
How Will Offshore Wind Power Get to Grid?
The firm that recently offered the top bid for a wind-energy lease off Kitty Hawk faces big challenges in getting the electricity generated to the grid.
Bills to Cut Streams, Shoals Regulations
The Senate and House are finalizing a set of regulatory bills that include provisions to loosen coastal environmental regulations.
Can Oysters, Coastal Restoration Create Jobs?
A summit held last week in Raleigh looked to Virginia and Maryland to answer the question: Can stormwater management and aquaculture create economic opportunities in coastal North Carolina?
Budget Boosts Clean Water, Park Trust Funds
After years of continually shrinking budgets, Gov. Roy Cooper’s spending plan breathes new life into key programs for water quality and parks.
Pipeline Could Pose Threat to Coastal Region
The route for the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline is well inland, but its environmental effects could be far-reaching, including the coastal region.
Birds Get Help Adapting to Climate Change
Audubon North Carolina recently launched two programs designed to help the state’s most vulnerable birds survive and adapt to the effects of climate change.
Plan Limits Hunting at Carson Reserve
Officials recently announced plans for new restrictions on hunting at the Rachel Carson Reserve in Carteret County, where visitors increasingly enjoy other activities.
Extent of Navassa’s Mess Clearer; What Next?
Ongoing environmental monitoring is providing more detail on the extent of creosote contamination in Navassa, as residents face decisions on site’s future.
Corps OKs Ocean Isle’s Terminal Groin Plan
Ocean Isle Beach has the federal permit needed to build an estimated $5.7 million terminal groin at the erosion-prone east end of the Brunswick County town.
