Press Releases

North Carolina residents should continue to exercise caution while outside on Thursday due to smoke and fine particle pollution from Canadian wildfires.

An advisory against swimming was posted today at a sound-side site in Dare 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.

Due to rapidly rising levels of fine particle pollution attributed to smoke from active wildfires in Canada, all of North Carolina will be under a Code Red or Code Orange Air Quality Action Day tomorrow, June 7.

A Code Orange Air Quality Action Day has been issued for much of North Carolina due to smoke and fine particles from active wildfires in Canada.

A lifetime of fishing awaits one lucky youth who attends the upcoming N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Bicentennial Jamboree. Neuse Sport Shop has volunteered to sponsor a Jamboree Passport raffle, and the prize is a Lifetime Coastal Recreational Fishing License!

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) awarded the first Food Waste Reduction grants to 11 organizations, totaling $393,264, for projects that develop the state’s food waste infrastructure. DEQ’s Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (DEACS) administers the grant to help local governments, non-profits and businesses reduce the amount of food waste disposed at landfills by expanding food donation networks or composting operations.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Infrastructure is accepting comments until June 30, 2023, on several draft Intended Use Plans for the State Revolving Funds and proposed changes to the Priority Rating System for the Community Development Block Grant-Infrastructure Program and the Local Assistance for Stormwater Infrastructure Investments program.

An amended rule goes into effect today that pertains to the classification of shellfish waters near marinas.

State recreational water quality officials today lifted a precautionary swimming advisory in Oak Island. The advisory was lifted because floodwaters have rescinded, and pumping has ceased.