Press Releases

Today the North Carolina Senate voted to confirm Governor Roy Cooper’s appointment of Elizabeth S. Biser as Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality. She is the first woman to be confirmed for the role of DEQ Secretary. “I am ready to get to work on the issues that matter to the people of North Carolina,” said Secretary Biser.  “I thank Governor Cooper for the opportunity to return to this department as Secretary and I look forward to working with the General Assembly and all of our stakeholders to protect our environment and our economy.”

State recreational water quality officials today lifted a precautionary advisory warning the public against swimming along the waterfront in Swansboro between the White Oak River Bridge and the Intracoastal Waterway beacon #49. 

An advisory against swimming was posted today at a sound-side site in Carteret County, where state recreational water quality officials found bacteria levels in the water that exceed the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s recreational water quality standards.

The Division of Marine Fisheries will accept flounder for the Carcass Collection and Saltwater Fishing Tournament (Citation) programs during the upcoming recreational fishing season.

The Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources (DEMLR) plans to hold a public hearing on the Hood Creek Soils mining permit application on August 26, 2021. The application for Mining Permit No. 14-14 (Pending) is for a soil and rock mining operation in Caldwell County.

State recreational water quality officials today lifted water quality swimming advisories at two sound-side sites in Carteret County.

The N.C. Division of Water Resources has honored 64 water treatment plants for surpassing federal and state drinking water standards in 2020.  The division’s Public Water Supply Section awarded the facilities the prestigious N.C. Area Wide Optimization Award, which is part of a state effort to enhance the performance of existing surface water treatment facilities.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) has partnered with the North Carolina State Climate Office to develop a new air quality tool, the Ambient Information Reporter (AIR). The new tool contains statewide weather and air quality observations about past, current, and forecasted air quality events. The AIR tool was designed by professionals within the meteorological and air quality industries, along with public feedback from targeted groups.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet by web conference Aug. 25-26. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Aug. 25 and 9 a.m. on Aug. 26.

RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary’s Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board will hold its meeting Monday, August 23, remotely via teleconference. The meeting was originally scheduled with an in-person option but has been changed to a remote meeting to minimize the spread of COVID-19.  Members of the public are welcome to participate online or by phone.