A bill introduced by Rep. David Rouzer would allow barely a handful of East Coast beach towns to continue using sand from federally protected coastal zones for their nourishment projects — a measure the Audubon Society opposes.
Spotlight
Timbermill Wind turbine parts en route to Chowan County
Massive wind turbine components that arrived recently at the state port in Morehead City are on their way to Timbermill Wind’s 6,300-acre, 45-turbine onshore energy facility currently under construction near Edenton.
Proposed rules address possible Microcystis bloom sources
The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing revisions to nutrient discharge standards for meat and poultry processors’ wastewater, a potential source of mysterious blooms in the Cape Fear River a decade ago.
Black River advocacy group set to hold inaugural meeting
The newly formed Friends of the Black River will host its first meeting Tuesday, an effort to build an alliance of organizations and people interested in helping protect the 60-mile-long natural wonder.
Ocracoke festival aims to keep alive carving traditions
Organizers are putting the final touches on the sixth annual Ocracoke Island Waterfowl Festival scheduled for the third weekend of April in the Ocracoke School gymnasium.
State transportation planning conference heads to New Bern
The 2024 state MPO conference theme is “Gridlock to Green Lanes Transforming Urban Transportation.”
State wildlife officials seek volunteers to tally terrapins
With a little training, a kayak and a smartphone app, coastal North Carolina residents can join the 10th annual “Terrapin Tally,” a count that helps researchers assess the elusive marsh dwellers’ status.
Anti-regulation sentiment may be fueling insurance crisis
With the N.C. Homebuilders Association’s influence over the legislature, steps toward resilience that Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey and others say should be taken have been rejected, contributing to coverage chaos for property owners.
NC scientists receive tools for tracking new compounds
Researchers at North Carolina universities that are part of the PFAS Testing Network are now equipped to trace unregistered chemical pollutants back to the source of emission.
Author documents investment fraud involving Buffalo City
Buffalo City, a now-abandoned Dare County logging town notorious for moonshine production during Prohibition, also featured in a huge life insurance company fraud case in the 1910s, author and retired forester Bill Barber has revealed.
New law comes into play in North Topsail Beach dispute
A North Topsail Beach couple and their contractor cited for damaging dunes hope to settle the alleged violation through mediation, a process allowed under a new state law.
Homecoming: Portsmouth Island descendants set to gather
The Friends of Portsmouth Island and Cape Lookout National Seashore are expecting hundreds for the event that happens every two years and this year includes a celebration of the 1894 U.S. Life-Saving Station here.
Conditions prompt continued closure of NC 12 on Ocracoke
Closed since Sunday because of ocean flooding, N.C. Highway 12 on Ocracoke Island will likely remain closed for several more days.
Researchers work to improve compound flooding forecast
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill researchers have been developing a forecast model that will help predict in real time whether worst-case scenario conditions might occur in communities with multiple flood risks.
Academy aims to make living shorelines more accessible
The N.C. Living Shoreline Academy at Carteret Community College is translating years of research into practical application for waterfront property owners and marine contractors.
EPA steps in on Lear Corp. permit; DEQ adds time for input
The Environmental Protection Agency has informed North Carolina regulators it has invoked a 60-day extension to review the automotive textile and technology manufacturer’s draft permit to discharge compounds into the Northeast Cape Fear River.