Press Releases

Due to the impacts Hurricane Helene has had on several of the river basins in Western North Carolina, the public comment period for the 2024 Broad River Basin Plan has been extended to November 22, 2024.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Division of Water Resources (DWR) is accepting public comment through Oct. 17, 2024, on the 2024 Broad River Basin Plan. Basin plans help state and local leaders identify areas needing additional protection, restoration or preservation to ensure waters of the state are meeting water quality standards.

Bộ phận Tài nguyên Nước của Sở Chất lượng Môi trường North Carolina sẽ tổ chức một buổi điều trần công khai vào ngày 10 Tháng Mười tại Salisbury như một phần của giai đoạn nhận ý kiến về đề xuất phân loại lại nguồn nước trong Lưu vực Sông Yadkin-Pee Dee.

La División de Recursos Hídricos del Departamento de Calidad Ambiental de Carolina del Norte celebrará una audiencia pública el 10 de octubre en Salisbury como parte del periodo de comentarios sobre una propuesta de reclasificación de las aguas de la cuenca del río Yadkin-Pee Dee. Además de aceptar comentarios en la audiencia pública, también se aceptarán comentarios por escrito hasta el 14 de octubre.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources will hold a public hearing on Oct. 10 in Salisbury as part of a comment period on a proposal to reclassify waters in the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin. Written comments will also be accepted until Oct. 14.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) is accepting comment on a request to set interim maximum allowable concentrations, or IMACs, for eight per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater. 

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources (DWR) advises the public to avoid contact with green or blue water in parts of the Chowan River in Chowan and Bertie counties due to an algal bloom that has lingered in the area since Aug. 16. The bloom has been observed from near the community of Rockyhock to below the U.S. 17 bridge over the Chowan River near Edenton.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has recommended local health departments in the areas surrounding Lake Gaston lift recreational and fish consumption advisories for the Roanoke River near the North Carolina state line.

North Carolina is free from extreme drought in the latest advisory issued by the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) on Thursday. DMAC classified five counties in severe drought, 30 counties in moderate drought, and 47 counties as extremely dry.

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) expanded its severe drought classification and classified two countiesas in extreme drought in the latest advisory issued Thursday.

The North Carolina State Emergency Response Team is in close coordination with agencies in Virginia regarding the ongoing environmental issue resulting from the South Hill, Virginia, warehouse fire that occurred on July 6.

The Virginia Department of Health has issued a recreational swimming and fish consumption advisory for surface waters, including the Meherrin and Roanoke rivers, that extend to the North Carolina-Virginia border. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) is sharing this advisory for public awareness of residents and visitors in the potentially affected areas of Warren, Northampton and Halifax counties near the Virginia border.

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) has expanded its severe and moderate drought classifications across the state, and introduce the extreme drought classification for part of one county in eastern North Carolina.

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) has classified 10 counties as in severe drought classification, or D2, in the latest drought advisory released Wednesday. In addition, DMAC expanded the moderate drought (D1 classification) to 69 counties across the state. Another 21 counties were classified as abnormally dry. The latest classifications mean 99.98% of the state is now in drought, or experiencing abnormally dry conditions.

The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission will meet July 10-11 in the Ground Floor Hearing Room of the Archdale Building in Raleigh. Members of the public may attend in-person or join the meeting by computer or phone.