As we approach a new hurricane season, a storm expert reminds us that It’s not a hurricane’s winds that will get you. The wall of water called the storm surge causes much of the damage.
News & Features
Conservation Funds Boosted in Budget
The N.C. House of Representatives approved yesterday a spending plan that restores some of the conservation funds cut from the budget last year and includes a number of provisions supporting oyster revitalization efforts.
Silent Spring in Japan
Visiting environmentalists from Japan tell of a mountainous, forested country where the song of birds have been nearly stilled.
Time Running Out for Old Cemetery
Storms and rising seas threaten the Midgett Cemetery near Salvo on Hatteras Island. Efforts are underway to raise $120,000 to save the old cemetery, where generations of islanders are buried.
Town Mulls Closing Street Wiped by Erosion
Nags Head officials are set to hold a public hearing on whether to close a portion of a town street lost to erosion or assess property owners to pay for its upkeep.
Open Space Can Be Money in the Bank
Stream buffers, wetlands and other types of dedicated open space in your community can save coastal homeowners money on their federal flood insurance.
Legislators Scrutinize DEQ Legal Fund
Legislators mulling Gov. Pat McCrory’s proposed budget want state environmental officials to explain why they need additional $5 million to cover litigation expense.
Seismic Tests Continue to Make Waves
More scientists and coastal businesses are speaking out against the threat to endangered whales from seismic testing for oil and natural gas off the N.C. coast.
Critics: Terminal Groins Don’t Stop Erosion
A terminal groin at Holden Beach would do far less than advertised, opponents said at a public forum. It would likely just benefit a handful of homes, they said, and push chronic erosion farther down the beach.
In Praise of the Humble Oyster
Oyster evangelists are spreading the word about how new aquaculture techniques, marketing ideas and investment in shellfish resources could pair economic development and environmental improvement.
Same Tune, Different Players at Holden
The newest proposal to build a terminal groin to control erosion on the east end of Holden Beach has been tried twice before. The latest version will be the subject of a public forum tonight on the island.
Boat Ramp’s Future Hinges on Park Plan
A large regional boat launch at Hammocks Beach State Park had roiled passions, but its future will be determined by a public planning process that should begin later this year.
State Park Boat Launch Plan Causes Stir
No one will say where the idea started but a planned motorboat launch at Hammocks Beach State Park has park staff and many in the community worried about the effects.
Across N.C.: Pigs Gone Wild
State veterinarians and wildlife and agriculture officials are worried that feral swine are a health risk for both livestock and humans.
Lawmakers: Beaches Need More Money
State lawmakers may move to tap a bigger share of local occupancy taxes to pay for beach renourishment projects during the legislative session that begins Monday.
Bills to Weaken Protections Are Ready
A legislative committee that is the gatekeeper for new environmental bills is ready with measures that weaken stormwater regulations and stream protections. The new session of the N.C. General Assembly starts next week.
