Press Releases

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Waste Management, along with the Environmental Protection Agency and Town of Davidson, will co-host an online public information meeting on December 15 to discuss the results and next steps following recent expanded soil sampling for asbestos within one-quarter mile of the former Carolina Asbestos Corporation site in Davidson.

Recreational anglers will be required to use circle hooks when fishing for striped bass with natural bait in coastal ocean waters beginning Jan. 1, 2021. 

The Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental, and Health Equity Task Force Wednesday released its first biannual report outlining policy recommendations to address disparities in communities of color disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.  The Environmental Justice and Inclusion Subcommittee provided recommendations to increase the consideration of environmental justice and equity concerns in state decision-making and address environmental and economic impacts in disadvantaged communities.

The state Secretaries’ Science Advisory Board will meet on Monday, December 7, via WebEx, to discuss challenges and regulations on PFAS mixtures and to continue its discussion on hexavalent chromium.

The North Carolina Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources (DEMLR) has issued a mining permit for Alamance Aggregates LLC to operate a mine in Snow Camp, NC. Following DEMLR’s review of input from the public, the final permit includes additional control measures to safeguard public health and the environment.

The N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve will hold local advisory committee meetings by web conference December 1-11, 2020. The public may join the meetings online or by phone.

The Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Division of Water Resources (DWR) will conduct an online public hearing Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at 6:00 PM to review proposed amendments to the Blue Ridge Paper Products, LLC’s (d/b/a Evergreen Packaging) effluent discharge permit.

The Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) has extended the public comment period to noon on Monday, December 14, for the proposed 

At its November meeting last week, the State Water Infrastructure Authority adopted distressed unit criteria and identified and designated four local government units as distressed, an important first step in allocating $9 million in funding made available through recent Viable Utility Reserve legislation, Session Law 2020-79, signed into law by Governor Roy Cooper July 1, 2020. 

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission wants input from its advisors before it moves forward with possible future modifications to small mesh gill net rules.