In order for these proposed rules to be consistent with the Federal Clean Water Act as well as state laws and regulations enacted pursuant to that federal statute, Section 15A NCAC 02H .1001(6) requires that whenever these proposed rules aren’t sufficient to protect “existing uses,” that additional measures be taken to ensure that a narrative…
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Going for a hike with the little ones along the Patsy Pond Nature Trail? Stop by our headquarters office and check out the new Discovery Backpack for free! Inside the pack are field guides, scavenger hunts, nets and other tools to help young explorers learn about the forest. The backpack is available for checkout on…
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A new lesson plan on living shorelines and coastal erosion is now available for educators. The lesson allows students to explore how various shoreline stabilization methods influence coastal erosion and the surrounding habitat. Students rotate through four stations of the following shoreline models: Bare sand shoreline Hard structure protection method Living shoreline with planted marsh…
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On March 10, Titan America announced plans to suspend building a coal-fired cement plant and strip mine at Castle Hayne in New Hanover County along the NE Cape Fear River. Because thousands of volunteers, residents and advocates took a stance with their voices, letters, petitions and rallies, the people of New Hanover County won an…
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According to a report in the New York Times, the decision to withdraw a plan to permit oil and gas drilling off the southeast Atlantic coast will be withdrawn. Read the article
Read the Coastal Review Online brief
Learn more about the Coastal Federation’s opposition of offshore oil and gas at: nccoast.org/oil
EXPERTS GATHER TO DISCUSS FUTURE OF NORTH CAROLINA’S WETLANDS AT STUDENT-LED SYMPOSIUM
DURHAM, N.C. – More than 80 scientists, policy experts, students and conservation practitioners from around North Carolina gathered at Duke Gardens on Friday, March 4, to participate in Duke University’s first student-organized wetland symposium. – Read more
CASTLE HAYNE – Titan America LLC announced today that the company has abandoned its controversial plans to build a cement plant here. The plans, in the works since 2008, had drawn fire from environmental groups and area residents concerned about the proposed operation’s potential effects on air quality and groundwater. The plant was initially expected…
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Several commercial fishermen from the Outer Banks have been paying it forward this winter with donations of fish to a local food pantry. Buddy Coppersmith (F/V Emily Shay), Jimmy Taylor (F/V Windy Gale), and Dewey Hemilright (F/V Tar Baby), have been commercial fishermen for most of their lives. Recently, they’ve been working under a cooperative…
DetailsFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 25, 2016 Contact: Mike Giles Phone: 910.509.2838 Email: mikeg@nccoast.org WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH – Join the Coastal Federation Saturday, March 5, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Poplar Grove Historic Plantation, as we facilitate a public discussion on the proposal to build a terminal groin on Figure Eight…
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The North Carolina Coastal Federation has been recognized with an Outstanding Stewardship Award, the highest award given by the Lower Cape Fear Stewardship Development Award Program, for their innovative approach to the preservation and renovation of the Fred and Alice Stanback Coastal Education Center in Wrightsville Beach. In 2014, the historic 1948 Palmgren-O’Quinn beach cottage…
DetailsFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 24, 2016 Contact: Mike Giles Phone: 910.509.2838 Email: mikeg@nccoast.org Save Rich Inlet Public Forum, Saturday, March 5, 2016 WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH – Join the Coastal Federation Saturday, March 5, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Poplar Grove Historic Plantation, as we facilitate a public discussion on the proposal…
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Since 2014, the Coastal Federation has partnered with the NOAA Marine Debris Program, N.C. Sea Grant, N.C. Marine Patrol and local commercial fishermen to remove derelict fishing gear from northeastern North Carolina waters. This year marks our third year of data collection. Approximately a dozen commercial boats dispersed throughout the entirety of the Marine Patrol’s…
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The Coastal Federation’s southeast regional manager, Tracy Skrabal, is scheduled to present at the Center for Marine Science Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. Skrabal will discuss current coastal environmental challenges facing North Carolina, and the Coastal Federation’s efforts to address these issues. Topics will include improving the North Carolina economy through coastal restoration, protecting…
DetailsFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 4, 2016 Contact: Becky Peter Phone: 910.509.2838 Email: rebeccap@nccoast.org Coastal Speaker Series: What’s In Your Oyster? WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH – Join us to learn more about one of the coast’s more fascinating and delicious species—oysters. These bivalves are a vital keystone species in our estuaries. They provide economic benefits, improve…
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It’s a new year and events are in full swing all along the coast. From speaker series to shoreline cleanups to oyster bagging, there are ways for everyone to get involved in protecting and restoring our coast. To register for any event, visit our events page. Southeast: Feb. 10 – Coastal Speaker Series, What’s In…
DetailsFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Sara Hallas sarajh@nccoast.org 252-473-1607 Hatteras – Join the North Carolina Coastal Federation for a community oyster roast in Hatteras Village Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Come enjoy fresh oysters, live music, a warm fire and lively spirits. This event will be held at Oden’s Dock (57878 N.C. Highway 12) from 2…
DetailsTwo church ponds in Carteret County will soon become wetlands designed to improve the surrounding water quality. In the coming months, the ponds, which lie upstream of Deer Creek in Cape Carteret, will transform into an infiltration wetland (upper pond) and a salt marsh habitat (lower pond). Runoff from neighboring development, including Highway 24 and…
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 20, 2015 Contact: Becky Peter Phone: 910.509.2838 Email: rebeccap@nccoast.org Coastal Speaker Series Features the Latest on Coastal Issues Facing the Southeast N.C. coast WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH – What’s going on with terminal groins? Is offshore drilling still threatening our coast? What’s the status of groundwater in New Hanover County? What’s happening…
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jan. 21, 2016 Contact: Mike Giles Phone: 910.509.2838 Email: mikeg@nccoast.org Saturday’s Save Rich Inlet Public Forum Rescheduled for March 5 WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH – Due to the winter weather forecast for several areas of the state, the public forum scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 23 on the proposed Rich Inlet terminal…
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For years, Shallowbag Bay has been deemed impaired by the U.S. EPA’s 303(d) water quality list and has been closed to shellfish harvest due to high bacterial levels. This was both a wake-up call and an opportunity for the Town of Manteo and other North Carolina organizations to do something about the problem. The town’s…
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Bland Simpson, author and Coastal Federation board member, stopped by our Holiday Appreciation Party with his wife, Ann, to read from and sign copies of their most recent book, Little Rivers and Waterway Tales. The book includes tales of coastal North Carolina’s water-loving land, revealing how its creeks, streams, and rivers shape the region’s geography…
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Tell us about yourself. I recently graduated from Oregon State University with a Master’s in Environmental Science and currently work in the Coastal Federation’s central office. I traded in the N.Y. beaches of my childhood for those of North Carolina in my early 20s and lived on the N.C. coast for almost 10 years before…
DetailsLast spring in the northeast office, a Duke student showed up on our doorstep. Her name was Dia Hitt and she wanted to know if she could do a project with us for her Community Based Management class. The goal of the class was to pick an organization that the student was interested in learning…
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December 2015 Update Over the last 12 months, the Project Team convened at the New Hanover County Executive Development Center for sessions on Jan. 16, March 31, June 26, and Sept. 18, 2015. The directive for this committee was to find common ground and solutions by evaluating New Hanover County’s existing SUP procedures, identifying regulatory…
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This fall, the federation has been working with students in schools throughout the coast to maintain school rain gardens. The gardens are used as living classrooms and provide a number of hands-on learning opportunities for educating students on water quality, reducing stormwater runoff, and native plants and habitats. What is a Rain Garden? Rain gardens…
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