Press Releases

The North Carolina Division of Coastal Management’s Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve is inviting coastal residents to celebrate National Estuaries Day. The N.C. Coastal Reserve will host an event in partnership with the N.C. Maritime Museum on Sept. 23 in downtown Beaufort. This free, educational event will take place outside the N.C. Maritime Museum from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at 315 Front Street in Beaufort. Educators and scientists will present information and activities about coastal science and the importance of estuaries.

The state departments of Environmental Quality and Health and Human Services will host a community information session on Thursday for people interested in the state’s plans to test private wells near Chemours’ Fayetteville Works facility in Bladen County.

In preparing for Hurricane Irma, state environmental officials are providing North Carolinians with guidance on the best methods for disposing of storm debris. The best way to dispose of most storm debris – especially debris from damaged houses and other buildings – is to rely on your county or municipality’s waste disposal services or haul your waste to a permitted municipal solid waste landfill.

State officials initiated additional enforcement actions against Chemours Wednesday after preliminary state test results detected GenX in violation of state groundwater standards in non-drinking water wells at the company’s Fayetteville Works facility.

State officials ordered Chemours on Tuesday to stop releasing all fluorinated compounds into the Cape Fear River and began legal action against the company and the process to suspend its permit for discharging wastewater into the river.

Officials with the N.C. Division of Water Resources are investigating a spill of wastewater at a Jones County swine farm, which resulted in a discharge to the Trent River. The cause and volume of the wastewater discharge have not yet been determined.  

As part of its ongoing investigation, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality this week urged Chemours to stop discharging two additional chemical compounds into the Cape Fear River. The compounds were identified in the company’s waste stream by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency preliminary analysis shared with the state this week.

The N.C. Division of Water Resources urges caution for people recreating in rivers, lakes and other natural water bodies after rain events predicted for today may result in localized flooding and contribute to sewer system overflows along North Carolina’s coast.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries has rescheduled a public hearing on multiple proposed shellfish leases in Carteret County due to the forecast of a tropical storm.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing on a proposed shellfish lease in Hyde County at 6 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Ocracoke Watermen’s Exhibit, Community Square Dock, 278 Irvin Garrish Highway, Ocracoke.