The funding supports work to help coastal communities mitigate and adapt to the increasingly intense natural hazards of a warming planet.
water quality
Advisory board to hear updates on GenX, toxicity studies
Department of Environmental Quality staff are expected to present information regarding the EPA’s reference doses for PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and PFBS, bioaccumulation factors and potential uses.
All Topsail towns now prohibit Styrofoam in floating docks
Surf City and North Topsail Beach joined Topsail Beach earlier this month in banning unencapsulated polystyrene for floating docks, walkways and piers.
Swim advisory posted at Jockey’s Ridge sound access
State recreational water quality officials found bacteria levels in the water that exceeded the state’s and EPA’s recreational water quality standards.
Carolina Beach living shoreline work, cleanup set for Friday
Volunteers can register online now for the living shoreline maintenance and cleanup planned for Friday morning at Carolina Beach State Park.
New laws: Biogas, clean water funds in budget; rule tweaks
The new state budget includes millions for oyster sanctuary work, living shorelines and infrastructure improvements, but a biogas provision worries riverkeepers.
Riverkeepers join in national PFAS monitoring project
Sound Rivers has joined with other waterkeeper organizations across the country to test for PFAS in watersheds.
Public can comment on animal waste discharge permits
The public comment period on renewing National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System general permits for animal operations is open until July 15.
Swim advisories issued for Carteret, New Hanover accesses
Swimming advisories were posted Wednesday at public accesses in Morehead City and in Wrightsville Beach, where fecal bacteria levels exceed state and federal water quality standards.
Water authority to discuss stormwater project funding
The State Water Infrastructure Authority is to hear during its July 13-14 meeting feedback on a plan to use ARPA funding for stormwater projects.
Swim advisory issued for Holden Beach public accesses
Water samples in the past 30 days show average enterococci levels that exceed state and federal recreational water quality standards.
Study links timing of blue-green blooms, airborne particles
UNC Institute of Marine Science researchers have found that the life cycles of algal blooms caused by cyanobacteria in water correlates to the airborne presence of fine particulate matter that the EPA calls “the greatest risk to health.”
CFPUA invites comment on source water protection plan
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority officials have released a draft source water protection plan outlining strategies to protect the lower Cape Fear River from pollution.
White Oak Waterkeeper Rebecca Drohan to leave post
Drohan said she was stepping away from the position she had held for four years to further her education.
Climate change, pollution imperil Cape Fear, advocates say
Industrialization, pollution, climate change and PFAS are among the hurdles the Cape Fear River faces, speakers explained Wednesday during Cape Fear River Watch’s first State of the River forum.
Science board to discuss PFAS assessments
North Carolina Secretaries’ Science Advisory Board members are to hear updates on PFAS assessments during the June 6 meeting in Raleigh.
