3609 Hwy 24 (Ocean) | Newport, North Carolina 28570

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 23, 2001

Todd Miller, executive director
252-393-8185
toddm@nccoast.org

Outlook for Central Coast
Released by Coastal Federation

     Ocean, NC - The North Carolina Coastal Federation has just released a Regional Outlook of key environmental issues that citizens and local governments in the central coastal region will confront over the next year. The central coastal region includes the counties of Onslow, Carteret, Craven and Pamlico.
     According to Todd Miller, Coastal Federation's executive director, "Population growth in the central coastal region has been low overall. But looks may be deceiving." While county populations lagged behind the state average during the last decade, towns within the counties grew much faster, such as: Emerald Isle (43.3%), Newport (33.1%) and Morehead City (27.2%) in Carteret County; Trent Woods (77.2%), New Bern (33.2%) and River Bend (21.4%) in Craven County; and Jacksonville (119.5%) in Onslow County.
     Add in a 31.5% increase in seasonal structures in Carteret County and place one or two families in each of those 13,333 seasonal structures, and "The result is a burst in seasonal population that transforms sleepy coastal towns into urbanized metropolises during the peak summer months," said Miller.
     One of the Coastal Federation's top priorities is to keep North Carolina's beaches public and unspoiled. Bogue Banks beaches face south, with low erosion rates and significant sources of sand offshore. According to the Coastal Federation, finding compatible sized sand with low carbonate material and without large shell fragments to use for beach renourishment has proven difficult. "The end result could be a spoiled beach that does not look, feel or serve as habitat like the natural beach it replaces," said Jim Stephenson, policy analyst for the Coastal Federation.
     "If beach renourishment does proceed, citizens should demand that Bogue Banks towns enact ordinances to prevent new or improved structures that cannot be moved back from the sea from being built on or near the ocean, as well as provide numerous public access points and parking near the beach," said Stephenson.
     A second Coastal Federation priority is to protect and restore water quality and habitat. In the White Oak River Basin, 28,058 acres of shellfishing waters are classified as impaired primarily due to stormwater pollution. The White Oak River Basin includes the New River, White Oak River, Newport River, North River, Bogue and Core Sounds and creeks that lead to them. Miller said, "Unless we confront stormwater pollution head on, the number of impaired coastal waters will only rise in the future. Towns and counties need to begin thinking and planning on a watershed level."
     A second Coastal Federation priority is to protect and restore water quality and habitat. In the White Oak River Basin, 28,058 acres of shellfishing waters are classified as impaired primarily due to stormwater pollution. The White Oak River Basin includes the New River, White Oak River, Newport River, North River, Bogue and Core Sounds and creeks that lead to them. Miller said, "Unless we confront stormwater pollution head on, the number of impaired coastal waters will only rise in the future. Towns and counties need to begin thinking and planning on a watershed level."
     According to the Coastal Federation, the best way to prevent the pollution of shellfish waters is for towns and counties to apply for the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) new Phase II stormwater permit. "Citizens should demand that their local elected officials apply for EPA's Phase II stormwater permits to protect and restore coastal water quality," Miller said.
     A third priority for the Coastal Federation is to achieve environmental law and order. A Coastal Federation survey of state stormwater permits in Carteret County found that 95% of the randomly selected sites failed to comply with one or more requirements of their stormwater permits. "When we looked around at projects, we found stormwater violations almost everywhere. There is simply too few state staff assigned to carry out this program, leaving no one who has adequate time to check on compliance with permits. Governor Easley needs to make increasing his monitoring and enforcement staff a top priority," Miller said.
     Achieving cost-effective land use practices is a fourth priority for the Coastal Federation. "There are too few places in the coastal region with pristine natural features. The White Oak River presents a unique opportunity to preserve the habitat of this coastal blackwater river," said Lauren Kolodij, program manager for the Coastal Federation. The Coastal Federation is working closely with the US Forest Service, local businesses, outdoors enthusiasts and local governments to include the White Oak River in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The White Oak is a coastal blackwater river that has outstanding scenic, recreational, geologic, historic and cultural values. Designation as a Wild and Scenic River would serve as a magnet for federal, state and private funds to purchase and forever preserve the undeveloped natural areas adjacent to the river.
     In order to thrive, businesses and municipalities need a clean and abundant source of water. Generally there are three sources to tap: rivers, lakes or groundwater. According to the Coastal Federation, groundwater levels on the coastal plain are falling dramatically, at rates of up to six feet per year. Combine a high demand for groundwater with sea level rise and then saltwater intrusion of groundwater can become a problem. "Coastal communities need to live within their means and develop growth management and land use plans that are sustainable over the long haul," said Kolodij.
     The Coastal Federation included its Regional Outlook as a part of its 2001 State of the Coast Report. For a complete copy of the 2001 State of the Coast Report, call toll-free at 800-232-6210 or go to the Coastal Federation's web page at www.nccoast.org.