Press Releases

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management (DCM) is awarding 20 grants to 19 communities for Phases 3 and 4 of the Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP).

North Carolina is free from extreme drought in the latest advisory issued by the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) on Thursday. DMAC classified five counties in severe drought, 30 counties in moderate drought, and 47 counties as extremely dry.

MOREHEAD CITY – State recreational water quality officials today lifted water quality swimming advisories at two ocean-side sites in Dare County.

An advisory against swimming was posted today at a sound-side site in New Hanover County, where state officials found bacteria levels in the water that exceed the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s recreational water quality standards.

The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) Science Panel meeting via web conference on Aug. 1 has been rescheduled to Aug. 6 at noon. The Science Panel will continue its review of Inlet Hazard Area boundaries. The public may listen to the meeting by computer or phone.

MOREHEAD CITY – An advisory against swimming was posted today at a sound-side site in New Hanover 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.

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) expanded its severe drought classification and classified two countiesas in extreme drought in the latest advisory issued Thursday.

Governor Roy Cooper announced today that communities statewide will receive more than $253 million in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure funding and stormwater construction grants to help pay for 70 projects in 30 counties statewide, including 51 construction projects. The awards include emerging contaminants (PFAS) funding and funding for lead service line inventories and replacements.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management is accepting public comment on a request for review of a federal consistency submission from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Protected Resources proposing amendments to the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule (“speed rule”).

The North Carolina State Emergency Response Team is in close coordination with agencies in Virginia regarding the ongoing environmental issue resulting from the South Hill, Virginia, warehouse fire that occurred on July 6.