Press Releases

This year, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality continued its work to protect the environment and health of all North Carolinians. From providing technical assistance to businesses, to assisting with emergency response efforts to extreme storms and flooding, DEQ has continued to serve the people of our state to find better ways to preserve the environment and fight climate change.

The state’s Division of Coastal Management (DCM) will hold a public hearing to gather comments on the revision of its permit for the construction of marsh sills. The public hearing will be held on January 8 at 5 p.m. at 400 Commerce Avenue in Morehead City.

State environmental officials have extended the public comment period for a proposed consent order between the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, Cape Fear River Watch and Chemours Company FC, LLC. The new deadline for submitting comments on the draft order is Jan. 7, 2019.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality is seeking public feedback on a proposed draft special order by consent for Duke Energy’s Belews Creek Steam Station, as well as a draft wastewater permit modification for the Stokes County facility. The public comment period for both documents opens today and will run through Jan. 25, 2019.

The N.C. Division of Water Resources has extended until Jan. 24, 2019 the public comment period for a draft modified wastewater permit for the Siler City Wastewater Treatment Plant. The agency will also host a Jan. 24 public hearing to provide community members with an additional opportunity to submit feedback on the draft permit.   

The state’s cabinet secretaries will gather on Wednesday for the inaugural meeting of the N.C . Climate Change Interagency Council.  The Interagency Council was established by Governor Cooper’s Executive Order No. 80 and directed cabinet agencies to coordinate their efforts to address climate change and transition to a clean energy economy.   N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Secretary Michael S. Regan will serve as the council chair.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality today announced a public comment period for Duke Energy’s request for variance to extend the CAMA closure deadline for their Sutton Plant by six months. When the comment period concludes on February 4, 2019, DEQ will consider that input and then make a decision whether to grant Duke’s request.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announces it will hold a series of public information sessions near six coal ash facilities across North Carolina where communities can learn about options for closing coal ash impoundments. 

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality has issued an air permit for the coal ash beneficiation project at Duke Energy Progress’s H.F. Lee Steam Electric Plant in Goldsboro, North Carolina.  In response to public comments, the Division of Air Quality staff revised the original draft permit to include additional testing and revised emission information.  

The state’s cabinet secretaries will gather on December 19th for the inaugural meeting of the N.C. Climate Change Interagency Council.  The Interagency Council was established by Governor Cooper’s Executive Order No. 80 and directed state agencies to coordinate their efforts to address climate change and transition to a clean energy economy.