Environmentally Speaking

DMS innovates through use of expertise and new technology

Jun 13, 2019

Last month, staff from the Division of Mitigation Services participated in the National Mitigation Banking Conference in Minneapolis where topics of conversation included North Carolina’s in-lieu fee program and utilizing technology for environmental monitoring. Those topics and the work of the division are critical to the protection of North Carolina’s environment. North Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the country and when streams and wetlands are impacted during the course of development, compensatory mitigation is a means of offsetting the impact.

Summer Flowers and Plastic Waste: One Innovative Project Helps Recycle Pots, Flats and Trays

Jun 11, 2019

With summertime already here, many folks are working hard to keep their gardens in tip-top shape. Their gardens might be beautiful, but there are some serious consequences of planting: high quantities of plastic waste.

Inactive Hazardous Sites Program’s Cleanup Actions Turn Site into a Feather-in-the-Cap for Navassa

May 28, 2019

Last month, Governor Cooper visited Navassa, a community with a long history of industrial pollution, to announce the redevelopment of a former boat factory site into a manufacturing operation that will bring an economic boost to the area with no environmental risk. Pacon Manufacturing Corp., a New Jersey-based company that manufactures pads, wipes, towels and liquids for consumer, industrial and medical use, expects to bring nearly 300 new jobs and more than $37 million in economic investment to Brunswick County.

Check the AQI and Get Outside!

Apr 29, 2019

April 29th through May 3rd is Air Quality Awareness Week and here in North Carolina, it’s the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the spring weather and our state’s many incredible natural resources. It’s also a great time to think about our air quality and the actions we can take to keep our air clean.

New web resource for coastal adaptation and resilience in North Carolina

Mar 28, 2019

Coastal communities in North Carolina are still recovering from the impacts of extreme weather and flooding over the past two years. These communities face difficult decisions about how to deal with the damages from hurricanes, as well as long-term stressors like population growth and sea level rise.

North Carolina's In-Lieu Fee Program Gains National Attention

Mar 15, 2019

Last week, Division of Mitigation Services Director Tim Baumgartner participated in a panel at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. where he discussed North Carolina’s nationally renowned in-lieu fee program’s procurement system for stream and wetlands restoration. The conference was hosted by the Environmental Restoration Business Association, and in the hallways of the press club and at a reception on Capitol Hill, North Carolina was a hot topic of discussion.

Secretary Regan Recognizes Fort Caswell Educator Tara Whicker

Dec 19, 2018

DEQ Secretary Regan was at Fort Caswell on Wednesday to congratulate Tara Whicker for completing the department’s Environmental Education Certification Program and to learn more about Caswell’s educational programming. Whicker is the coastal education assistant coordinator with the Environmental Stewardship Program at Fort Caswell. She helps facilitate field trips and teach K-12 students about coastal ecology and marine biology in a non-formal, outdoor setting.

No place for Mr. Grinch in the hearts of Division of Marine Fisheries staff

Dec 15, 2018

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” ― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

DEQ Secretary Recognizes NC State Park Ranger Billy Drakeford

Dec 14, 2018

DEQ Secretary Michael Regan joined NC State Parks Director Dwayne Patterson last week at William B. Umstead State Park to recognize Billy Drakeford for completing DEQ’s Environmental Education Certification.

DWM’s Employee of the Year: Elizabeth Werner -- Unparalleled Dedication and Enthusiasm That Knows No Bounds

Dec 13, 2018

Elizabeth Werner, a hydrogeologist in the Solid Waste Section, has been selected as the 2018 Division of Waste Management’s Employee of the Year for her unparalleled dedication to public service, exemplary scientific experience and knows-no-bounds enthusiasm for serving the state of North Carolina. “She embodies everything that the Department of Environmental Quality stands for,” stated her nominator.