Press Releases

State coastal commission will meet April 28 by video conference

The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) will meet April 28 by video conference. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. The public may join the meeting by computer or phone.

Application period for Coastal Reserve Local Advisory Committee members opens April 5th

The N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve will conduct an application process to identify potential members for its Local Advisory Committees. Community members are needed for each of the Coastal Reserve’s ten sites: Bird Island Reserve, Bald Head Woods Reserve, Zeke’s Island Reserve, Masonboro Island Reserve, Permuda Island Reserve, Rachel Carson Reserve, Buxton Woods Reserve, Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve, Currituck Banks Reserve, and Emily and Preyer Buckridge Reserve.

Coastal Reserve to hold virtual local advisory committee meetings in April

The N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve will hold local advisory committee meetings by web conference April 19-30, 2021. The public may join the meetings online or by phone.

REMINDER: North Carolina Secretaries’ Science Advisory Board to Meet April 5

The state Secretaries’ Science Advisory Board will meet on Monday, April 5, via WebEx, to continue discussion on PFAS toxicity testing.

State coastal commission to hold special meeting March 22

The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) will meet by web conference on Monday, March 22 at 11:00 a.m. to discuss two litigation cases. The CRC will receive information on Kastberg v. DCM, 20 EHR 03105 and consult with its attorney regarding Batson v. Coastal Resources Commission, COA No 21-110.  The meeting will be limited to these two agenda items. The second agenda item will be handled in closed session.

The public may join the open session of the Commission by computer or phone.

State awards first ever Resilient Coastal Communities Program grants

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management (DCM) is awarding grants to 25 communities for technical assistance in risk assessment and resilience planning work. A total of $675,000 will be made available for completion of Phases 1 and 2 of the new NC Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP). DCM will contract directly with selected contractors to provide direct technical assistance services to localities.

North Carolina’s seagrass habitat is declining, state-federal partnership data show

The Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership (APNEP) has published a report showing a net loss in the extent of high-salinity submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) habitat in North Carolina’s sounds between 2006 and 2013. Also known as seagrass or underwater grasses, this valuable natural resource improves water quality, decreases shoreline erosion, and is an essential habitat for many fishery and wildlife species.

REMINDER: State coastal commission will meet Feb. 18 by video conference

The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) will meet February 18 by video conference. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. The public may join the meeting by computer or phone.

REMINDER: State officials announce availability of fiscal year 2021 grants to improve public beach access

The N.C. Division of Coastal Management (DCM) announced in Janurary the availability of approximately $1 million in funding to help local governments in 20 coastal counties improve public access to coastal beaches and waters for the 2021-22 fiscal year. The Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program provides matching funds to local governments to construct low-cost public access facilities.

State coastal commission will meet Feb. 18 by video conference

The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) will meet February 18 by video conference. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. The public may join the meeting by computer or phone.