State of the Coast Reports
This publication can only be viewed using
Adobe Acrobat Reader and is only available online.
Coastal Report CardWhile North Carolina commemorates 25 years of coastal management, wetlands are destroyed on the southeastern coast and environmental permits are greased on the northeastern coast. Combined with Hurricanes Dennis and Floyd, the last year of the millennium leaves little to celebrate. Year In ReviewFrom Shell Island to proposed shoreline protection rules, many environmental issues reshaped our coast during the past year. Here's a snapshot of key events. Our Tarnished CoastOnce green and lushly vegetated, North Carolina's coast is being replaced with pavement, buildings and their accompanying pollution. Yesterday's memories of our coast contrast sharply to what coastal visitors see today. Migrating Barrier IslandsThe barrier islands of North Carolina act as a buffer protecting the mainland from the ocean. Constantly moving and shifting, these islands are a unique natural resource that have been overdeveloped. Urbanizing Tidal CoastSoutheastern North Carolina is growing faster than the state as a whole. By paving paradise, we irreversibly damage the natural resources that make these places so productive and inviting. Industrializing Rural CoastMost of North Carolina's coastal plain is rural: small towns where everyone knows one another. While poverty is high and growth is low, economic developers promise a field of dreams that seldom come true. Legislative ReviewWhile water and air quality will benefit from legislative action, many coastal programs remain underfunded and understaffed. The 1999 session of the NC General Assembly was a mixed blessing for the environment and the coast.
|
11-21-08: Legislative panel to study offshore drilling
