Press Releases

More than $30.1 million from the N.C. Volkswagen Settlement Program will be distributed by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality to fund 161 new school buses across the state, with the majority of the funding going toward new all-electric school buses. The new zero-emission and low-emission school buses are replacing some of the dirtiest diesel buses in the state, including some older than 30 years that emit more than 20 times the nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter of today’s clean buses.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is accepting applications for proposals for fishing access and education projects for the 2023-2024 funding cycle from the N.C. Marine Resources Fund.

The precautionary advisory against swimming issued due to Hurricane Ian is now lifted for all coastal waters including estuarine rivers.

The flounder trip limit will be reduced in the Pound Net Central Management Area on Oct. 15. Additionally, the commercial flounder season will reopen on Oct. 14 for gigs and hook-and-line in the Mobile Gear Northern Management Area.

State recreational water quality officials today lifted a water quality swimming advisory for a sound-side swimming area in Dare County.

Raleigh- The Secretary’s Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board will hold its quarterly business meeting in-person on October 13 at 3 p.m. Members of the public are invited to attend in-person or online.             Who: Secretary’s Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board             What: In-person quarterly meeting

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 advisory committees will meet to receive an update on recent Marine Fisheries Commission activity and to review the 2023 Marine Fisheries Commission meeting schedule.

The Viable Utility Reserve Committee of the State Water Infrastructure Authority will meet Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 10:00 a.m. by teleconference. The public may listen to the meeting online or by phone.

The commercial flounder season will close at 6:00 p.m. on Oct. 6 in the Pound Net Northern Management Area. Flounder pound net sets must be rendered inoperable by 6:00 p.m. on Oct. 7 in the management area during the closed flounder season.