Swimmers should avoid entering waters within 200 feet of posted advisories at soundside beaches in Beaufort and New Hanover counties, where waters tested for elevated bacteria levels.
DEQ
Proposed state rules on discharges defanged as EPA retreats
The Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement this week that it will rescind and reexamine four expected PFAS rules follows a state Environmental Management Commission committee’s opaque decision stalling proposed surface water rules on three compounds.
State-led solar coalition community advisory board to meet
The North Carolina Solar for All coalition anticipates launching services to households later this year.
Five coastal counties now see severe drought conditions
Beaufort, Craven, New Hanover, Onslow and Pender counties are among eastern North Carolina counties experiencing severe drought conditions.
Coastal commission’s counsel moves to Board of Elections
After serving as the Coastal Resources Commission’s legal counsel for close to 15 years, Special Deputy Attorney General Mary Lucasse has been promoted to work with the state Board of Elections.
Public hearing on new wetlands rule set for June
A public hearing on North Carolina’s revised wetlands definition has been scheduled June 26 in Raleigh.
Coastal Land Trust completes purchase of ‘The Point’
North Carolina Coastal Land Trust will own and manage the nearly 150-acre tract at the south end of Topsail Island until it is transferred to the state, where it will remain development free.
Protective zone around Buxton Woods may be unenforceable
Dare County officials are now questioning the legality of the “zone of influence” buffer district the county enacted in 1988 to protect Buxton Woods Reserve from development.
State proposes changes to water quality standards
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality officials are holding a public hearing April 22 in Raleigh to hear comment on proposed changes to the state’s surface water quality standards, including the addition of standard for E. coli as an indicator of disease-causing organisms in certain recreational waters.
State accepting public comments on annual energy plan
The Weatherization Assistance Program’s annual state plan serves residents in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the state save energy and reduce their utility bills.
State ends bluefin tuna, billfish reporting requirements
The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries has ended its longstanding Highly Migratory Species Catch Card program for bluefin tuna and billfish.
Drought, dry conditions persist in coastal counties
The latest weekly advisory from the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council shows drought conditions continue to grip much of the state.
Second public hearing set for mid-Currituck bridge project
The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management is hosting a public hearing in Currituck County next month on the proposed mid-Currituck bridge project.
No NC limit on 1,4-dioxane means water customers bear costs
It costs an additional $1-$3 million a year to remove 1,4-dioxane, a likely carcinogen, from drinking water drawn from the Cape Fear River, costs that could be avoided if upstream polluters were required to reduce the amount of the compounds they discharge.
DEQ chief: Emerging compounds ‘top priority’ for state
N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson said addressing PFAS and other emerging compounds is a top priority during the N.C. Water Resources Research Institute’s annual conference Thursday.
NC officials promote joining state government workforce
Last week, NCDEQ officials and staff tried to recruit for the long-understaffed agency during a conference, and the governor’s office announced a website for those displaced due to Hurricane Helene or recent federal cuts.
