The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will accept public comment on draft Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 4 from April 1 to April 30. Draft Amendment 4 would expedite the sector allocation shift to 50/50 (commercial/recreational) by one year to 2025.
Press Releases
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s (NCDEQ) Division of Coastal Management (DCM) will hold a public hearing on April 16 from 5-7 p.m. at the Currituck Extension Center located at 120 Community Way, Barco, to hear public comment on North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and North Carolina Turnpike Authority’s (NCTA) Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) application for the proposed Mid-Currituck Bridge project.
Smoke from South Carolina wildfires has the potential to create very unhealthy air quality in Transylvania and Henderson Counties on Friday, and other nearby counties, including Buncombe County, may also experience unhealthy air quality from smoke. Residents are urged to take precautions.
Smoke from South Carolina wildfires has the potential to create very unhealthy air quality in Transylvania County on Thursday, and other nearby counties may also experience unhealthy air quality from smoke. Residents are urged to take precautions.
Smoke from wildfires in Polk County and South Carolina will continue to produce unhealthy air quality and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) is expanding air quality alerts in western North Carolina.
Changes to 18 Marine Fisheries Commission rules became effective today. Among the changes, five of the rules pertain to data collection and harassment prevention for the conservation of marine and estuarine resources, and one rule makes the administration of shellfish leases more efficient. Changes to the remaining rules removed outdated requirements and make minor conforming and clarifying changes.
UPDATE: The Division of Air Quality extended the air quality alerts described below. For the most up-to-date air quality forecasts, visit the Air Quality Portal.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Flood Resiliency Blueprint (Blueprint) within the Division of Mitigation Services (DMS) released the report, More Resilient
The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s (NCDEQ) Division of Coastal Management (DCM) invites communities and contractors to apply to participate in Phases 1 through 4 of the N.C. Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP), which aims to equip communities with additional capability to understand and enhance coastal resilience at the local level. DCM estimates that approximately $2 million will be available for Phases 1 and 2 in FY 2025-2026 and approximately $6 million will be available for Phase 3 and Phase 4 projects in FY 2025-2026. The application deadline for both community and contractor applications is April 25, 2025, by 5 p.m.
In the latest advisory, the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council classified five counties in Eastern North Carolina as experiencing severe drought, or D2 conditions: Carteret, Craven, Jones, Onslow and Pamlico counties. Fifty-eight counties are classified as experiencing moderate drought, or D1 conditions. Another 36 counties are classified as abnormally dry.