Press Releases

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Waste Management (DWM) will host a public hearing on Tuesday, May 25, on a draft solid waste permit for a new landfill at the Belews Creek Steam Station. The draft permit will include Duke Energy’s construction and operation of a new landfill (called the Ash Basin Landfill) for the disposal of excavated coal ash at the Belews Creek Steam Station. Members of the public are invited to attend the public hearing online or by phone and provide their comments on the proposed permit.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will make several changes to its Saltwater Fishing Tournament criteria, effective May 1.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) is requesting public comment on a draft permit for the Prestage AgEnergy - Moltonville facility in Sampson County. The facility has submitted an application to operate the existing biomass-to-energy equipment under a separate permit from Prestage Farms, an animal feed mill.  All comments received by 5.p.m. on May 21, 2021, will be considered in the final determinations regarding the Air Quality Permit.

State recreational water quality officials today lifted a water quality swimming advisory for an ocean-side swimming area in Onslow County.

State recreational water quality officials today lifted a water quality swimming advisory for an ocean-side swimming area in Pender County.

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.

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will require additional actions by Colonial Pipeline after new data shows the amount of gasoline released in Mecklenburg County’s Oehler Nature Preserve exceeds Colonial’s 1.2 million-gallon estimate. DEQ will pursue appropriate enforcement actions based on the continuing investigation and remediation activities.

RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary’s Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board will hold a special meeting Monday, April 26, remotely via teleconference to discuss the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on heavy-to-medium duty zero emission vehicles. The public is invited to listen to the meeting online or by phone.

The Division of Marine Fisheries will begin mailing renewal packets for fiscal year 2022 commercial and for-hire fishing licenses and permits this week and is asking fishermen to complete and return the applications without delay.

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