The Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources staff were alerted Tuesday to animal waste in ditches from an unknown source later identified as St. John Farm in Grifton.
public health
Street inundation linked to elevated bacteria in creek: Study
N.C. State researchers found elevated levels of fecal bacteria in water samples collected from a tidal creek in Beaufort and town streets following rainfall.
Fans available to eligible adults through state program
Adults with disabilities or those 60 and older can sign up for assistance through Operation Fan Heat Relief May 1 through Oct. 31.
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.
EPA puts enforceable limits on PFAS in public water systems
The Environmental Protection Agency set nationwide maximum contaminant levels in public drinking water utilities for nearly a half-dozen per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
State urges public to prepare for predicted extreme heat
Hear from climate scientists, public health professionals and policy specialists during a webinar April 17 on the state’s rising temperatures.
Sunscreen season arrives
An anole, freshly shed of its skin except the still-peeling tip of the nose, suns in a Beaufort agapanthus bed. For us creatures who don’t normally peel, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise that protection from the sun’s rays is important year-round, not just during the warmer months. Photo: Dylan Ray
Officials post swim advisory at Morris Landing access
The advisory is not a beach closing for Stump Sound, but instead advises against swimming within 200 feet of the sign.
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.
Damaged pipe blamed for sewage spill in Morehead City
Morehead City officials say an estimated 1,500 gallons of untreated wastewater was discharged Monday into Peletier Creek, which flows into Bogue Sound.
EPA overstepped its authority in PFAS order: Appeals court
The 5th Circuit vacated the Environmental Protection Agency’s attempt to stop a Texas-based firm from creating per-and-polyfluoroalkyl substances as a byproduct of its plastic containers manufacturing process.
Health advisory issued for contaminated Buxton beach
Officials said the contaminated soils were likely exposed by beach erosion near the former site of Naval Facility Cape Hatteras and Coast Guard Group Cape Hatteras in Buxton, from near 46285 Old Lighthouse Road to and including the first jetty.
Dirty birds prompt worry over shellfish safety, state staffing
It’s rare for bird droppings to cause shellfish illness, but officials say there is potential, and the state Division of Marine Fisheries has fewer than 60 officers along the entire coast to do federally required inspections and check deterrent effectiveness.
Exposure study evolves to measure PFAS’ long-term effects
Researcher Jane Hoppin, who is leading a study of North Carolina residents exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in their drinking water, says the ongoing work will help in understanding how these compounds affect human health over time.
Progress steady toward opening Ocracoke Island pharmacy
Christie Woolard is set to open and manage the island’s first — and what could be North Carolina’s most remote — pharmacy.
State’s Native Americans at higher risk of preterm births
Native Americans in North Carolina face a disproportionately higher risk for preterm birth because of exposure to mixtures of toxic metals in their private drinking water wells, according to a recent study.