The North Carolina General Assembly officially “adjourned” its 2017 session in June. But since that adjournment, lawmakers have been back at work in Raleigh twice — and have made plans to return yet again early next month. So what’s going on? The short answer is that the legislature has been wrestling with court orders to…
Gov. Roy Cooper spoke at the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s 2017 Pelican Awards and 35th Anniversary Soundside Soiree Aug. 5, where he called on the state to recommit to protecting the coast’s natural resources — and its economy. “Let us be the clean water state,” Cooper told the sold-out crowd of nearly 500 people attending…
Earlier this week, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality announced it is hosting three public hearings on the potential oil and gas leasing program. Your attendance is needed. Please plan to attend one of the three public hearings. DEQ is looking for comments and will accept them at the hearings or in writing. Send written comments to…
Today Gov. Roy Cooper announced his opposition to offshore oil drilling and seismic blasting. At an event at Fort Macon State Park in Atlantic Beach, he said he was proud to stand with organizations, local governments and individuals that galvanized public opposition to offshore oil drilling. During his statement, the governor spoke about North Carolina’s…
Good news — the just approved state budget makes important new investments in oysters, coastal restoration and marine debris cleanup. When combined with existing state funding, the $23 billion budget provides a total of $1.3 million next year to continue work on the Senator Jean Preston Oyster Sanctuary in Pamlico Sound, with $500,000 of the…
More than 125 people attended an organizational meeting for opposing offshore oil drilling and seismic surveys in Wilmington on June 6, and attendees left the meeting energized and ready to start taking action. The North Carolina Coastal Federation, Oceana, the Cape Fear Chapter of the N.C. Sierra Club and the Cape Fear Chapter of the…
Late last week, the state House approved its version of the $23 billion state budget by a vote of 80-31. Now the House and the Senate go to what they call “conference” to iron out their differences and arrive at a final budget before sending it to Gov. Roy Cooper for approval. Oysters The North…
As you’ve likely read or heard about from our action alert, President Trump signed an executive order last week that aims to expand offshore drilling off our coast. The North Carolina Coastal Federation opposes offshore oil and gas drilling off the North Carolina coast, and we have been against this controversial and potentially destructive process…
The North Carolina Coastal Federation joined other environmental groups in an intervention to prevent the seismic industry from challenging the denial of permits for conducting seismic surveys off the Atlantic coast. The Southern Environmental Law Center filed the motion on behalf of the federation, the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, One Hundred Miles and Defenders…
Don’t paint the Gulf Stream with oil — oppose plans to drill for oil and gas off the North Carolina coast. The North Carolina Coastal Federation opposes offshore oil and gas drilling off the North Carolina coast, and we have been against this controversial and potentially destructive process for three decades. We first opposed drilling…