CHARLESTON, S.C. – On Oct. 24 the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of conservation groups challenged in court the repeal of clean water protections under the Clean Water Act, one of the nation’s bedrock environmental laws. The legal challenge, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, opens a major…
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WANCHESE — On Saturday, Oct. 12 Coastal Provision’s Oyster Bar and Wine Bar Café in Southern Shores hosted Oystoberfest. The fourth annual event featured oysters and provided guests an opportunity to learn all about them from those who grow, harvest and serve them. A portion of the proceeds was donated to support the North Carolina…
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Volunteers joined the southeast staff and interns for a lovely day at the pristine Waterfront Park at Sunset Beach to assess the development on the living shoreline constructed this past January along the Intracoastal Waterway. The project is a result of the partnership between the North Carolina Coastal Federation and the Town of Sunset Beach…
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The North Carolina Coastal Federation achieved one of its key policy goals recently when the North Carolina General Assembly approved legislation that includes $3.3 million for the preservation of the Stroud Property on Bogue Sound in Carteret County. Protecting this property from development was at the top of the federation’s to-do list for the 2019…
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On Oct. 4 our dedicated team of volunteers and the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s southeast staff persevered through the blistering hot 90-degree weather to successfully maintain the rain gardens and stormwater wetland located at Bradley Creek Elementary School. The volunteers split into 2 groups to tackle the weeding, pruning and clearing of debris in the…
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The northeast office organized a volunteer event in conjunction with the North Carolina Department Of Transportation’s Fall Litter Sweep. A crew of volunteers pitched in to collect roadside debris along the stretch of highway 345 in Wanchese that the North Carolina Coastal Federation has adopted through NC DOT’s Adopt a Highway program. Through this commitment,…
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A $158,000 planning grant was awarded to Hyde County from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund on Friday, Sep. 13 in Raleigh. The funding will allow Hyde County to advance the next steps of their recently approved Lake Mattamuskeet Watershed Restoration Plan. With the funding, Hyde will contract with the North Carolina Coastal…
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Twelve students from UNC-Chapel Hill are participating in the Outer Banks Field Site, a multi-disciplinary program that takes place at the Coastal Studies Institute. The program consists of three lecture-based classes plus experiential education through field trips, a capstone research project and an internship. Students divide their time throughout the weekdays among various classes and…
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Throughout the spring and summer, North Carolina Coastal Federation educators in our central region led eight Coastal Discovery Field Trips, which reached a total of 128 students and 29 chaperones. Community partners and student groups included: Boys and Girls Clubs of Beaufort, Bogue Sound Elementary School, Brad Sneeden Science Academy, Morehead City Childcare Network, The…
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On Sept. 12, 2019, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency (“agencies”) announced a final rule (“Repeal Rule”) that changes the definition of the “Waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act. Effectively, this rule repeals the 2015 rule in which the Obama administration expanded the definition of waters covered…
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The U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of two bills that would prevent new offshore drilling from occurring off the Atlantic, Pacific and Florida Gulf Coast. First, the House passed a bill introduced by Rep. Rooney (R-FL-19) — Protecting and Securing Florida’s Coastline Act of 2019 (H.R. 205) — by a vote of 248-180.…
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When I look back on the month of May, I think of all the stress and headaches that went into the process of finding and settling on an internship. I knew that going to North Carolina to intern with the North Carolina Coastal Federation was a great opportunity and the best choice for me, but…
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The locally developed watershed restoration plan designed to clean up Lake Mattamuskeet was approved by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality on Aug. 7. The Department’s Nonpoint Source Program staff says that the plan’s recommended projects to restore water quality are now eligible to apply for restoration funds administered by the State. “This approval helps…
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On Saturday, Aug. 3, the 2019 Pelican Award recipients were honored at the Crystal Coast Civic Center in Morehead City for their outstanding contributions to protecting the North Carolina coast. Joe Ramus, president of the federation’s board of directors, served as the Master of Ceremonies and welcomed a sold-out crowd of 500 to the awards…
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WANCHESE — Over the course of two weeks, on some of the hottest days this summer has seen, over 100 volunteers braved the elements to join the North Carolina Coastal Federation, Town of Kitty Hawk, landowners and Dare Soil and Water Conservation District to plant marsh grasses at the Moor Shore Road living shoreline project…
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This summer, the northeast office and the central office each hosted a teacher workshop. Teachers across North Carolina were immersed in the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s work and they learned how to connect their students to the coast. NC Center for the Advancement of Teaching In late June, Sara Hallas, coastal education coordinator for the…
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As Gov. Cooper and the General Assembly continue to try to reach a compromise on the new state budget, it’s a good time to take a moment and thank those legislators who helped the North Carolina Coastal Federation with its legislative agenda this year. Reps. Pat McElraft and Larry Yarborough, as well as Sen. Norman…
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The North Carolina General Assembly recently completed its work on the state budget and most of the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s budget priorities were funded – assuming lawmakers can reach a compromise with Gov. Cooper on a final state spending plan. The final legislative budget proposal included a variety of coastal investments: $1.5M to match…
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Even though school is out for summer, the North Carolina Coastal Federation staff in the northeast has been hosting a variety of community groups at their office and in the field for hands-on learning. Jennette’s Pier came by the office with some of their youngest summer participants of their “Small Fry” camp. The tiny campers…
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Last week, multiple volunteer groups joined the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s northeast staff for the planting of marsh grasses at the Moor Shore Road living shoreline project site. The plantings of black needlerush, Juncus romerianus, is the final step in the completion of the project. The project has been a culmination of multiple moving parts…
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Meet the Growers These growers will provide a taste of their delectable oysters at the 2019 Pelican Awards and Taste of the Coast on Aug. 3. Get to know the growers from up and down the North Carolina coast as you gear up for this year’s event and be sure to try all the different…
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A crowd of nearly 300 gathered in Havelock on June 11 and 12 for the North Carolina Coastal Resilience Summit. The North Carolina Coastal Federation and North Carolina Division of Coastal Management hosted the event to solicit ideas and potential strategies for inclusion in the North Carolina Resiliency Plan. In October 2018, Governor Roy Cooper…
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Worn Wear is Patagonia’s program that keeps gear in action longer. In fact, the program claims your gear will be even better than new after repairs are made by expert technicians. The first stop on the 2019 Worn Wear Tour occurred at REAL Watersports in Waves, NC from May 31 – June 2. The Worn…
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The North Carolina Coastal Federation, PFAST Network and UNC–Wilmington hosted Emerging Contaminants in the Cape Fear Region: University Collaborations on Environmental, Drinking Water Supply and Human Health Effects on Friday, May 31 in Wilmington. Composed of research presentations and a live Q&A, the forum served to provide a public conversation about the North Carolina PFAS…
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The North Carolina Coastal Federation’s central region recently worked with 10 students from Keene State College. The students traveled 19 hours with heavy traffic from Keene, New Hampshire to spend the week doing service projects with our Ocean office staff. Throughout the week, the students assisted with a variety of habitat restoration and stormwater management…
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