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North Carolina has the third highest PFAS exposure in the country. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 15, 2024

EPA takes steps to reduce PFAS as advocates call for more actions

The Environmental Protection Agency is taking steps to reduce harmful pollution in drinking water in North Carolina and across the country. In a …

Appalachian Voices claims some of the data presented by Mountain Valley Pipeline regarding its Southgate extension project is misleading. (Adobe Stock)

NC groups demand changes to Mountain Valley Pipeline's Southgate extension

Environmental groups in North Carolina are demanding changes to the Southgate extension of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Ridge Graham, North …

About 5.7 million acres of North Carolina or 17% of the state is made up of wetlands, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. (Adobe Stock)

Sportsmen's Group Voices Concern Over SCOTUS Wetlands Ruling

Conservation and sportsmen's groups are voicing concerns that wetlands areas are now in jeopardy of being drained and developed or otherwise eliminate…

As many as 1 million military and civilian staff and their families might have been exposed to the contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune, according to the CDC. (Adobe Stock)<br />

NC Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claims Continue to Climb

After federal legislation reduced red tape, military families who were exposed in past decades to drinking water laced with industrial solvents…

In 2020, the U.S. natural gas pipeline network transported around 27 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. (Adobe Stock)

Behind Schedule, Mountain Valley Pipeline Wants Permit Extension

Developers of a more than 300-mile natural gas pipeline which would run through North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia wants a permit extension …

Research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found air pollution emitted by livestock waste and fertilizer application across the United States contributes significantly to premature deaths in nearby communities. (Adobe Stock)

Push to Weigh Cumulative Impacts of Air Pollution in NC Permitting Process

Environmental groups are pushing for changes to North Carolina's industry-permitting process, which they say does not account for the cumulative …

Although some hellbender populations remain healthy, it is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN and is close to qualifying for Vulnerable status. The Ozark Hellbender, a subspecies, was listed as endangered federally in 2011, according to the Nature Conservatory. (Paula Worden/Resource Institute)

NC Habitat Increased for Endangered North American Salamander

Protecting North Carolina's rivers and streams is good for residents, wildlife and even salamanders. Recent work along Hog Lot Creek and Bates …

Plastic and litter pollution disproportionately affects marginalized communities, where residents often live in close proximity to plastic-production and waste sites, according to the United Nations Environment Program. (Adobe Stock)

During Black History Month, NC Groups Push for More Say on Climate Policies

North Carolina environmental-justice groups are calling for increased representation in crafting state policies related to environmental issues…

In October 2018, Hurricane Michael inundated Surry County, N.C., increasing sediment in the Mitchell River Watershed. (Resource Institute)

Restoration Work Cleans Up Mitchell River’s Hurricane Michael Damage

ELKIN, N.C. - A Mitchell River watershed-restoration project has improved water quality and repaired damage from 2018's Hurricane Michael, as well as …

Resource Institute and partners recently restored a portion of Big Elkin Creek in Surry County to improve habitat and downstream water quality.(Resource Institute)

NC Community Tackles Erosion, Sediment Issues in Water Supply

ELKIN, N.C. -- Surry and Wilkes County residents will have cleaner water with less pollution and less sediment, thanks to a recently completed stream …

Hurricane Florence lands on North Carolina's coast in 2018. Statewide, the storm caused 39 deaths and billions of dollars in damage. (Adobe Stock)<br />

NC Groups Sign On to Renewed National Focus on Curbing Climate Change

RALEIGH, N.C. - The Biden administration has its sights set on creating more jobs, with an ambitious plan centered on clean energy and climate policy…

North Carolina's commercial oyster landings rake in millions of dollars in revenue each year. (Adobe Stock)

Ambitious Vision for NC’s Oysters Outlined in New 5-Year Plan

MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. -- Restoring oysters can boost water quality and offer shoreline protection from storms, and this week the North Carolina Coastal …

The view of water-surrounded downtown Swansboro, shown here in September 2019 at bottom right, reflects changes caused by Hurricane Florence a year earlier. (Mark Hibbs/SouthWings)

Coastal Resilience Goal of New State Program

By Jennifer Allen for the Coastal Review Online, with support from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for …

Bertie County Manager Juan Vaughan II and retired county manager Scott Sauer take to the water during the Bertie Beach grand opening in June 2019. (Sarah Tinkham/TGOW)<br />

NC Project Shows Opportunity in Resilience

COASTAL REVIEW ONLINE MEDIA COLLABORATION This is the third installment in a continuing series on making the North Carolina coast more resilient to t…

During Hurricane Florence, flooding from the heavy rain forced hundreds of people to call for emergency rescues in the area around New Bern, at the confluence of the Neuse and Trent rivers. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Underserved, Underwater: Mapping a Future for Coastal NC

COASTAL REVIEW ONLINE MEDIA COLLABORATION This is the second installment in a continuing series on making the North Carolina coast more resilient to …

Each year, more North Carolinians are affected by property damage and disruptions from flooding. (Adobe Stock)

New Plan for Natural Strategies to Curb NC Floods, Water Pollution

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Last year was the second-wettest on record for North Carolina, and communities across the state are looking for better ways to deal …

In cities like Wilmington, N.C., Black residents are more likely to live in areas with higher levels of air particles known as

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Biden Executive Orders Prioritize Climate, Environmental Justice

RALEIGH, N.C. -- President Joe Biden will release a slew of executive orders aimed at curbing pollution, conserving natural lands, and addressing …

Climate change could result in the displacement of more than 140 million people - particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America - before 2050, according to a 2018 World Bank Group report. (Adobe Stock)

As NC Temps Rise, Climate Migrants Expected to Increase

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Experts say food shortages, housing insecurity and other hardships many North Carolinians are experiencing from the pandemic could …

Feces and urine from hogs on industrial farms are stored in large pools called lagoons. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: Climate Change Could Bring More Ag Pollution in NC

TRENTON, N.C. -- State officials are investigating why one million gallons of hog waste spilled into an eastern North Carolina waterway last month…

Hurricane Florence in 2018 caused extensive flooding in North Carolina, with damage that's still being cleaned up in some areas. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Local Journalists Team Up to Cover Climate Change Amid Pandemic

Print version by Dan Barkin Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan Reporting for The Raleigh News & Observer - North Carolina News Service collaboratio…

The city of Mount Airy, N.C., has undertaken a major stream-restoration project. (Adobe Stock)

Rural Towns Do Needed Restoration Work, Despite Pandemic

MOUNT AIRY, N.C. -- Small towns across the state are focusing efforts on environmental restoration and creating equitable access to green spaces …

Engineers recently restored an unnamed stream on the campus of Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C. (Paula Worden)

After Hurricanes, NC College Focuses on Natural-Resource Restoration

FEYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- In recent years, hurricanes and other powerful storms have taken their toll on many of North Carolina's college campuses…

Sellers, S.C., Mayor Barbara Hopkins shows homes damaged by repeated flooding and hurricanes on Feb. 13, 2020. Homeowners without clear titles on their property have faced challenges receiving disaster aid and are ineligible for some programs. (Joshua Boucher jboucher@thestate.com)

Hurricanes Devastate SC Town, Leaving Mold Behind

Print version by Sammy Fretwell Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan Reporting for The Raleigh News & Observer - North Carolina News Service collabor…

The superintendent of Pilot Mountain State Park in Pinnacle, North Carolina, reached out to Resource Institute for a solution to stop erosion for one of its streams. (Paula Worden)

Stream Restoration Gives New Life to Pilot Mountain State Park

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- One of the most frequently visited parks in North Carolina has improved a prized natural resource. Grassy Creek, which flows …

Four-year-old Jeremiah Galbreath receives a nebulizer treatment for asthma at his home in Bayboro. (Travis Long)

As Mold Grows in Hurricane Aftermath, More NC Asthma Patients Suffer

Print version by Lynn Bonner Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan Reporting for The Raleigh News & Observer - North Carolina News Service collaborati…

Paddlers make their way along the Waccamaw River picking up trash near Conway, S.C. (Jason Lee/JLEE@THESUNNEWS.COM)

A Flesh-Eating Ocean Bacteria is Killing People in the Carolinas

Print version by Sammy Fretwell, Ali Raj and Sofia Moutinho Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan Reporting for The State - North Carolina News …

In 2019, the city of Brevard received $1 million from the state of North Carolina to undertake a stream-restoration project aimed at preventing the city's water treatment plant from being damaged by high levels of sediment. (Adobe Stock)

Rural Water Infrastructure at Risk as More Budget Cuts Loom

BREVARD, N.C. -- Water systems across North Carolina are in need of repair, yet local government budgets are shrinking amid the economic fallout from …

The French Broad River flows through the city of Asheville, N.C. (Adobe Stock)

Watershed Restoration Effort Changes Name with Community Feedback

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- A group working to improve water quality in streams draining into the French Broad River says it's changing the name of one …

Part of renovating the Payne Branch Dam involves improving wildlife habitat along Boone's Greenway Trail. (Michelle Ligon/Explore Boone)

NC Dam Restoration Project to Boost Wildlife Habitat

BOONE, N.C. - A damn restoration project set to start next month in western North Carolina is expected to improve water quality for thousands of …

Shaw Creek runs through Veterans Healing Farm in Hendersonville, N.C. (Resource Institute)

Shaw Creek River Restoration Project Helps Veterans Heal

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. -- A river-restoration project on a farm for veterans in Hendersonville is bringing new life to a community space. Veterans …

Wetlands prevent flooding by sponging up excess water after storms and heavy rains. (Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit Filed Against EPA’s Stripping of Clean-Water Protections

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Southern Environmental Law Center and other groups have sued the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of …

In 2017, North Carolina residents discovered that Chemours, a spin-off of DuPont, had been dumping PFAS into the Cape Fear River near its Fayetteville plant for decades. (Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Possible PFAS Chemical-Discharge Sites Top 2,500

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Almost 70 companies or plants in North Carolina are among those likely releasing chemicals known as PFAS into the air and water of …

Fisher River Park in Surry County is a popular spot for kayaking. (Adobe Stock)

Stream Restoration Project Improves Surry Co. Recreational Hub

MOUNT AIRY, N.C. -- Conservationists have restored more than 3,000 feet of eroded streambank along the Fisher river in Surry County. The river runs …

Muskie are apex predator fish native to the French Broad River that runs through western North Carolina. (Conserving Carolina)

Bring Back Muskie – Goal of Western NC River Restoration Project

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- This spring, a project to restore more than 100 acres of low-lying ground surrounding the French Broad river in western North …

Oyster growers say the delicate environment that shellfish need to thrive is being disrupted by climate change. (Adobe Stock)

Southern Oyster Growers Feeling Impacts of Climate Change

WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Oyster farmers are grappling with rising seas, ocean acidification, and more severe storms. They met in Wilmington over the …

Wetlands are critical to North Carolina's coastal ecosystems. (Adobe Stock)

As Biodiversity Shrinks, Conservationists Shift Focus to Protecting Land

RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina's mountains and coasts are teeming with biodiversity that conservationists say is under threat from global warming…

Cathey's Creek in Brevard is the city's main source of drinking water. (Resource Institute)

NC City Addresses Sediment Issues to Keep Water Treatment Costs Low

BREVARD, N.C. – The city of Brevard has received $1 million from the state to undertake a stream restoration project aimed at preventing the …

In October, the Trump administration repealed 2015 regulations that protected streams, wetlands and rivers from polluting chemicals. (Adobe Stock)

Conservation Groups Challenge Repeal of Clean Water Act Protections

RALEIGH, N.C. — Conservation groups are suing the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers over the Trump administration's …

The Linville River in western North Carolina. (Greg Jennings/Jennings Environmental PLLC)

River Restoration Project in Western NC Aims to Save Trout Population

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — A major project to restore more than 1,000 feet of the Linville River flowing through Gill State Forest in western North …

A planned six-lane loop highway construction project in the Raleigh area now will have to protect surrounding water and air quality and wildlife habitats as part of a recent settlement agreement. (Adobe Stock)

Settlement Requires NC Highway Project to Include Environmental Protections

RALEIGH, N.C. – A major highway project in Raleigh will have to incorporate environmental protections as part of a legal settlement between the …

For decades, toxic chemicals known as PFAS seeped into the Cape Fear River in North Carolina, contaminating residents' drinking water supply. (Adobe Stock)

Chemours, DuPont Battle Over Cape Fear River Chemical Cleanup

RALEIGH, N.C. - A 64 page complaint filed by Chemours against its parent company, DuPont, reveals a battle between the two companies over which one …

In 2017, scientists discovered GenX, a toxic and carcinogenic compound, in the Cape Fear River. (Adobe Stock)

Communities Still in Dark on Cape Fear River Contamination

WILMINGTON, N.C. - It's been two years since communities surrounding the Cape Fear River found out their water supply had been contaminated by a …

The Jacob Fork River in Catawba County flows along a 188-acre property acquired by Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina. (Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina) <br />

Land in Catawba County Could Become Next NC State Park

MORGANTON, N.C. — North Carolina may soon be adding a new state park to its roster. Land conservationists have announced the purchase of 188 …

The cost of damage from flooding, storm surges and high winds in North Carolina's coastal communities has skyrocketed in the past five years. (Adobe Stock)

NC Communities Grappling with Floods, Racial Disparities in Water Quality

DURHAM, N.C. - A new report finds increased flooding from climate change and racial disparities in water quality are some of the most urgent …

The Cape Fear River in Wilmington, N.C. (David Broad/Wikimedia Commons)

Study Finds Byproducts of Teflon Chemical in Wilmington Residents

WILMINGTON, N.C. — Researchers have detected chemical byproducts related to an emerging contaminant known as GenX in Wilmington residents…

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality heard from thousands of residents across the state since a major spill at a Duke Energy plant in February 2014 dumped thousands of pounds of coal ash into the Dan River. (Sam Kepple/Appalachian Voices)

Public Sentiment Prevails in Fight for NC Coal-Ash Cleanup

RALEIGH, N.C. - The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality ruled this week that Duke Energy must excavate its last coal impoundments in …

The North Carolina Coastal Federation has joined several other groups in filing a motion for a preliminary injunction to block seismic surveys from beginning in the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf. (daveynin/Flickr)

Offshore Drilling Plan on Atlantic Coast Expected Soon

WANCHESE, N.C. – A proposed federal plan from President Donald Trump to allow offshore drilling off the Atlantic coast is expected to be …

Lead pipes and faucets can contaminate drinking water in schools. (@wdnesday/Twenty20)

New Report Finds Excess Lead in Charlotte Schools' Drinking Water

RALEIGH, N.C. - Researchers have found elevated levels of lead in the drinking water of schools in Charlotte. Lead is highly toxic and impairs …

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NC: Water