Press Releases

WHAT: Public hearing on the draft NPDES stormwater permit for Asheville Steam Electric PlantWHEN: 6 p.m. Feb. 24; speaker registration begins at 5 p.m. WHERE: Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Ferguson Auditorium, 340 Victoria Rd., AshevilleThe N.C. Department of Environmental Quality will hold a public hearing Wednesday to receive public comments on the draft NPDES stormwater discharge permit for Duke Energy’s Asheville Steam Electric Plant.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public meeting to discuss the Atlantic Ocean monkfish large mesh gill net fishery at 6 p.m. March 3 at the division’s Manteo Office, 1021 Driftwood Drive, Manteo.The purpose of the meeting is for division staff to explain to fishermen the permit requirements and other conditions for participation in the fishery.

More than 150 hotels and other tourism-oriented businesses have earned special recognition for their work to conserve natural resources, thanks to a state program that demonstrates Governor Pat McCrory’s commitment to environmental protection and economic development.

State environmental officials issued a critical permit today that will serve as a model for the safe closure of all coal ash ponds throughout the state.After more than a year of delays, state officials finally received approval from the federal government to issue the permit, which provides for the safe removal of water from coal ash ponds in preparation for closure. Dewatering of ash ponds is done under strict monitoring by state environmental officials and is an essential step in removing the threat coal ash presents to the environment and public health. 

Stanley Black & Decker will be recognized Wednesday as the first facility of its type in North Carolina to be honored for its commitment to superior environmental performance.  As part of Governor Pat McCrory’s initiative to celebrate excellent environmental performance, top state environmental officials will be in central North Carolina Wednesday to recognize Stanley Black & Decker – Kannapolis as an Environmental Steward.

The North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission will meet Feb. 9-10 at the Hilton Doubletree in Atlantic Beach. The meeting is open to the public.Items on the commission’s agenda include:Rule Development –The commission will discuss potential rule amendments that could allow multi-family oceanfront structures to be rebuilt closer to the ocean.

As part of an effort to improve regulatory efficiency, the state Coastal Resources Commission will hold public hearings in each of North Carolina’s eight oceanfront counties to gather comments on a proposal to change the formula used to calculate the width of the Ocean Erodible Area of Environmental Concern. The change will result in an overall decrease in the amount of oceanfront property that falls under the commission’s permitting authority. The hearings are scheduled for the following dates and locations:

State environmental experts released the scientific data used to determine the risk level each coal ash pond presents to public health and the environment. This classification will determine the closure timeline for each of Duke Energy’s 33 coal ash ponds in accordance with the framework developed by Governor Pat McCrory. 

State officials have reached an agreement with a company to clean up groundwater contamination in a Wake Forest community where residential drinking wells were impacted by chlorinated solvents.Federal officials in 2014 paid to supply people in the Stony Hill Road community with clean drinking water after state groundwater tests revealed the presence of chlorinated solvents in residential wells. State and federal officials believe two former circuit board assembly companies are the source of contamination from 7303 Stony Hill Road. 

Businesses that account for less than 1 percent of statewide emissions from factories and other industry will no longer need air quality permits under a proposal passed today by the Environmental Management Commission. The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality developed the plan to exempt about 1,200 very small facilities from permitting requirements. The plan does not remove or relax any existing emissions standards and still requires businesses to comply with all air quality rules and regulations.