The N.C. General Assembly passed numerous bills this year that will affect natural resources and conservation on the coast. In the first of a two-part roundup, we take a look at bills dealing with farming, forestry, energy and transportation.
News & Features
State Coastal Division Cuts Staff
Forced to trim its budget, the N.C. Division of Coastal Management cut five positions, including the assistant director in charge of enforcement and the planning director.
CRC to Finally Get Down to Work
After a legislature-mandated shakeup that reduced its numbers and replaced roughly two-thirds of its membership, a newly-reconstituted N.C. Coastal Resources Commission starts work this week.
Federation Holiday Coastal Gift Guide
From uninhabited islands to monogrammed oyster knives, our staff has come up with an array of suggestions for the N.C. Coastal Federation’s first Coastal Holiday Gift Guide.
New Turtle Rehab Center Taking Shape
With construction well underway, the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island is expected to open its improved Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation Center sometime in mid-2014.
Deck the Halls With Recycled Cans?
For those of you aiming to make this season not only merry and bright, but green as well, there are a multitude of eco-friendly alternatives to consider when decorating, party planning and checking off the gift list.
A Record of the Life of the Coast
The archives of the N.C. Coastal Federation are now available to the public at UNCW’s Randall Library.
No Child Left Inside
That’s the goal of the N.C. Coastal Federation’s educational programs. Taking kids out of the classroom to build oyster reefs and plant rain gardens, research shows, enhances their understanding of the coastal environment.
There’s No Classroom Like the One Outdoors
Research at N.C. State University shows that taking kids outside significantly improves their understanding of ecology and their attitudes about the environment.
Federation Requests Hofmann Records
The N.C. Coastal Federation has asked the Army Corps of Engineers for information about thousands of acres in the Hofmann Forest that appear to have been cleared.
Court Battle for Park Land Continues
The state Supreme Court, in a ruling released last week, agreed to review a N.C. Court of Appeals decision in a long-running legal dispute that could add 289 acres to Hammocks Beach State Park.
What? Fracking on the Coast?
Banning the use of injection wells for wastewater from fracking and expanding the regions under consideration for exploration, including several coastal counties, were among the issues detailed in a recent meeting of a legislative committee.
Chemical Maker Hit With $2.5M Fine
A federal judge found that Elementis Chromium Inc., which has a plant near Wilmington, failed to notify its workers about the possible health hazards of one of the chemicals made at the plant.
A Different Bird for the Holidays
Several farms on the coast offer “pastured” turkeys, which are bred and raised the old fashioned way. No hormones or growth additives. These birds actually run around and eat bugs.
Work Begins on Controversial Subdivision
After years of environmental and legal disputes, land created when man-made canals were dug along Topsail Sound in Surf City is being developed.
Water Bill Worries Jones, Others on Coast
As it heads to a conference committee, the federal water resources bill still has some skeptics on the N.C. coast, chief among them U.S. Rep. Walter Jones.
