Press Releases

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management (DCM) has completed its review of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”) Federal Consistency Determination and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed Wilmington Harbor Section 403 Navigation Improvement Project. DCM has objected to the Corps’ Consistency Determination because the 403 Proposal and supporting documentation did not supply sufficient information about PFAS, flooding, and placement of dredged material to allow DCM to adequately evaluate consistency with North Carolina’s enforceable coastal laws and policies.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and North Carolina Department of Justice (NCDOJ) have taken additional legal measures to ensure an unpermitted Mitchell County mine site is properly returned to a safe and stable condition.

DEQ's updated North Carolina greenhouse gas inventory shows declines in emissions since 2005 and projects a slight uptick in the coming years.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission took a step toward state management of Atlantic Bonito, including a five-fish recreational bag limit in draft rule language. The vote occurred at the Commission’s quarterly business meeting this week.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has rescheduled the Lines of Communication meetings in North Carolina that were postponed due to inclement weather in early February.

The North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) will meet Feb. 25 and 26 at the Dunes Club, 710 E. Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach. Members of the public may attend in-person or join the meeting online.

The funding application period for the Recycling Infrastructure Grant program, which focuses on repairs in Helene-damaged regions, will close at the end of this week. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (DEACS) a $25 million grant to support these efforts, part of a larger $61 million EPA award to DEQ. The award also includes funding for debris cleanup, pesticide removal, and brownfields development. Visit the NCDEQ Hazardous Waste Management State Program Support Grant webpage for more information.

The State Water Infrastructure Authority will meet in person in Raleigh and via teleconference (Webex) on Wednesday, Feb. 18, from 9 am – 4:15 pm. The public may listen to the meeting online or by phone.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will open a two-week, spring recreational Gulf Flounder season in ocean waters off the central and southeastern parts of coastal North Carolina.

Today in Woodfin, Governor Josh Stein announced $5.7 million in grants from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Flood Resiliency Blueprint to reduce flood risk in the French Broad River Basin. The announcement includes eight projects that will create new floodwater storage, restore and reconnect floodplains, relocate facilities and infrastructure out of harm’s way, and improve water quality.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries reminds commercial fishermen and the public that rotational harvest cultch sites in the Pamlico Sound remain open to mechanical oyster harvest, although the season has now closed in all other mechanical oyster harvest management areas.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources (DEMLR) is awarding more than $7.3 million to support repairs for several high-hazard dams that were damaged during Hurricane Helene.

According to the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council’s (DMAC) latest classifications issued Thursday, 72 counties in the state are in severe drought, 24 counties are in moderate drought and one county is abnormally dry. Parts of three counties are in extreme drought: Cabarrus, Stanly and Union counties.