Press Releases

State environmental officials visited Harnett County this week to tour a temporary storm debris site that was opened to help local residents clean up after Hurricane Matthew. Under the direction of Governor Pat McCrory, the state environmental department has activated more than 60 temporary debris sites for use in eastern North Carolina to collect yard waste, land clearing or demolition debris from the storm.

Local Advisory Committees for six coastal reserves will meet in November. The meetings are open to the public.

The state environmental department issued a permit this week that will require Duke Energy to safely dispose of coal ash at the Dan River Steam Station in Eden. The permit allows the company to move forward with plans to build and operate a lined industrial landfill to store coal ash that is now contained in two unlined basins on the same property.

The state marine fisheries agency will hold a public hearing on proposed shellfish bottom and water column leases in Dare County at 6 p.m. on Nov. 2 at the Fessenden Center, 46830 N.C. 12, Buxton. Ryan Belter has applied to lease about 1.39 acres of bottom and water column northwest of Bald Point in Pamlico Sound near Buxton. Also, William Belter has applied to expand his existing bottom and water column lease by 2.49 acres west of Bald Point.

State environmental officials visited Columbus County Tuesday to tour a temporary debris site set up to assist with recovery efforts from Hurricane Matthew. Under the direction of Governor Pat McCrory, the state environmental department activated 64 temporary debris sites for use in eastern North Carolina to collect yard waste, land clearing or demolition debris from the storm.

The North Carolina Marine Patrol is helping to keep the people of Lumberton safe in the wake of Hurricane Matthew. Marine Patrol officers, part of the state’s emergency response system, began providing law enforcement assistance in the flood-ravaged city on Tuesday. They will continue this service through the end of October. The officers are providing security at emergency shelters, distribution facilities, the water treatment plant and other areas in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies.

While eastern North Carolina is still reeling from the flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew, three counties in western North Carolina have been designated as experiencing extreme drought conditions. The extreme drought in Cherokee, Clay and Macon counties was caused by below normal rainfall and has significantly impacted agriculture in those areas. A lack of significant rainfall in recent months has resulted in below normal ground water levels and stream flows.

The state environmental department notified Duke Energy today that it must submit plans to address the environmental impact of flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew on the H.F. Lee Energy Complex.

The state environmental department notified Duke Energy today that it must submit plans to address the environmental impact of flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew at the H.F. Lee Energy Complex.

Environmental department staff determined on Monday that material found at the H.F. Lee facility in Wayne County is not coal ash as falsely reported by a special interest group. The material, called cenospheres are inert and non-toxic.   “It’s unfortunate that a political group masquerading as environmentalists is deliberately trying to mislead the public,” said Tom Reeder, assistant secretary of the environmental department. “This type of fear mongering is appalling in the wake of a storm that cost people their lives, their homes, and their businesses.”