Press Releases

In celebration of Estuaries Week, September 19-26, 2020, six environmental and natural resources agencies from North Carolina and Virginia are releasing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that re-affirms their commitment to foster interstate collaboration within the shared waterways of the Albemarle-Pamlico region.  

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

The public is invited to share feedback for the Environmental Justice and Inclusion Subcommittee of the Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental, and Health Equity Task Force during a public listening session on Tuesday, September 29 at 5 p.m. 

RALEIGH - The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is investigating a sinkhole collapse and release of sediment containing coal ash adjacent to Hwy 150 in Mooresville. DEQ was made aware of the collapse of a stream culvert pipe under a coal ash structural fill during heavy rains on Thursday, September 17, that caused a previously repaired sinkhole in a parking lot to reopen.

RALEIGH – As Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) trustees, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this week filed a motion in federal court that requests the judge to approve and enter a consent decree to resolve the trustees’ claims for natural resource damages, resulting from the 2014 Dan River coal ash spill.

State recreational water quality officials today lifted a precautionary swimming advisory in Oak Island. The advisory was lifted because floodwaters have rescinded, and pumping has ceased.

The N.C. Climate Change Interagency Council will meet on October 1 via teleconference. Topics include the State’s Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan.

WHEN: October 1, 2020 10:00 a.m -12:30 p.m.

The North Carolina Division of Coastal Management (DCM) will host a free interactive webinar on the new N.C. Resilient Coastal Communities Program, September 23, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. The intended audience includes consultants, regional governments, colleges/universities, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that have an interest in receiving and submitting a response to the program's 2020 Phase 1 and 2 Request for Qualifications. 

The permit requires testing of the influent and effluent to verify at least 99% percent removal efficiency, in addition to specific discharge limits.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office for Coastal Management will host a virtual public meeting as part of the federal performance evaluation of the North Carolina Coastal Management Program and North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve. The purpose of the meeting is to receive public comment regarding the operation and implementation of the North Carolina Coastal Management Program and North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve. The meeting will be held Wednesday, Oct. 7, 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. The public may participate online or by phone.