Press Releases

The Division of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Division of Water Resources (DWR) is accepting proposals for approximately $1.3 million in federal grant money to address the State’s water bodies most impacted by nonpoint pollution.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary’s Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board will hold its meeting Monday, February 28, remotely via teleconference. Members of the public are welcome to participate online or by phone. Internet access is not required to attend the meeting.

The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) will meet Feb.10 at the Beaufort Hotel, 2440 Lennoxville Road, Beaufort. A public input and comment period is scheduled for noon. At the chair’s discretion, comments may be limited to three minutes per person. Prior to the commission meeting, the Coastal Resources Advisory Council (CRAC) will meet at 3 p.m. on Feb. 9 at the same location. Both meetings are open to the public. To reduce the spread of COVID-19, all attendees should wear a mask and maintain social distance during the meeting.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s administration plan for the approximately $1.6 billion in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recovery funds for drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure is now available online.

New and amended rules will take effect Feb. 1 that will require authorization for some activities at N.C. Coastal Reserve sites. The changes will enhance the Reserve’s ability to balance ecosystem protection and compatible traditional uses.

The Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) is now accepting applications for the Transit and Shuttle Bus Program grants under Phase 2 of the Volkswagen Mitigation plan.  The Request for Proposal (RFP) released today details how to apply for the $13.5 million available to replace older, diesel transit or shuttle buses with cleaner low emission vehicles to significantly reduce NOx emissions and improve air quality.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)’s Division of Water Resources will hold four public meetings in April on draft Animal Waste Management Digester System General Permits. Three meetings will be in-person and a fourth will be online via Webex. Members of the public are invited to attend and submit comments on the draft permits.

The State Water Infrastructure Authority will meet Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 9:00 a.m., virtually, via WebEx. The public is invited to join the meeting online or by phone. For virtual attendees who wish to speak during the informal public comment portion of the meeting, please email Jennifer Haynie at jennifer.haynie@ncdenr.gov by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8. Please include your full name and organization. Please note that any comments will be limited to three minutes each.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a second workshop by webinar Feb. 8-9 with scientists to review the draft assessment of the North Carolina striped mullet stock.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has released the 2022 update to the state Greenhouse Gas Inventory. The inventory contains detailed estimates of greenhouse gases (GHG) in key source categories from 1990 to 2018 and projections of North Carolina’s greenhouse gas emissions through 2030.