Press Releases

Forty-five counties in the western and central parts of the state are experiencing a moderate drought due to lack of adequate rainfall, according to Thursday’s federal drought map. Moderate drought is the first category of the four drought classifications. The four drought categories are moderate, severe, extreme and exceptional, ranging from least to most detrimental.

State recreational water quality officials today are alerting the public that initial testing at a sound-side site in Carteret County showed levels of bacteria exceeding the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s recreational water quality swimming standards.

The state Secretaries’ Science Advisory Board will meet on Monday, October 7, in Raleigh to discuss methyl bromide, hexavalent chromium and the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rul

The Department of Environmental Quality is actively investigating a spill at the Fayetteville Works facility.  At this time, it appears an unknown quantity of plasticizer, a non-PFAS compound, was discharged into the Cape Fear River from Kuraray Americas, which shares the site with Chemours. All downstream drinking water facilities were notified Tuesday afternoon.

The State Water Infrastructure Authority approved $200,000 in emergency funding for the town of Eureka at its emergency meeting held via conference call today.

An emergency meeting of the State Water Infrastructure Authority will take place via conference call on Wednesday, Sept. 25.  The meeting audio will be open to the public at the Archdale Building, 8th floor, Room 826V, 512 North Salisbury Street in Raleigh. 

Coastal property owners who need to replace docks, piers, bulkheads or similar structures damaged by Hurricane Florence or Tropical Storm Michael have an additional year to perform the work under an emergency general permit offered by the N.C. Division of Coastal Management.

The precautionary advisory against swimming is now lifted for all coastal waters. One sound-side location in Dare County will remain under a swimming advisory.

RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality is accepting applications for Diesel Bus and Vehicle projects that significantly reduce emissions and for Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) DC Fast Charge Infrastructure projects. The application period for the first round of funding under the Volkswagen Settlement program closes in two weeks on September 30, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. The applications and requests for proposals (RFPs) detailing eligible projects are posted on the division website along with Frequently Asked Questions for each program.

The precautionary advisory against swimming is now lifted for all coastal waters, except for two sound-side locations in Dare County.