Press Releases

The Environmental Management Commission (EMC) is accepting public comment on proposed amendments to rules governing wastewater capacity for treatment plants and new dwelling units, as required by laws passed by the N.C. General Assembly in 2023.

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council has classified most of the state, or parts of 89 counties, as abnormally dry (D0 conditions), while 11 northeastern counties are now in Moderate Drought (D1), according to the latest advisory released Thursday.

The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) will meet Nov. 13- 14 at the Ocean Isle Beach Town Hall, 111 Causeway Dr., Ocean Isle Beach. The public may attend the CRC meeting in-person or watch online.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries Artificial Reef Program is soliciting public input and project advisers for the next five years of ocean reef enhancements.The Artificial Reef Program plans to complete one project per year, for a total of five projects, one in each coastal region (see map):

MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve will hold fall local advisory committee meetings between November 8 - Nov. 20 for the following reserve sites. All meetings are open to the public.

The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission will meet Nov. 13-14 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.

The North Carolina Oil and Gas Commission will meet at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in the Ground Floor Hearing Room of the Archdale Building in Raleigh.

The Master Plan Update Committee of the State Water Infrastructure Authority will meet via teleconference on Wednesday, Oct. 30, from 2-4 p.m. The public may listen to the meeting online or by phone.

The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) special meeting scheduled for Oct. 28 by web conference to review comments and consider the adoption of temporary rules has been cancelled. The meeting will not be rescheduled.

N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) advises the public to avoid contact with green or blue water in Lake Norman due to an algal bloom that has lingered in the area since early September. The bloom has been observed throughout Lake Norman. Counties currently affected include Catawba, Iredell, Lincoln and Mecklenburg. Algal blooms tend to move due to wind and wave action.