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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OCEAN – In the spring of 2019, the North Carolina Coastal Federation launched its first scholarship opportunity for students making a difference along our coast. The Coastal Stewardship Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship for graduating high school seniors with outstanding dedication to our coastal environment. High school seniors from the 20 North Carolina coastal counties…
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Real estate professionals, homeowner associations and property owners recently convened to learn the economic and environmental benefits of applying low impact development (LID) techniques when developing coastal property. The two-day workshop, hosted by the North Carolina Coastal Reserve Coastal Training Program, was held at the Coastal Studies Institute in Wanchese. The Coastal Training Program, North…
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On Friday, May 17, Audra Krieg, also known as the Outer Banks Mom, organized the first annual Trashion Show with Mandy Harlow from Heart of Harlow. This unique event was planned to highlight the issue of marine debris in northeast North Carolina in a fun way, with raffle ticket proceeds and sponsorships benefiting the North…
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On Saturday, May 18, the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s Wanchese office helped the Town of Manteo with their Spring Litter Pickup. These biannual cleanup efforts are led by community volunteer Sarah Benson and are sponsored by the Town of Manteo. “We’re so grateful for all these volunteers that help keep our waterfront clean and healthy…
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The North Carolina Coastal Federation’s northeast office has been busy leading outdoor educational experiences with sixth grade students from First Flight Middle School. With support from the Outer Banks Community Foundation, nearly 250 students and their teachers embarked on a full day field trip to Jockey’s Ridge State Park earlier this month. The federation’s staff…
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The month of May typically marks the home stretch of the North Carolina General Assembly’s long session, so it’s a good time to take stock of the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s 2019 legislative agenda. Here’s a quick rundown: Oysters Earlier this year, the UNC Collaboratory released a strategic plan that included regulatory reforms and new…
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The North Carolina Coastal Federation teamed up with fourth grade students from Bogue Sound Elementary School to create living shoreline models demonstrating their value to the coastal environment. Rachel Bisesi, federation coastal education coordinator, worked with students and art teacher Emily Wikoff to kick off the project and teach the eager students about the importance…
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On Monday, May 6, 44 dedicated volunteers from Cox Automotive helped the North Carolina Coastal Federation spruce up the grounds of Bradley Creek Elementary School. “We had our sales organization here to help and support the federation,” said David Herwood from Cox Automotive. “We are volunteering as part of our company wide initiative to volunteer…
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The North Carolina Coastal Federation hosted a number of Earth Day activities last week in each region. Although the federation celebrates our planet and our coast every day, a little extra celebration occurred during the weeks leading up to and following Earth Day. Northeast Region The Wanchese office celebrated Earth Day by participating in the…
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