Educators from all regions of North Carolina gathered at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences’ Nature Research Center last week for the 6th annual meeting for nonformal educators. The meeting reached its highest attendance to date with more than 90 nonformal educators representing a wide variety of nonprofit and city, county, state and federal agencies and facilities, including nature centers, science museums, gardens, arboretums, aquariums, state parks, the N.C. Forest Service, the Wildlife Resources Commission, 4-H, Soil and Water Conservation Districts and others.
Continue ReadingEnvironmentally Speaking
State environmental officials have received the full settlement payment from Duke Energy for environmental violations related to the February 2014 coal ash spill at the company’s Dan River power plant in Eden. The fine, which is the second largest environmental fine in state history, addresses violations of the federal Clean Water Act that the company committed during and after the Dan River spill.
Continue ReadingDEQ kicks off its lunchtime speaker series next week with John Gerwin, research curator in ornithology with the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. His presentation on attracting and caring for backyard birds will take place on December 7 at noon. The guest lecture series is hosted by the Department of Environmental Quality’s Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs and features professionals from a wide range of environmental and science backgrounds representing local and state agencies, colleges and universities, and other organizations throughout the state.
Continue ReadingA court ruling this month reaffirmed the state environmental department’s decision to issue a freshwater discharge permit in Beaufort County that protects public health and the environment. The state environmental department originally issued the permit in 2013 which granted permission for Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. to discharge up to 12 million gallons per day of comingled stormwater and groundwater from a proposed mine near Vanceboro into tributaries of Blounts Creek in Beaufort County.
Continue ReadingThe Division of Marine Fisheries recently handed out 15 awards to anglers participating in the 2016 North Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Conservation Series at an annual awards banquet in Morehead City.
Continue ReadingState environmental officials finalized last week a consent order for Duke Energy’s Riverbend facility in Gaston County. The consent order imposes additional monitoring of seeps to ensure protection of the environment. The order also includes fines for seeps that were supposed to be permitted back in 2010. The consent order is part of an overall strategy requiring full closure of the Riverbend facility by August 1, 2019, and in accordance with the state coal ash law The consent order was publicly noticed and the comment period was closed on Nov. 4, 2016.
Continue ReadingGovernor Pat McCrory announced today that more than $945,000 in grants has been awarded for nine projects that will help North Carolina communities restore streams, reduce flooding and erosion, aid in stormwater management, provide recreational opportunities and benefit the state’s water resources. “Our natural habitat is what makes North Carolina a beautiful state to live in and to visit, “said Gov. McCrory. “These grants serve as investments into our state’s resources that will yield valuable returns for years to come.”
Continue ReadingState environmental officials visited Cumberland County this week to tour a temporary storm debris site that was opened to help local residents clean up after Hurricane Matthew. Under the direction of Governor Pat McCrory, the state environmental department has activated more than 60 temporary debris sites for use in eastern North Carolina to collect yard waste, land clearing or demolition debris from the storm.
Continue ReadingState environmental officials visited Harnett County this week to tour a temporary storm debris site that was opened to help local residents clean up after Hurricane Matthew. Under the direction of Governor Pat McCrory, the state environmental department has activated more than 60 temporary debris sites for use in eastern North Carolina to collect yard waste, land clearing or demolition debris from the storm.
Continue ReadingA conference room at the state’s environmental department turned into a classroom this week for a group of eighth graders from the Exploris charter school in Raleigh. The scope of their visit was to find out what the Department of Environmental Quality does to protect the state’s water resources.
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