Press Releases

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. 

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) has classified all or part of 99 counties as in moderate drought or abnormally dry.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) is awarding more than $10.5 million for seven projects in coastal North Carolina for beach and dune renourishment, as well as other projects related to hurricane and storm damage.  

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) awarded $1.14 million in grants to seven local governments and organizations to support stream restoration, water-based recreation and water management projects.