Press Releases

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission voted Thursday to approve the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan 2021 Amendment for public comment and advisory committee review. The overarching goal of the CHPP is long-term enhancement of coastal fisheries through habitat protection and enhancement efforts. The 2021 Amendment contains a suite of recommendations focused on achieving this goal.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) is undertaking an enforcement action against Chemours for exceeding the facility wide GenX annual air emissions limit.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Air Quality (DAQ) has issued a first-time Title V permit for the Enviva Pellets Northampton facility located in Northampton County.

An advisory against swimming was posted today at a sound-side site in Carteret County, where state recreational water quality officials found bacteria levels in the water that exceed the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s recreational water quality standards.

State recreational water quality officials today lifted a precautionary advisory warning the public against swimming along the waterfront in Swansboro between the White Oak River Bridge and the Intracoastal Waterway beacon #49. 

Today the North Carolina Senate voted to confirm Governor Roy Cooper’s appointment of Elizabeth S. Biser as Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality. She is the first woman to be confirmed for the role of DEQ Secretary.

The Division of Marine Fisheries will accept flounder for the Carcass Collection and Saltwater Fishing Tournament (Citation) programs during the upcoming recreational fishing season.

The Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources (DEMLR) plans to hold a public hearing on the Hood Creek Soils mining permit application on August 26, 2021. The application for Mining Permit No. 14-14 (Pending) is for a soil and rock mining operation in Caldwell County.

The N.C. Division of Water Resources has honored 64 water treatment plants for surpassing federal and state drinking water standards in 2020.  The division’s Public Water Supply Section awarded the facilities the prestigious N.C. Area Wide Optimization Award, which is part of a state effort to enhance the performance of existing surface water treatment facilities.

State recreational water quality officials today lifted water quality swimming advisories at two sound-side sites in Carteret County.