Press Releases

The 2017 ozone season starts today, as state and local environmental agencies renew their daily air quality forecasts for ozone in metropolitan areas across North Carolina.  Ozone, which has been North Carolina’s most widespread air quality concern, continues to decline, thanks in large part to reductions in emissions from its primary air pollution sources – power plants, industry and motor vehicles.

The N.C. Division of Coastal Management recently announced the availability of $100,000 in grants to local governments in 20 coastal counties for projects during fiscal year 2017-2018. Grant funding will be prioritized for natural hazards and storm recovery projects. Proposals for projects not related to the natural hazards and storm recovery topics may be submitted for non-prioritized funding consideration. The maximum request is $20,000.

N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Secretary Michael Regan requested today that a court allow the department to withdraw from an ongoing legal challenge to part of the federal Clean Power Plan.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality is asking the public to weigh in on proposed draft closure plans for coal ash impoundments at four Duke Energy facilities deemed high priority by the state’s coal ash law.  

The state Division of Coastal Management wants to hear from local government officials about weather-related challenges following the damage from Hurricane Matthew. Feedback from local governments about needs following environmental disasters, such as Hurricane Matthew, will help state coastal officials identify and prioritize resources to assist coastal communities with recovery.  

State officials and an environmental group have successfully settled a legal challenge involving a property in Asheville that is being transformed into a public park. In March, Enka Partners of Asheville, LLC, entered into a brownfields agreement with the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. The agreement allows Enka Partners to safely convert a former industrial landfill into a public park with greenways and ballfields.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Secretary Michael S. Regan announced today several key appointments to his leadership team.   “We’re assembling a talented and experienced leadership team to both address the challenges as well as seize the numerous opportunities at DEQ,” Regan said. “All are proven leaders with strong track records in environmental stewardship who have devoted much of their careers to working with diverse stakeholders from a wide range of viewpoints as a way to find practical solutions to complex problems.”

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Secretary Michael S. Regan announced today several key appointments to his leadership team.   “We’re assembling a talented and experienced leadership team to both address the challenges as well as seize the numerous opportunities at DEQ,” Regan said. “All are proven leaders with strong track records in environmental stewardship who have devoted much of their careers to working with diverse stakeholders from a wide range of viewpoints as a way to find practical solutions to complex problems.”

State officials say work has been completed to protect a community from possible exposure to asbestos that was discovered on an exposed slope in Davidson. Staff with the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, or DEQ, and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services oversaw the work, which was conducted by a contractor for Metrolina Warehouses LLC, the owner of the property at 301 Depot St. The work, which started Monday, took three days to complete, said Michael Scott, director of the state Division of Waste Management in DEQ whose staff oversaw the work.

The North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission will meet at 9 a.m. Feb. 8 at the Hilton Double Tree, 2717 West Fort Macon Road in Atlantic Beach. The meeting is open to the public. Items on the commission’s agenda include: