Press Releases

UPDATE: The Division of Air Quality extended the air quality alerts described below. For the most up-to-date air quality forecasts, visit the Air Quality Portal. Smoke from wildfires in Polk County is producing unhealthy air quality at the Code Red and Code Orange levels, and residents are urged to take precautions.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s (NCDEQ) Division of Coastal Management (DCM) invites communities and contractors to apply to participate in Phases 1 through 4 of the N.C. Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP), which aims to equip communities with additional capability to understand and enhance coastal resilience at the local level. DCM estimates that approximately $2 million will be available for Phases 1 and 2 in FY 2025-2026 and approximately $6 million will be available for Phase 3 and Phase 4 projects in FY 2025-2026. The application deadline for both community and

In the latest advisory, the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council classified five counties in Eastern North Carolina as experiencing severe drought, or D2 conditions: Carteret, Craven, Jones, Onslow and Pamlico counties. Fifty-eight counties are classified as experiencing moderate drought, or D1 conditions. Another 36 counties are classified as abnormally dry.

Two State Water Infrastructure Authority committees will meet via Webex on Wednesday, March 19 as indicated below. The public may listen to the meeting online or by phone.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing on proposed shellfish leases in Craven County at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 2. The hearing will be held in-person at the Craven Community College - Havelock Campus, 305 Cunningham Blvd, STEM Building, Room 134, Havelock, NC 28532, and by Webex.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s (NCDEQ) Division of Coastal Management (DCM) Coastal Reserve program and partners from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC), NC State Parks, Bald Head Island Conservancy, NC Audubon, NC Aquariums and National Park Service are recruiting volunteers to participate in the 2025 Terrapin Tally.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission today took a step towards adoption of draft Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 4 by approving the draft plan for public and advisory committee review. Draft Amendment 4 would move the already scheduled sector allocation shift to 50/50 (commercial/recreational) in Amendment 3 up by one year to 2025.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) State Energy Office is holding a series of public engagement opportunities in February and March to provide information and gather feedback on the Department’s initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of the federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grant’s (CPRG) Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP).

The open burning of trash, metal, plastic and all other man-made materials not only harms the environment and poses a public health risk, it’s against state law.During the spring burning season, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality is reminding North Carolinians: If it doesn’t grow, don’t burn it. Open burning is only allowed in limited circumstances and only for vegetative materials like leaves, limbs and yard debris.

Three advisory committees to the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet this month to accept public comment, discuss, and vote on recommendations for adaptive management for the draft Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3 Revision.