Press Releases

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing on proposed shellfish leases in Dare County at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13. The hearing will be held in-person at the Dare County Government Center, 926 Marshall C. Collins Drive, Manteo and by Webex.

 The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) invites the public to provide comment on two draft air quality permit revisions for Duke Energy. 

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) has issued an air quality permit to Moriah Energy Center, adding stronger reporting requirements to the final permit in response to public comments.Public Service Company of North Carolina, Inc. (PSNC) plans to liquefy natural gas at Moriah Energy Center, in Person County, during periods of excess capacity and convert it back to natural gas during high demand periods. The facility is planned to be constructed in two phases.

Due to the impacts Hurricane Helene has had on several of the river basins in Western North Carolina, the public comment period for the 2024 Broad River Basin Plan has been extended to November 22, 2024.

The Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries has received a new Endangered Species Act Section 10 Incidental Take Permit (ITP) from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The ITP authorizes a limited number of incidental takes of sea turtles and sturgeon in internal Coastal and Joint Fishing Waters for estuarine gill net fisheries with the exceptions of runaround/strike/drop and drift gill nets.

MOREHEAD CITY – State recreational water quality officials today lifted a water quality swimming advisory at a sound-side site in New Hanover County.

The Habitat and Water Quality Advisory Committee of the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet Oct.16 at 6 p.m. at the Division of Marine Fisheries Central District Office. Also, the meeting will be livestreamed to YouTube.

MOREHEAD CITY – An advisory against swimming was posted today at a sound-side site in Dare 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. Marine Fisheries Commission is looking for commercial and recreational fishermen, scientists, and other interested parties to sit on various fisheries advisory committees.

MOREHEAD CITY – State recreational water quality officials today lifted a precautionary swimming advisory in Bald Head Island and in Oak Island. The advisory is being lifted because floodwaters have receded, and pumping has ceased.