N.C. DENR News Releases

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Diana Kees

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Portions of Albemarle, Croatan and Roanoke Sounds Return to Sea Turtle Lawsuit Restrictions

Patricia Smitih

MOREHEAD CITY – Beginning Monday, large mesh gill nets set in portions of Albemarle, Croatan and Roanoke sounds will again fall under stricter regulations required by a sea turtle lawsuit settlement agreement.

The action is being taken because the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries observed interactions between gill nets and two sea turtles – one green and one Kemp’s ridley – in these waters.

The regulations will apply in portions of Albemarle, Croatan and Roanoke sounds east of the mouth of the Alligator River and Wright Memorial Bridge. The regulations prohibit fishermen from setting gill nets between 4-inches and 6 ½-inches stretched mesh in the daytime and on weekends and specify other gear restrictions.

For specific regulations, a map and coordinates, see Proclamation M-46-2012 at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/proclamations.

These measures were adopted by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission in May 2010 to settle a lawsuit filed against the commission, the division and division Director Louis Daniel in federal court by the Duke Environmental Law and Policy Clinic on behalf of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.

In September 2011, the commission lifted the regulations in Albemarle, Croatan and Roanoke sounds north of the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge and the Washington Baum Bridge after the Beasley Center agreed to modify the lawsuit settlement.

The agreement was based on a full year of division observer coverage data that showed no commercial fishing-related interactions with sea turtles had been observed in these waters; however, the agreement required the division to reinstate stricter regulations if interactions between gill nets and sea turtles were observed.

The stricter regulations will remain in place until Nov. 30, 2012, or water temperatures drop below 55 degrees.

For more information, contact Jacob Boyd in the division Protected Resources Section at 252-808-8088 or Jacob.Boyd@ncdenr.gov.

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N.C. Mining and Energy Commission Elects Chairman, Sets 2012 Meeting Dates

Diana Kees

RALEIGH – The N.C. Mining and Energy Commission today elected Jim Womack – a Lee County Commissioner from Sanford – as its chairman, but deferred electing a vice chairman until its next meeting, scheduled for Nov. 2.

Following his election as MEC Chairman, Womack appointed Ivan “Tex” Gilmore as chairman of the commission’s Mining Committee, and William “Mack” McNeely III as the committee’s vice chairman.

A vice chairman for the Mining and Energy Commission was not chosen at this meeting, when a tie vote occurred following the nomination of George Howard and Charlotte Mitchell for this position. The commission voted to defer the election of a vice chairman to its next meeting.

Also during this meeting, staff with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources presented a proposed work plan, committee structure and future meeting schedule for the commission’s consideration. The commission voted to schedule its next meeting for Nov. 2, and its final 2012 meeting for Dec. 18-19. The December meeting will consist of committee meetings the first day, with the full commission meeting on the final day. Both November and December meetings will be held in the Ground Floor Hearing Room of the Archdale Building, located at 512 N. Salisbury St. in Raleigh.

The “Clean Energy and Economic Security Act,” or Session Law 2012-143, created the MEC and charged it with developing a modern regulatory program for the management of oil and gas exploration and development activities in North Carolina, including the use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Information about the Mining and Energy Commission, including the meeting agendas and materials presented at each meeting, can be found online at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mining-and-energy-commission/home.

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Pamlico Sound to Close to Large-Mesh Gill Net Fishing to Protect Sea Turtles

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – To protect sea turtles, Pamlico Sound will close to all large-mesh gill net fishing on Wed., Sept. 26.

The Pamlico Sound Gill Net Restricted Area opened Sept. 15, and during the first week the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries has documented four interactions between gill nets and sea turtles in these waters. These interactions included one dead and one live endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles.

It is uncertain if the waters will reopen this fall. The decision will depend on the occurrence of sea turtles in the area.

By federal rule, all of Pamlico Sound closes to large-mesh gill net fishing from Sept. 1 through Nov. 30 each year. The closure began in 1999 after several instances of fishery interactions with threatened and endangered sea turtles.

However, since 2000, the National Marine Fisheries Service has allowed a highly-monitored, large-mesh gill net fishery during the closure in limited areas of the sound under a series of incidental take permits. These permits, authorized under Section 10 of the federal Endangered Species Act, allow for limited takes of threatened or endangered species in an otherwise lawful activity.

North Carolina’s latest incidental take permit for the Pamlico Sound Gill Net Restricted Area expired Dec. 31, 2010. However, the National Marine Fisheries Service has agreed to allow this fishery to continue while the state applies for an incidental take permit to cover set gill nets statewide. An application for this permit, submitted in May 2010, is still under review.

Specific regulations pertaining to the closure can be found at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/proclamation-m-42-2012.

For more information, contact the division’s Protected Resources Section chief Chris Batsavage at 252-808-8009 or Chris.Batsavage@ncdenr.gov.

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State Report on Chatham County Watershed Released

Susan Massengale

RALEIGH – A new state report concludes that Chatham County’s Rocky River watershed is safe for the public, but that managing the sources of waste in the watershed will be crucial to protecting the water from pollution.

The Rocky River Groundwater Assessment is the first in a new series of documents published by the state Division of Water Quality. More groundwater quality assessment reports are being developed for other watersheds in North Carolina. These reports will help provide a snapshot of groundwater issues and provide a valuable baseline for future comparisons.

This first report finds that groundwater quality in the Rocky River watershed is generally good and suitable for drinking water. However, it is anticipated that future development will add pressure to dispose of waste from nearby urban areas and increase animal waste from agricultural production. As such, proper waste management practices will be critical to the protection of groundwater and surface water quality.

About half of North Carolina’s population relies on groundwater for drinking water. Of the Rocky River watershed’s 32 community water supply wells, only one was found to have standards violations between 2005 and 2011, according to data obtained from the state’s public water supply section. That well was closed after an exceedance of volatile organic compounds was discovered. Community water systems are public water systems with 15 or more service connections or at least 25 year-round residents.

Others who rely on groundwater have private wells that serve fewer households or people than community wells. The most commonly found groundwater standard exceedances in the Rocky River watershed were for iron and manganese. While these do not typically pose a human health hazard, they can discolor water, plumbing fixtures or laundry.

The report on the Chatham County watershed pulls together data, collected by several state and federal natural resource management agencies, to identify trends in groundwater quality and areas of pollution concern. Where water quality is declining, early identification of the contamination sources is essential to preventing long-term damage to the resource, the report states.

The report examines potential natural changes to the groundwater quality from rock formations and soil composition. Rock formations and soil composition are important influences as rainwater soaks into the ground, moves through rock fissures and interacts with minerals before it recharges underground aquifers, or resurfaces as base flow for streams or rivers. The report also assesses the potential impacts to groundwater from human activity such as land use, well-construction practices, agriculture, waste disposal and use of the resource for drinking water and other purposes.

To view the full report, visit the DWQ website at: www.ncwaterquality.org and click on the “Rocky River Groundwater Assessment” link under the heading “DWQ Hot Topics.”

Marine Fisheries Clarifies Purpose of Shrimp Meetings

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries would like to clarify that a draft revision to a N.C. Shrimp Fishery Management plan does not recommend a ban on shrimp trawling in state waters.

The draft revision, which is out for public comment, does not recommend any changes in management of the shrimp fishery at this time. It does recommend continuing research on the shrimp trawl fishery.

The division is holding several meetings in the coming weeks to take public comments on this draft revision. At the first of these meetings, held Wednesday in Wilmington, many fishermen stated they had misunderstood the purpose of the meeting.

The division is required by law to review each fishery management plan every five years and determine if changes in rules or management strategies are needed. If changes in management strategies or rules are needed, the division pursues a plan amendment, where division staff and an advisory committee develop positions on specific issues that need to be addressed. If no changes in management strategies are required, the division proceeds with a revision, which is a more abbreviated process that involves updating data and fishery information contained in the plan.

After initial review, the division determined that no rules or management changes were needed at this time in the shrimp fishery and began pursuing a revision. However, the Marine Fisheries Commission received public comments at its August meeting from a recreational fishing group that announced it was beginning a campaign to ban shrimp trawling in state waters.

After receiving public comments and a review by the advisory committees, the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will decide at its November meeting whether to proceed with the revision or switch to an amendment process to explore changes in management strategies.

The remaining three meetings will be held in conjunction with Marine Fisheries Commission advisory committee meetings at the following dates and locations:

Northern Advisory Committee

Sept. 27 at 4 p.m.

Vernon G. James Research & Extension Center

207 Research Station Road, Plymouth

Shellfish/Crustacean

6 p.m., Oct. 2

Craven County Cooperative Extension Office

300 Industrial Drive, New Bern

Habitat and Water Quality

1:30 p.m. Oct. 2

N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Washington Regional Office

943 Washington Square Mall, Washington

For more information, contact Nancy Fish in the Marine Fisheries Commission office at 252-808-8021 or Nancy.Fish@ncdenr.gov.

State Approves Alcoa Sediment Capping Project at Badin Lake

Cathy Akroyd

RALEIGH – The Division of Waste Management has entered into an administrative agreement with Alcoa Inc. that requires the company to install a cap composed of sand, gravel and rock over two areas on the bottom of Badin Lake where sediment has been contaminated by low levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) originating from the company’s Badin operations.

The Division of Waste Management’s approval of the sediment remediation project this week includes a condition that the state can require additional remedial work if project goals are not achieved to DENR’s satisfaction or if DENR determines that additional remediation measures are necessary.

“This project will move forward with full understanding that it does not in any way limit our authority to require Alcoa to do additional assessment or remediation if new information indicates that is necessary to address contamination associated with the Badin plant’s operations,” said DWM Director Dexter Matthews.

For a number of years, PCB-contaminated stormwater runoff from the site of Alcoa’s now idle aluminum smelting plant entered the lake through two stormwater outfalls. DWM believes that the PCBs in the stormwater came from leaks and spills of PCB-containing fluids from electrical and hydraulic equipment, as well as releases from old waste disposal areas. Use of PCBs on the Alcoa site ceased in the 1970s and waste disposal areas on the plant site that were likely sources of the PCB contamination have been remediated.

The cap will isolate the PCB-containing sediments by preventing any re-suspension into the waters of the lake and thus remove the potential for PCB exposure to the lake’s aquatic life.

The project will involve lowering the water level in Badin Lake by approximately 15 feet, excavating the maximum amount of contaminated sediment possible, and placing the cap to cover any remaining contaminated sediments that cannot be removed and hold them in place.

Capping will take place during the upcoming fall and winter months to avoid adverse impacts on the fish spawning season. The project and a subsequent return to normal lake water levels are estimated to be completed within five weeks from the start of project work, and are not expected to impact spring and summer recreational boating and fishing activities.

The project is being conducted under the authority of North Carolina’s Inactive sites and Hazardous Substance Response Act and will be overseen by the division’s technical staff. The final administrative agreement can be found online at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wm/alcoa-badin.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: N.C. Mining and Energy Commission to Meet on Friday, Sept. 28

Diana Kees

RALEIGH – The N.C. Mining and Energy Commission will hold its second meeting on Friday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. in Room 643 of the Legislative Office Building, located at 300 N. Salisbury St. in Raleigh.

At this meeting, the commission will elect a chairman and vice chairman for the full commission; the newly elected chairman will then appoint a chairman and vice chairman for the commission’s Mining Committee. Additionally, staff with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources will present a proposed work plan, committee structure and a future meeting schedule for the commission’s consideration. Audio of the meeting will be streamed live and can be accessed online at http://www.ncleg.net/Audio/Audio.html by clicking on the link for Room 643.

The General Assembly ratified the “Clean Energy and Economic Security Act,” or Session Law 2012-143, in July. This law reconstitutes the state’s Mining Commission as the North Carolina Mining and Energy Commission and charges the commission with developing a modern regulatory program for the management of oil and gas exploration and development activities in North Carolina, including the use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing.

Information about the Mining and Energy Commission can be found online at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mining-and-energy-commission/home.

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State Issues CAMA Major Permit for Bonner Bridge Construction

Michele Walker

RALEIGH – Following a thorough environmental review, the N.C. Division of Coastal Management has issued a Coastal Area Management Act major permit to the state Department of Transportation to construct a replacement for the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge in Dare County, and to demolish the existing bridge after the new structure is completed.

The permit was issued following a 30-day public comment period, and reviews by four federal and 10 state agencies.

The Division of Coastal Management has worked closely with DOT and other state agencies throughout the planning and development process for this project.

DOT plans to replace the existing 2.4-mile two-lane bridge over the Oregon Inlet and related approaches with a new 2.8-mile two-lane bridge and related approaches to the west of the existing bridge. The new bridge will be constructed parallel to the existing bridge. Construction is expected to begin in early 2013.

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New Rules Pertaining to Suspension and Revocation of Fishing Licenses Go Into Effect Oct. 1

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – Beginning Oct. 1, coastal recreational fishermen can lose their fishing licenses for violating fishing rules.

Recreational fishermen will fall under the same license suspension, revocation and reissuance schedule as commercial fishermen, and that schedule will change Oct. 1, as well.

“Fishermen will face longer license suspensions for most violations,” said Louis Daniel, director of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries. “However, non-resource-related violations will no longer count against suspension or revocation of a license.”

Twenty-four violations are considered non-resource violations, which include improperly marked buoys or failure to notify the division of a change of address.

The Coastal Recreational Fishing License went into effect in January 2007, but there were no laws pertaining to losing that license for violating fishing rules. Then in 2010, the N.C. General Assembly passed a law directing the Marine Fisheries Commission to adopt such rules. The new law also authorized the commission to modify the existing suspension and revocation schedule.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission adopted these rules at its November 2011 meeting, following a public comment period.

Tables 1 and 2 below show the current suspension and revocation schedule as compared to the new schedule for violations occurring within a three-year period.

Table 1

Suspension and Revocation Schedule

(Within 3-year-period)

Current	Effective Oct. 1
2 convictions = 10-day suspension	2 convictions = 30-day suspension
3 convictions = 30-day suspension	3 convictions = 90-day suspension
4 or more convictions = 6-month revocation	4 or more convictions = revocation (eligible to apply for reinstatement after 1 year)

Table 2

Major Violations

(Within 3-year-period)

Violation	Current	Effective Oct. 1
Taking shellfish from a permanent polluted area – first conviction	10-day suspension	1-year suspension
Taking shellfish from a permanent polluted area – 2 or more convictions	6-month revocation	Revocation (eligible to apply for reinstatement after 1 year)
Taking polluted shellfish at night	Felony conviction; 10-day suspension	Felony conviction; revocation (eligible to apply for reinstatement after 1 year)
Assault on a Marine Patrol officer	No suspension	Revocation (eligible to apply for reinstatement after 2 years)
Littering – misdemeanor	No suspension	Counts as 1 conviction toward suspension
Littering – felony	No suspension	1-year suspension

Another rule will change Oct. 1 to allow a notice of suspension or revocation of a license to be made by certified mail. Currently, notice of suspension or revocation must be made in person.

Full text of the new rules can be found in an Oct. 1, 2012 supplement to the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Rules on the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/rules-and-regulations.

For more information, contact division Rulemaking Coordinator Catherine Blum at 252-808-8014 or Catherine.Blum@ncdenr.gov.

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Public Lands Hunter Workshop Scheduled for Sept. 27

Michele Walker

COLUMBIA, N.C. – Tyrrell County abounds in hunting opportunities on public lands, but understanding the differences between state and federal properties is important for a successful hunt.

To help familiarize hunters with the distinctions between public properties, the N.C. Coastal Reserve, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will hold a hunter information workshop at 7 p.m. Sept. 27 at Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge’s Walter B. Jones Sr. Center for the Sounds, 205 South Ludington Dr., Columbia.

This workshop presents an opportunity for hunters to interact with public land managers and enforcement staff. It will include an orientation to the various public lands that are open to hunting, a review of different public land rules, changes since the last hunting season, and opportunities to ask questions of enforcement staff.

This workshop is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Woody Webster, site manager of the Emily and Richardson Preyer Buckridge Coastal Reserve, at 252-796-3709.

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Daniel Ipock receives Marine Patrol Officer of the Year Award

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – Daniel Ipock always knew he wanted to work in law enforcement. He also loved being on the water.

But it was not until he began working closely with the N.C. Marine Patrol during a stint in the U.S. Coast Guard that he put the two together.

“When I was in the Coast Guard there at Emerald Isle, that was where I really learned about Marine Patrol and decided that’s the way I wanted to go, if the opportunity every arose,” Ipock said. “That was the best of both worlds.”

Since joining Marine Patrol in 2008, Ipock has earned the respect of his fellow officers – so much so that they nominated him for the Governor’s Award for Marine Patrol Officer of the Year for 2011. He received the award Sept. 8 at the North Carolina Wildlife Federation’s Annual Governor's Conservation Achievement Awards banquet and celebration.

Ipock is known among his colleagues as a hard worker and quick learner. His tenacity and thoroughness have provided huge dividends for several extensive cases dealing with fraud and deception in the seafood industry.

Most notably, in 2011, Ipock investigated tips that a fish dealer was covering up over-harvest of oysters by some fishermen by using license information from other fishermen, who knew nothing about the scheme. Ipock spent long hours poring over hundreds of trip tickets and license information and conducting interviews to make the case, and the dealer pleaded guilty to the charges.

This initial case led to three other dealer investigations by other Marine Patrol officers. In all, the officers uncovered 5,588 bushels of illegally harvested oysters.

Ipock, 33, lives in Washington with his wife, Teia, and two children, Trent, 4, and Tucker, 3. He grew up in Washington and attended Emmanuel Christian School. He graduated in 1997.

For more information, contact Ipock at 252-946-6396 or Daniel.Ipock@ncdenr.gov. Download a photograph of Ipock at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/091712-ipock-photo.

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People Invited to Celebrate National Estuaries Day, National Public Lands Day Sept. 29

Michele Walker

BEAUFORT – People are invited to celebrate the coastal environment during National Estuaries Day and National Public Lands Day Sept. 29 at the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort.

The event, which is free, will be from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the museum, 315 Front St., Beaufort.

The N.C. Division of Coastal Management’s Coastal Reserve, National Estuarine Research Reserve Program and the North Carolina Maritime Museum are hosting the event.

National Estuaries Day is an annual celebration of estuaries, the vibrant coastal areas where rivers meet the sea. It is a great opportunity to learn more about these magical ecosystems and how people can help protect them. North Carolina’s estuarine system is the third largest in the nation, encompassing more than 2 million acres. National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance public lands.

The Sept. 29 event will include an education tent at the museum and hourly showings of “American Experience: Rachel Carson’sSilent Spring,” a film honoring the 50^th anniversary of the book’s publication. Rachel Carson was a world-renowned marine biologist, author and environmentalist. She spent time researching in the area now designated as the Rachel Carson component of the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve in Beaufort. Her most famous book,Silent Spring, is often regarded as the beginning of the modern environmental movement.

In addition to the celebration at the museum, the Rachel Carson component of the N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve will host a birding trip from 1-3:30 p.m. Sept. 28 and a Big Sweep cleanup on the reserve Sept. 29. Registration is required for the birding trip and Rachel Carson reserve cleanup. Contact Rachel Carson site manager Paula Gillikin at 252-838-0886 or paula.gillikin@ncdenr.gov to register, or visit www.nccoastalreserve.net for more information.

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State offers clean drinking water tips on Protect Your Groundwater Day

Susan Massengale

RALEIGH – State officials are using today’s celebration of Protect Your Groundwater Day to encourage North Carolinians with groundwater wells to ensure their drinking water is clean.

Nearly 4.8 million people, roughly half the state’s population, rely on groundwater wells for drinking water and other household needs. Due to the importance of groundwater to Americans, the National Ground Water Association named Sept. 11 Protect Your Groundwater Day.

Officials with the N.C. Division of Water Quality say proper drilling practices are important to ensure drinking water is clean because nearly 9,000 new wells are drilled each year in North Carolina. Improperly constructed or maintained groundwater wells can invite contamination.

State officials recommend protecting drinking water by:

· Making sure a newly drilled well is the proper distance from property lines, septic systems and other potential sources of contamination such as dog pens or workshops. Specific well construction techniques and materials are required to prevent contamination.

· Ensuring well drillers are certified, as required by North Carolina law. Ask your driller to show you his certification. Water supply well drillers must be at level A or B.

· Not storing or mixing pesticides, weed killer, paints or paint thinners, fertilizers, cleaning products, gasoline or oil near a well head. A simple spill could go into the well and contaminate the water. Homeowners with private wells should be aware of potential sources of groundwater contamination in their own yards.

· Avoiding drinking the water or using it for washing if the well is flooded. Contact a licensed professional to have the well flushed, cleaned and disinfected.

· Using a certified professional to properly close or “abandon” a well if you decide to quit using your well. This will ensure the well doesn’t become a source of contamination.

· Looking for ways to reduce the usage of your well, as groundwater aquifers are an important, but finite source of water. Keep in mind aquifers collect and store rainwater and snow melt that soaks into the ground. They also provide base flow and recharge for surface water streams, rivers and lakes.

For more information on well construction, well protection and water conservation, check out the Protect Your Groundwater Day website at:http://www.ngwa.org/Events-Education/groundwater-day/Pages/default.aspx.

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Public Comment Sought on Shrimp, Southern Flounder and American Shad Management

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY - Fishermen will get a chance to comment on the future of shrimp, southern flounder and American shad management in North Carolina at a series of public meetings to be held in the coming weeks.

Public comment will be accepted on a draft revision to the N.C. Shrimp Fishery Management Plan, a draft amendment to the N.C. Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan and a draft N.C. American Shad Sustainable Fishery Plan.

The draft revision to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan recommends continuing research on the shrimp trawl fishery. However, it does not recommend changes in management of this fishery at this time. After receiving public comment and a review by the advisory committees, the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will decide at its November meeting whether to proceed with the revision or switch to an amendment process. The amendment process includes convening an advisory committee and exploring changes in management strategies.

Since 2010, commercial southern flounder management has revolved around reducing sea turtle interactions with fishing gear. Protected species management measures have changed many times in the last two years, making it difficult for scientists to assess the impact of harvest restrictions on southern flounder stocks and for commercial fishermen to plan for upcoming fishing seasons. While protected species management measures may vary in the future, the draft amendment to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan provides options for sustainable commercial southern flounder harvest that are not tied to protected species management measures.

Online copies of the draft shrimp revision and draft southern flounder amendment can be found athttp://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/fmps-under-development.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is requiring all states to adopt an American Shad Sustainable Fishery Plan in order to continue this fishery. North Carolina’s draft plan includes fisheries for the Albemarle/Roanoke, Tar/Pamlico, Neuse and Cape Fear River systems and outlines sustainability triggers for each system. The plan also contains management recommendations for the 2013 fishing season.

An online copy of the draft American shad plan can be found athttp://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/fmp-atlantic-states-marine-fisheries-commission-proposals.

Comment periods on all three plans will be held in conjunction with Marine Fisheries Commission regional advisory committee meetings set for:

Southern Advisory Committee

Sept. 19 at 4 p.m.

N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Wilmington Regional Office

127 Cardinal Drive Extension, Wilmington

Northern Advisory Committee

Sept. 27 at 4 p.m.

Vernon G. James Research & Extension Center

207 Research Station Road, Plymouth

Additionally, public comment will be taken on the draft revision to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan in conjunction with meetings of the Shellfish/Crustacean and Habitat and Water Quality advisory committees set for:

Shellfish/Crustacean

6 p.m., Oct. 2

Craven County Cooperative Extension Office

300 Industrial Drive, New Bern

Habitat and Water Quality

1:30 p.m. Oct. 2

N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Washington Regional Office

943 Washington Square Mall, Washington

Also, public comment on the draft amendment to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan and the Sustainable Fisheries Plan for American Shad will be taken in conjunction with the Finfish Advisory Committee set for:

Finfish

10:30 a.m., Sept. 26

N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Central District Office

5285 Highway 70 West, Morehead City

For more information, contact Nancy Fish in the Marine Fisheries Commission office at 252-808-8021 orNancy.Fish@ncdenr.gov.

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Division of Air Quality Conducts Review of State Air Toxics Rules

Tom Mather

RALEIGH – People are encouraged to review and comment on North Carolina’s rules for controlling toxic air pollutants at a public meeting scheduled for Sept. 25 in Raleigh.

The General Assembly mandated the review of the state air toxics rules in legislation adopted during its 2012 session (Session Law 2012-91). The law requires the state Division of Air Quality, or DAQ, to review the state air toxics rules and determine whether changes could be made to reduce unnecessary regulatory burden and increase efficient use of DAQ resources while maintaining protection of public health.

DAQ has scheduled the meeting for Tuesday, Sept. 25, from 1:30-4 p.m. in the Nature Resource Center, William G. Ross Jr. Environmental Conference Center, 121 West Jones St., Raleigh, NC 27601. Directions and parking information can be found online at http://naturalsciences.org/visitor-info/directions-parking. The purpose of the meeting is to gather ideas from all interested parties on changes that are consistent with the conditions of the law.

DAQ will accept written comments on the review through Oct. 9, 2012. Specifically, DAQ requests written comments on changes that could be made to the existing North Carolina air toxics rules and their implementation, to reduce unnecessary regulatory burden and increase the efficient use of DAQ resources while maintaining protection of public health. Please email written comments to daq.publiccomments@ncdenr.gov.

The law requires DAQ to report the results of the review and provide recommendations, if any, to the legislature’s Environmental Review Commission, or ERC, no later than Dec. 1, 2012. After reporting to the ERC in December and addressing the committee’s comments, DAQ anticipates taking a regulatory concept that includes the recommendations of this process to the Air Quality Committee of the state Environmental Management Commission, or EMC, in early 2013.

DAQ enforces both federal and state requirements for controlling toxic and hazardous air pollution. Under federal rules, certain industries must install state-of-the-art controls – or Maximum Achievable Control Technologies (MACTs) – if they emit hazardous air pollutants above specified threshold levels.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets federal MACT standards by industry groups, such as chemical plants, pulp and paper mills, and furniture manufacturers. MACTs generally specify processes or controls that facilities must use to limit their emissions of hazardous air pollution.

In addition to EPA regulations, North Carolina has a separate air toxics program that is health-based rather than technology-based. The state rule sets health-based limits for about 100 compounds, 21 of which are not regulated under the federal program. Facilities subject to the state air toxics rules must demonstrate that their emissions do not exceed these limits, known as Acceptable Ambient Levels, or AALs. The complete text of the state rule can be viewed at these pages on the DAQ website: http://www.ncair.org/rules/rules/Sec1100.shtml and http://www.ncair.org/rules/rules/secQ0700.pdf.

Another portion of the law enacted by the 2012 session of the legislature specified that sources subject to the federal air toxics rules would not have to demonstrate compliance with the state rules unless the DAQ director determined that their emissions posed unacceptable health risks. The law also requires DAQ to review all permit applications in which there are toxics emissions increases to ensure protection of public health.

Further information about air quality in North Carolina can be found at the DAQ website: http://www.ncair.org.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: First Meeting of Mining and Energy Commission Slated for Thursday

Diana Kees

RALEIGH – The N.C. Mining and Energy Commission will hold its first meeting on Thursday, Sept. 6, from 1-5 p.m. in the Ground Floor Hearing Room of the Archdale Building, located at 512 N. Salisbury St. in Raleigh.

The commission’s initial meeting agenda will focus on orientation information for the newly reconstituted commission. Agenda topics include: compliance with open meetings and public records law, state ethics requirements and the Mining and Energy Commission’s duties under the 2012 legislation creating the commission. The meeting will also be broadcast online. The agenda and instructions for watching the web broadcast are available online at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mining-and-energy-commission/agendas.

The General Assembly ratified the “Clean Energy and Economic Security Act,” or Session Law 2012-143, in July. This law reconstitutes the state’s Mining Commission as the North Carolina Mining and Energy Commission, and charges the commission with developing a modern regulatory program for the management of oil and gas exploration and development activities in North Carolina, including the use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing.

Initial information about the Mining and Energy Commission, including its membership, can be found online at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mining-and-energy-commission/home.

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Marine Fisheries Begins Red Snapper Carcass Collection Program

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – Recreational anglers who catch red snapper during the upcoming mini-season can help manage this fishery and get a reward by donating their filleted carcasses to biologists.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries has set up freezers at eight locations along the coast where fishermen can take their carcasses. In return, the angler will receive a limited edition fishing towel and a citation (certificate) from the N.C. Saltwater Fishing Tournament.

The freezers are located at:

Hurricane Fleet 9975 Nance St. Calabash	Ocean Isle Fishing Center 65 Causeway Beach Ocean Isle Beach	Carolina Beach Fishing Center 313 Canal Drive Carolina Beach
Tex’s Tackle 215 Old Eastwood Road Wilmington	Dudley’s Marina 106 Cedar Point Blvd. Swansboro	Capt. Stacy Fishing Center 415 Atlantic Beach Causeway Atlantic Beach
Carolina Princess Fishing Center 604 Evans St. Morehead City	Oden’s Dock 57878 N.C. 12 Hatteras

For a map of these locations, go to http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/snapper/freezer-locations.

Fishermen should leave the head and tail intact on the fish carcass. Instructions on how to deposit the carcasses are posted on each freezer. Anglers will be asked to give information related to how and when the fish was caught. Fishermen also will be asked for their names and addresses in order to receive their reward and citation.

Division biologists will measure the fish, determine the sex, if possible, and remove the otoliths (ear bones) to determine the fish’s age. The information collected will be provided to the National Marine Fisheries Service for possible use in an upcoming red snapper stock assessment.

The division plans to use this mini-season as a pilot project to determine if it is practical to expand it to include other species on a coast-wide basis in North Carolina.

The federal government prohibited the commercial and recreational harvest of red snapper in January 2010 amid concerns the stocks were depleted. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has now determined the stocks have improved enough to allow a limited number of fish to be harvested.

The recreational red snapper season will open Sept. 14 for a three-day weekend and a second three-day weekend beginning Sept. 21. There will be a one-fish bag limit and no size limit.

The commercial mini-season will open on different dates.

For specific information on commercial and recreational harvest limits, go to http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/proclamation-ff-39-2012. To read the National Marine Fisheries Service bulletin on the subject, go to http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/bulletins/pdfs/2012/FB12-061_SA_Red_Snapper%20_Temp_Rule.pdf.

For more information on this red snapper carcass collection program, go to http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/snapper/red-snapper-collection or contact Carole Willis, division sportfishing specialist, at 252-808-8081 orcarole.y.willis@ncdenr.gov.

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Public Comments Sought on Reorganization of Fisheries Agencies

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is reminding the public of two coastal meetings next week where they can speak on how the state can provide more efficient, productive and enjoyable uses of fisheries resources.

Representatives from the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will take comments on Section 2 of Senate Bill 821, which was signed into law this summer.

This section of the law directs these agencies to study the current organization of the state’s fisheries management agencies and whether these agencies should be reorganized to provide for more efficient, productive and enjoyable uses of the state’s fisheries resources.

Currently, the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries manages coastal fish species while the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission manages inland fish species.

The meetings are set for:

6 p.m. Sept. 5

Craven County Cooperative Extension Office

300 Industrial Drive, New Bern

6 p.m. Sept 6

Dare County Administration Building

Commissioners Meeting Room

954 Marshall C. Collins Drive, Manteo

These meetings will focus solely on the topic of reorganization of the state’s fisheries agencies.

Also, the public may comment in writing online at http://www.ncsenatebill821.org/default.htm, or by mailing comments to S821 Comments, 1701 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1701. The deadline for the receipt of written comments is Sept. 7.

All comments offered on this issue will be presented for joint consideration by all three agencies.

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Fishermen Need Permits for Pamlico Sound Fall Flounder Gill Net Fishery

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – Commercial fishermen who wish to participate in the fall flounder gill net fishery in Pamlico Sound need to apply for a permit with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries.

Applications are available through the division’s license offices and will be mailed to previous permit holders.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission decided at its meeting in August to delay the opening of the Pamlico Sound Gill Net Restricted Area to large mesh gill nets until mid-September to maximize flounder catches and minimize the chance of interactions with sea turtles. Fishermen typically use large mesh gill nets to target flounder.

By federal rule, all of Pamlico Sound closes to large mesh gill net fishing from Sept. 1 through Nov. 30 each year. The closure began in 1999 after several instances of fishery interactions with threatened and endangered sea turtles.

Since 2000, the National Marine Fisheries Service has allowed a highly-monitored, large mesh gill net fishery during the closure in limited areas of the sound under a series of incidental take permits. These permits, authorized under Section 10 of the federal Endangered Species Act, allow for limited takes of threatened or endangered species in an otherwise lawful activity.

North Carolina’s latest incidental take permit for the Pamlico Sound Gill Net Restricted Area expired Dec. 31, 2010. However, the National Marine Fisheries Service agreed last year and again this year to allow the large mesh gill net fishery in the Pamlico Sound Gill Net Restricted Area under the same regulations and permit requirements as previous years.

In May 2010, the division submitted an application for a statewide incidental take permit to cover set gill nets statewide, including the Pamlico Sound Gill Net Restricted Area. The application is still under review.

For more information, contact Jacob Boyd, division protected species biologist, at 252-808-8107 or Jacob.Boyd@ncdenr.gov.

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Marine Fisheries Commission Looks at Issues Surrounding Shrimp, Flounder

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission took action at its August meeting on two of North Carolina’s most popular seafoods: shrimp and flounder.

The commission voted at its meeting last week to seek public comment on a draft revision to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan. It also voted on several management measures impacting the flounder gill net fishery.

The draft revision to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan recommends continuing research on the shrimp trawl fishery. However, it does not recommend changes in management of this fishery at this time.

Public comment on this draft revision will be taken in conjunction with several advisory committee meetings. Dates, times and locations for these meetings will be announced later. After receiving public comment and a review by the advisory committees, the commission will decide at its November meeting whether to proceed with the revision or switch to an amendment process. The amendment process includes convening an advisory committee and exploring changes in management strategies.

The commission also voted on several issues pertaining to the flounder gill net fishery, including a large mesh gill net yardage reduction in the Albemarle Sound and other areas that had been exempt from stricter yardage limits under a sea turtle lawsuit settlement agreement.

The commission voted to reduce the maximum large mesh gill net yardage allowed in these waters from 3,000 yards per fishing operation to 2,000 yards per fishing operation and to request that fishermen fish their nets as early as possible in the morning, but no later than noon every 24 hours. The motion passed with no objection (commissioner Chris Elkins abstained from the vote).

The action was taken as a proactive measure to reduce Atlantic sturgeon interactions in the estuarine gill net fishery. Atlantic sturgeon was listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act on April 6. While sea turtles are not usually caught in gill nets in these areas, there is evidence that Atlantic sturgeon are.

The commission also voted to reopen southern Core Sound, Back Sound, The Straits and North River to the use of large mesh gill nets Oct. 15-May 15. These waters closed to large mesh gill nets May 13 for the protection of sea turtles. The opening is with the understanding that all North Carolina waters will close to the harvest of southern flounder during December, as they have for the past several years.

Additionally, the commission agreed to delay the opening of the Pamlico Sound Gill Net Restricted Area to mid September. These waters are under a federal closure beginning Sept. 1, but can reopen under an incidental take permit that allows for a limited number of interactions with sea turtles.

In other business, the commission voted to:

Provide comment for a study on whether to reorganize the state’s fisheries management agencies, recommending that the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries remain an autonomous agency under a natural resources department.
Send a draft amendment to the Oyster Fishery Management Plan for review by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations. The proposed amendment creates seed oyster management areas at Possum Bay and Swan Point in the mouth of the New River.
Send a draft amendment to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan out for public comment and review by the regional and Finfish advisory committees. The draft amendment updates the document so that it is in line with current regulations under a sea turtle lawsuit settlement agreement.
Re-elect Anna Beckwith as vice-chair of the commission.
Move forward with the administrative process for two rules. One of the rules will require mandatory electronic trip ticket reporting for large-scale finfish dealers. The other rule will change the way Marine Patrol officers measure the harvest limit for recreationally-caught shrimp from the number of shrimp to a volumetric measure.
Mirror the regulations implemented last year for the commercial ocean striped bass fishery this coming season.
Direct the Division of Marine Fisheries to explore getting more flexibility in state laws for developing limited entry fisheries subject to federal fishery management plans and quotas.
Approve a five-year schedule for development of fishery management plans.
Approve an annual report on the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan.

Finally, Secretary of State Elaine Marshall presided over a swearing-in ceremony for newly appointed commissioner Kelly Darden and reappointed commissioners Mikey Daniels and Anna Beckwith. Photos of this ceremony can be found at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/082212-mfc-photos.

For more information, contact Nancy Fish in the Marine Fisheries Commission Office, at 252-808-8021 or Nancy.Fish@ncdenr.gov.

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Five State Park Rangers Receive Commissions as Law Enforcement Officers

Charlie Peek

RALEIGH - Five new state park rangers received commissions as law enforcement officers today, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. The rangers were sworn in by Superior Court Judge Michael R. Morgan at a special ceremony in Raleigh.

Receiving a commission as a Special Peace Officer at the end of 17-week basic law enforcement training is generally regarded as the last formal step before a ranger takes on full duties in a unit of the state parks system. During the training period prior to commissioning, a ranger is assimilated into the park and begins assuming duties in resource management and visitor service.

“It requires a lot of dedication and training for our candidates to earn the right to wear the campaign-style hat of a state park ranger,” said Lewis Ledford, state parks director. “These men and women are true multi-specialists who are frequently asked to assume many roles during a day at work from finding a lost hiker to giving an interpretive program to dealing with violations of state law.”

State park rangers are required to have at least a two-year degree, and many come to the job with four-year university degrees in curricula related to resource and/or park management. Beyond law enforcement training, all are trained in medical first response, search-and-rescue, wildfire suppression, natural resource management, interpretive skills and environmental education.

The rangers who received commissions are: Emily Brooke Abernathy at Falls Lake State Recreation Area; Erin Elizabeth Bradford at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area; James Bradford Cameron at Lake James State Park; Andrew Morgan Edwards at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area; and, Vincent David Morgan at Mount Mitchell State Park.

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N.C. Mountain Resources Commission to Hold Work Session on Vitality Index at Friday Meeting

Jamie Kritzer

RALEIGH – The North Carolina Mountain Resources Commission will use its Friday meeting in Bakersville to discuss its goals for the coming year and hold a work session on its new report about western North Carolina’s abundant resources.

The meeting is open to the public and will be from 1-3 p.m. at the Mitchell County Courthouse at 11 North Mitchell Ave. in Bakersville. The commission’s technical advisory council will meet at the same place at 10 a.m.

The Mountain Resources Commission was created by the General Assembly in 2009 to provide recommendations regarding resources in the state’s 27 western counties. Members are appointed by the governor and the state legislature and are not paid state money for their service to the commission. The commission serves in an advisory capacity and has no regulatory authority.

Friday’s agenda includes a report on outreach and education, a legislative update and a discussion about the commission’s new website, http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/ncmrc/home. But the largest portion of the meeting is devoted to a work session on the Western North Carolina Vitality Index, a report the commission developed and released in June.

The index puts in one place information about the region’s current natural, social, built and economic environments. The index uses current data to describe the region’s transportation networks, employment and income levels, dependence on agriculture, biological diversity, air quality and a host of other topics.

The index is a free resource with a map viewer and can be found online at www.wncvitalityindex.org.

The commission and its partners developed the index to help local officials and others with a resource they could use to preserve western North Carolina’s culture, improve the region’s economic activity and promote healthy growth.

The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources provides the commission with administrative support.

For an agenda of Friday’s meeting, please see the following page on the commission’s website, http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/ncmrc/meetings. For more information, contact Judy Francis, who serves as staff to the commission, at 828-296-4523 or judy.francis@ncdenr.gov. You may also contact Jamie Kritzer, public information officer with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, at 919-707-8602 or Jamie.Kritzer@ncdenr.gov.

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Hunter workshops scheduled for N.C. Coastal Reserve Northern Sites

Michele Walker

RALEIGH – State and federal officials have scheduled two upcoming hunter workshops on the Outer Banks for the N.C. Coastal Reserve’s northern sites and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s game lands.

The workshops, which will be Aug. 29 and Sept. 4, are hosted by the N.C. Division of Coastal Management’s Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve Program and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. The northern coastal reserve sites are at Kitty Hawk Woods, Currituck Banks and Buxton Woods.

The workshops will include a review of reserve rules and changes since the last hunting season, opportunities for participation in wildlife research, an overview of state and local hunting regulations, and a presentation by a wildlife biologist with the state Wildlife Resources Commission.

The workshops’ hunter registration forms and parking placards for the Currituck Banks Reserve will be available at both workshops.

Workshops are scheduled for the following dates:

Kitty Hawk Woods Coastal Reserve and Currituck Banks National Estuarine Research Reserve

Date: Aug. 29

Time: 5:30-7 p.m.

Location: Kitty Hawk Town Hall, 101 Veterans Memorial Drive, Kitty Hawk

Buxton Woods Coastal Reserve and Wildlife Resources Commission’s Game Lands

Date: Sept. 4

Time: 5:30 – 7 p.m.

Location: Buxton Fire Department, Hwy. 12, west of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

For more information, contact northern sites manager Claudia Jones at 252-261-8891.

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Mining and Energy Commission Members Named, Orientation Meeting Scheduled

Diana Kees

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources has scheduled a September orientation meeting of the new Mining and Energy Commission, following commission appointments by the N.C. General Assembly and Gov. Bev Perdue.

The meeting has been scheduled for 1-5 p.m. Sept. 6 in the Ground Floor Hearing Room of the Archdale Building, 512 North Salisbury St. in Raleigh.

The commission’s initial meeting agenda will cover topics including compliance with open meetings and public records law, state ethics requirements and the Mining and Energy Commission’s duties under the 2012 legislation creating the commission.

The General Assembly ratified the “Clean Energy and Economic Security Act,” or Session Law 2012-143, last month. This law reconstitutes the state’s Mining Commission as the North Carolina Mining and Energy Commission, and charges the commission with developing a modern regulatory program for the management of oil and gas exploration and development activities in North Carolina, including the use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing.

Per Session Law 2012-143, the Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources in the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources will act as staff to this commission. The division, formerly known as the N.C. Division of Land Resources, is working to form a new Energy Program, to be responsible for the permitting, inspection and enforcement activities for oil and gas exploration and production activities as required by the Oil and Gas Conservation Act and associated legislation. Three staff members – a program supervisor, hydrogeologist and an environmental senior specialist – will be hired to staff the program.

Initial information about the Mining and Energy Commission, including its membership, can be found online at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mining-and-energy-commission/home.

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N.C. Coastal Resources Commission will meet Aug. 29-30 in Sunset Beach

Michele Walker

RALEIGH – The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission, or CRC, will meet Aug. 29-30 at the Sea Trail Golf Resort and Convention Center in Sunset Beach.

The meeting will begin at 3 p.m. Aug. 29 and 8:30 a.m. Aug. 30. The meeting is open to the public.

The following are some of the items on the CRC’s agenda:

· Sandbag Enforcement/Rule Amendments– The CRC’s Ocean Hazards Subcommittee will hear an update on sandbag enforcement prioritization and discuss previously proposed amendments to the commission’s sandbag rules.

· Sea-Level Rise –N.C.Division of Coastal Management, or DCM, staff will discuss potential future division activities related to sea-level rise.

· Land Use Planning Process –DCM staff will present the recommendations of a land use planning guidelines review subcommittee.

· Estuarine Shoreline Stabilization –DCM staff will discuss departmental efforts regarding estuarine shoreline stabilization.

· CRC Rule Development –The CRC willconsider a temporary rule for the replacement of certain oceanfront residential structures, pursuant to section 3 of House Bill 819. The CRC also will consider approving a non-regulatory sea-level rise policy that can be considered at a public hearing.

· Land Use Plan Certifications and Amendments –The CRC will consider land use plan certifications for Southern Shores and Pender County, and land use plan amendments for Swansboro, Jacksonville and Camden County.

· Public Hearing –The CRC will hold a public hearing on a proposal to incorporate updated long-term average annual erosion rates into the state’s oceanfront development rules.

· Public Input and Comment –People may comment on CRC issues at 11 a.m. Aug. 30.

The Coastal Resources Advisory Council, a group that provides the CRC with local government perspectives and technical advice, will meet at 1 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Sea Trail Golf Resort and Convention Center.

A full meeting agenda is posted on the N.C. Division of Coastal Management’s website at www.nccoastalmanagement.net.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: Meeting on Proposed Fee for Pier

Daryl Law

WHAT: Meeting to hear public comments on proposed walk-on fee at Jennette's Pier

WHEN: 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday

WHERE: Jennette's Pier, 7223 South Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head, N.C.

WHO: N.C. Division of Aquariums will host meeting

RALEIGH – Reporters are invited to a public meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Jennette's Pier in Nags Head to hear public comments on a proposal to institute a walk-on fee for pier visitors.

Currently, a donation of $2 is requested to walk out on the 1,000-foot long, concrete fishing pier. Customers can pay at a cash register or drop their donations into a collection box next to the main doors leading out to the pier.

The N.C. Division of Aquariums will consider public input at the meeting and written comments before deciding whether to implement a walk-on fee.

Verbal and written comments will be received during the meeting, which will be held upstairs in Oceanview Hall. Written comments also can be submitted through Aug. 23 by email to admin@ncaquariums.com or by mail to David Griffin, N.C. Division of Aquariums, 3125 Poplarwood Court Suite 160, Raleigh, N.C. 27604.

Visitors enjoy free access to the 16,000-square foot pier house that features two large fish tanks, restrooms and a gift, tackle and snack shop. The Jennette's Pier complex also features public beaches, a bathhouse and free parking.

Jennette's Pier is the fourth facility in the state Division of Aquariums, an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island is about 15 minutes from the pier near Manteo. The two other North Carolina aquariums are at Pine Knoll Shores near Atlantic Beach and Fort Fisher near Carolina Beach.

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Lake Waccamaw State Park to dedicate exhibit of rare whale fossil

Charlie Peek

RALEIGH - Lake Waccamaw State Park will dedicate a new exhibit Aug. 24 created to display a rare, 2.75 million-year-old whale fossil discovered in the park's bay lake in 2008.

The public is invited to the 1 p.m. ceremony in the park's visitor center.

The fossil, which was pulled from a limestone outcropping in the lake bed, is the skull of a Balaenula whale. A member of the baleen family – a class of whales that includes today's humpback and right whale species – the animal measured approximately 20 feet long and lived during the late Pliocene or early Pleistocene eras. The skull is the most complete Balaenula fossil known in the world and one of the first discovered in North America.

In early 2008, a lake resident and supporter of the state park found the seven-foot-long fossil near the shoreline in waist-deep water. Park rangers, divers of the Underwater Archaeology Branch of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources and researchers from the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences collaborated to recover the pieces of skull and jaw. Paleontologists from the Virginia Museum of Natural History assisted in separating the skull from the limestone in which it was encased and in assembling the components. The project was also supported by Friends of Lake Waccamaw State Park and the North Carolina Museum of Forestry.

The limestone deposit that runs through the Lake Waccamaw area has yielded fossils in the past, including those of prehistoric horses and giant sloths. Until a few thousand years ago, much of the area surrounding the bay lake in southeastern North Carolina was covered by the ocean.

The exhibit has been mounted in the lobby of the visitor center near the entrance to the park's exhibit hall. The exhibit hall also features an array of displays on the state park's natural resources and cultural history.

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N.C. Coastal Resources Commission Schedules Public Hearings on Updated Oceanfront Erosion Rates

Michele Walker

RALEIGH — The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission will conduct eight public hearings during August and September on a proposal to incorporate updated long-term average annual erosion rates into the state's oceanfront development rules.

Hearings will take place in each of the eight coastal counties that contain ocean shoreline. The schedule is as follows:

· 5 p.m. Aug. 28 – New Hanover County Government Center, 230 Government Center Drive, Wilmington

· 5 p.m. Aug. 29 – Sea Trail Golf Resort and Convention Center, 75A Clubhouse Road, Sunset Beach

· 2 p.m. Sept. 5 – Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department, 215 Back Road, Ocracoke

· 5 p.m. Sept. 6 – N.C. Division of Coastal Management, 400 Commerce Ave., Morehead City

· 3 p.m. Sept. 11 – Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, 1160 Village Lane, Corolla

· 7 p.m. Sept. 11– Kill Devil Hills Town Hall, 102 Town Hall Drive, Kill Devil Hills

· 3 p.m. Sept. 13 – Surf City Town Hall, 241 North New River Drive, Surf City

· 5 p.m. Sept. 18 – North Topsail Beach City Hall, 2008 Loggerhead Court, North Topsail Beach

Anyone may submit written comments about the proposal to Braxton Davis, Division of Coastal Management, 400 Commerce Ave., Morehead City, N.C. 28557. You may also submit comments by email to Braxton.Davis@ncdenr.gov. The deadline for written comments is Oct. 1.

A long-term average annual erosion rate is based on the average amount of erosion that occurs each year over a period of about 50 years. By measuring movement of the ocean shoreline over a long period of time, the N.C. Division of Coastal Management is able to develop a more accurate representation of the net shoreline change, taking into account normal shoreline movement, beach nourishment and storms.

The state Division of Coastal Management uses long-term average annual erosion rates in determining setback distances for oceanfront construction. Setbacks are measured from the first line of stable natural vegetation. For structures of less than 5,000 square feet, the setback distance is determined by multiplying the average annual erosion rate by 30. For example, on a property where the erosion rate is three feet per year, the setback is 90 feet from the vegetation line. In areas that are naturally gaining sand or have an erosion rate of less than two feet per year, the setback distance is set at a minimum of 60 feet.

The setback factor for structures between 5,000 square feet and 10,000 square feet is 60 times the erosion rate. The setback factor increases incrementally with structure size, reaching a maximum setback of 90 times the erosion rate for structures 100,000 square feet and larger.

North Carolina first evaluated long-term average annual erosion rates for the state's 300-mile ocean shoreline in 1979. DCM evaluates these erosion rates about every five years to ten years. The last update went into effect in 2003. Maps of the proposed oceanfront erosion rates are on DCM's website at http://dcm2.enr.state.nc.us/maps/erosion_rates_2011.htm.

The proposed rule change would use the updated erosion rates for determining setback distances for oceanfront construction. If adopted by the CRC at its November meeting and approved by the state Rules Review Commission later this year, the updated erosion rates would become part of coastal development rules in early 2013.

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New Study Shows that N.C. Residents, Businesses Generate More than 1 Million Tons of Food Waste Annually

Scott Mouw

RALEIGH – North Carolina’s businesses and citizens generate more than 1.1 million tons of food waste each year, according to a study released today by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Prepared by the Division of Environmental Assistance and Outreach, or DEAO, the study estimates that food makes up at least 12 percent of municipal solid waste (MSW) in North Carolina. DENR’s report (found online at http://goo.gl/BK9Nq) provides individual estimates for residential and commercial waste generation, as well as the total MSW landfill stream. In addition, the study reports specific estimates for food retailers such as supermarkets.

“Food waste diversion represents a major opportunity for the state to increase material recovery and should become an increasing priority for local and state recycling programs, as well as food waste generators such as supermarkets and restaurants,” said Scott Mouw, state recycling program director. “Since curbside recycling is on the rise, and we’ve made progress with many other recyclable materials, food waste is the next frontier for reducing the state’s dependence on solid waste landfills.”

Additional findings from the study include:

The projected estimate of annual food waste that enters the residential waste stream in North Carolina is 673,362 tons. This equates to just over seven pounds of waste per household, per week.
The commercial sector – mainly food retailers in the restaurant and grocery industries – generates an estimated 569,343 tons of food waste every year.
Together, fast food and full service restaurants produce the largest total amount of food waste in the retail business. Meanwhile, the average supermarket produces more waste than any other single restaurant or convenience store, 106 tons of food waste every year.

Large-scale diversion of food waste from disposal is uncharted territory for most communities around the United States. However, DEAO estimates that more than 60,000 tons of waste per year are already being diverted from North Carolina landfills through collection and composting of separated food from individual businesses and institutions, subscription residential food waste collection services, commercial donations to food kitchens and household backyard composting. The report suggests that DENR and local governments work to build up and expand the collection of food waste from the commercial and retail sector, such as large supermarket chains. It also notes the need to facilitate the growth of household diversion programs to accompany curbside recycling in the residential sector, the state’s largest source of food waste.

To encourage the development of food waste diversion efforts, DENR is co-hosting the Southeast Food Waste Reduction Conference in Charlotte this fall. This conference is designed to provide composting and organics recycling professionals in both the public and private sector with new insights to create successful food waste diversion programs in both residential and commercial settings. More information about this conference can be found online at: http://www.cra-recycle.org/foodwasteconference/.

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Public Invited to Listen to Conference Call Meeting of N.C. Natural Heritage Trust Fund Board

Jamie Kritzer

RALEIGH – People are invited to join next week’s conference call meeting of the board of trustees for the N.C. Natural Heritage Trust Fund, one of the state’s four funding mechanisms used to conserve important natural areas.

The conference call will be held from 10 a.m.-noon Aug. 15. People wishing to listen in on the meeting can call 919-420-7945.

Board members plan to discuss a change to the scope of work for plans to acquire Backbone Ridge in the Pisgah National Forest. Backbone Ridge, which is near Blowing Rock, is considered an important natural heritage area because of its rare plants and old growth forests. The property also boasts a scenic view of Grandfather Mountain and numerous recreational opportunities including hunting, fishing and hiking.

The board also plans to review minutes from last February’s meeting and clarify a resolution concerning the reuse of unspent certificates of participation funds.Financing from the certificates of participation enables the state treasurer to sell bonds. The trust fund’s board will repay the debt from the bonds using the trust fund’s future revenues. The General Assembly authorized these certificates of participation to protect ecologically diverse land and support the state’s conservation priorities.

No grants from the trust fund will be awarded during the Aug. 15 meeting, but board members will use the discussion to plan for the next cycle of grants.

The North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust fund provides supplemental funding to select state agencies for the acquisition and protection of important natural areas, preservation of the state’s ecological diversity and cultural heritage, and to produce inventories of the state’s natural areas.The trust fund is supported by 25 percent of the state’s portion of the tax on real estate deed transfers and a portion of the fees for personalized license plates. Since its creation in 1987, the trust fund has contributed more than $335 million through 539 grants to support the conservation of more than 300,000 acres. The Natural Heritage Trust Fund board meets twice a year.

An agenda for the Aug. 15 meeting can be found at the Natural Heritage Trust Fund’s website,http://www.ncnhtf.org/. Just click on the “Meetings” link and then the “Agenda – Aug. 15, 2012” link on the next page.

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N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund provides grants to six local governments

Charlie Peek

RALEIGH– North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue today announced the award of $1.02 million in grants from the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund to six local governments for parks and recreation projects.

“Local parks and recreation facilities are one of the leading reasons North Carolina is consistently ranked one of the most attractive states in the nation for new and emerging businesses,” Perdue said. “These facilities not only make North Carolina a place people want to be, they help our citizens lead healthier lives and enhance our overall quality of life.”

Since 1995, the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund has been the principal vehicle for these communities to improve their commitments to conservation, recreation and economic opportunity, said Lewis Ledford, director of the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.

The matching grants, awarded by the Parks and Recreation Authority, will help fund land acquisition, development and renovation of public park and recreation areas. Earlier this year, the board awarded 15 grants totaling $2.61 million. During the 2011-12 funding cycle, the authority considered 60 grant applications requesting nearly $13 million. A maximum of $500,000 can be awarded to a single project.

The Parks and Recreation Trust Fund is administered through the Division of Parks and Recreation and was established in 1994 when the General Assembly dedicated 75 percent of the state’s share of the excise tax on real estate deed transfers to the fund. The revenue is distributed to three programs: 65 percent to the state parks system for repairs, capital improvements and land acquisition; 30 percent for matching grants to local parks and recreation programs for development and land acquisition; and 5 percent to the coastal beach access program.

Since 1995, the Parks and Recreation Authority has received 1,351 grant applications with requests totaling about $286 million. The board has awarded 707 grants for $158 million.

The local governments receiving the most recent round of grants are: Bladenboro, which received $213,000 for the Clarence McClean Park acquisition and development; Blowing Rock, which received $142,500 for Blowing Rock Recreation Area; Jamestown, which received $132,688 for Wrenn-Miller Park; LaGrange, which received $315,000 for the LaGrange Community Building; Rhodhiss, which received $163,750 for Horseshoe Trail Park; and Swain County, which received $60,000 for improvements to Swain County Park.

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Public Comment Sought on Reorganization of Fisheries Agencies

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – State officials are looking for ideas from the public on how three different agencies can cooperatively provide more efficient, productive and enjoyable uses of the state's fisheries resources.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will accept comments on this subject at its August meeting in Raleigh on behalf of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Legislation passed and signed into law this summer directs these agencies to study the current organization of the state’s fisheries management agencies and whether these agencies should be reorganized.

Currently, the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries manages coastal fish species while the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission manages inland fish species.

The commission will take public comment at 6 p.m. Aug. 22 and 9 a.m. Aug. 23 at the Brownstone Hilton DoubleTree Hotel, 1707 Hillsborough St., Raleigh.

The chairman will allow each commenter to speak for five minutes during the Aug. 22 session and three minutes during the Aug. 23 session. Due to time constraints, those making comments will be asked to speak only once, either at the Aug. 22 or Aug. 23 sessions. Individuals will not be allowed to speak during both public comment periods.

The Wildlife Resources Commission will also receive public comment on these issuesduringits Aug. 29committeemeetings at the Wildlife Resources Commission Headquarters Conference Room, 1751 Varsity Drive, N.C. State University Centennial Campus, Raleigh.

Additionally, the agencies will hold two joint meetings in coastal areas for the sole purpose of taking comments on this issue. The meetings are scheduled for:

6 p.m., Sept. 5

Craven County Cooperative Extension Office

300 Industrial Drive, New Bern

6 p.m., Sept 6

Dare County Administration Building

Commissioners Meeting Room

954 Marshall C. Collins Drive, Manteo

The public may comment in writing online at http://www.ncsenatebill821.org/default.htm or by mail to S821 Comments, 1701 Mail Service Center, Raleigh NC 27699-1701. Deadline for receipt of written comments is Sept. 7.

All comments offered on this issue will be presented for joint consideration by all three agencies.

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Air Quality Officials Issue Code Orange Notice for Ozone

Tom Mather

RALEIGH – Air quality officials have issued a health notice for air pollution in the Charlotte and Triad metropolitan areas on Friday.

Forecasters have predicted Code Orange conditions, which means that air quality is likely to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. People who are sensitive to air pollution should avoid moderate exertion outdoors. Sensitive groups include: children and older adults; people who work or exercise outdoors; people with heart conditions; and those with asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and other respiratory ailments.

The primary pollutant of concern is ozone, a highly reactive form of oxygen. Ozone can be unhealthy to breathe, and high levels generally occur on hot sunny days with stagnant air.

The air pollution forecast for Friday predicts that ozone levels in Charlotte and the Triad will exceed the federal standard of 75 parts per billion averaged during eight hours. High ozone levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments, older adults and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity in the afternoon, when ozone levels are highest.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality issues daily air forecasts for the Asheville, Charlotte, Hickory, Fayetteville, Rocky Mount and Triangle metropolitan areas. In the Triad, the Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection issues forecasts. The forecasts are part of the N.C. Air Awareness Program, a voluntary effort aimed at reducing air pollution in the state’s major metro areas. Air quality officials are asking residents to help reduce air pollution by taking some of the following actions:

Limit driving by riding the bus, walking, bicycling or postponing trips.
If you drive, avoid idling for long periods of time, stay within speed limits, combine errands to reduce the number of small trips, and use vehicles with higher fuel economies.
Conserve electricity by setting thermostats at the highest comfortable temperature and turning off appliances not in use.

In addition, residents of affected areas should refrain from outdoor burning on Code Orange and Red days. It is always illegal to burn paper, trash, construction materials and other non-vegetative matter in North Carolina.

The incidence of high-ozone days has declined statewide over the past decade due to measures adopted by state and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reduce ozone-forming emissions from power plants, industry and motor vehicles. Ozone forms when nitrogen oxides (NOx) react with hydrocarbons on hot, sunny days. Most NOx emissions result from the burning of fuels for transportation, industry and power generation.

For more information about air quality forecasts, open burning restrictions and other air issues, visit the division’s website at www.ncair.org or call 1-888-RU4NCAIR (1-888-784-6224). Information about air quality in the Triad can be found at http://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/eap/.

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State Honors 35 Utilities for Drinking Water Systems

Sarah M. Young

RALEIGH – North Carolina officials announced Thursday that 35 water systems are being honored for surpassing federal and state drinking water standards.

The 35 systems received the N.C. Area Wide Optimization Award from the state N.C. Division of Water Resources’ Public Water Supply section. The awards are part of the N.C. Area Wide Optimization program, which is an effort to enhance the performance of existing surface water treatment facilities.

Awards are given to water systems each year that demonstrate outstanding turbidity and microbial removal, two factors important in determining the drinking water quality. While all systems have to meet strict state and federal drinking water standards, these systems met performance goals that are significantly more stringent.

Microbes are microscopic particles that occur naturally, but can potentially contain bacteria harmful to drink. Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness in the water and can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality.

Award winners for 2011 include:

Burnsville
Woodfin Sanitary Water and Sewer
Weaverville
Morganton
Lenoir
Newton
Longview
Andrews
Two Rivers Utilities
Robbinsville - Tallulah Water Treatment Plant
Robbinsville - Rock Creek Water Treatment Plant
Waynesville
Maggie Valley Sanitary District
Mooresville
Lincolnton
Lincoln County Water Treatment Plant
Marion
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utility - Vest Plant
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utility - Franklin Plant
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utility - Lee S. Duke Plant
Salisbury-Rowan
Broad River Water Authority
Boone
Wilkesboro
Louisburg
Mount Airy-Spencer Water Treatment Plant
Elkin
Pilot Mountain
Henderson-Kerr Lake Regional Water
Fayetteville Public Works Commission
Harnett County Department of Public Utilities
Sanford
Hamlet Water System
Cape Fear Public Utilities Authority-Wilmington
Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority

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Public Meeting, Comment Period Scheduled about Proposed Walk-on Fee at Jennette's Pier

David Griffin

RALEIGH – The N.C. Division of Aquariums will hold a public meeting later this month to receive public comments and input regarding the potential implementation of a walk-on fee for Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head.

Currently, a donation of $2 is requested to walk out on the 1,000-foot long, concrete fishing pier. Customers can either pay at a register or drop their donations into a collection box next to the main doors leading out to the pier.

The Division of Aquariums will consider citizen input brought forward at this public meeting and in written comments in deciding whether to implement a walk-on fee. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 16, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Jennette’s Pier, 7223 South Virginia Dare Trail in Nags Head. Verbal and written comments will be received during the meeting, which will be held upstairs in Oceanview Hall.

In addition, written comments can be submitted through Aug. 23 by email to admin@ncaquariums.com or by mail to David Griffin, N.C. Division of Aquariums, 3125 Poplarwood Court Suite 160, Raleigh, N.C. 27604.

Visitors enjoy free access to the 16,000-square foot pier house that features two large fish tanks, rest rooms as well as a gift, tackle and snack shop. The Jennette’s Pier complex also features public beaches, a bathhouse and free parking.

Jennette’s Pier is the fourth facility in the Aquariums Division, an agency that is part of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island is located about 15 minutes from the pier near the town of Manteo. The others are the N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores near Atlantic Beach and the N. C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher near Carolina Beach.

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Hemorrhagic disease is suspected cause of deer fatalities at Stone Mountain State Park

Charlie Peek

RALEIGH – At least 20 white-tailed deer have died in the area of Stone Mountain State Park in a suspected outbreak of hemorrhagic disease, the result of a virus that does not pose a danger to humans, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.

State park rangers and natural resource managers and officials with the N.C Wildlife Resources Commission are working to confirm the outbreak through testing. Dead white-tailed deer have been discovered on private property near the state park, and hemorrhagic disease was confirmed in the death of a deer in Surry County, according to wildlife officials.

Hemorrhagic disease results from an infectious virus transmitted by tiny biting flies or gnats known as midges, sand gnats, sand flies or no-see-ums. It is a fairly common disease of white-tailed deer in the southeastern United States, with outbreaks reported more frequently from August until October, when freezing weather dampens the midge population. The disease cannot be transmitted to humans, and its effect on livestock is usually minimal.

Staff members at Stone Mountain State Park are removing deer carcasses from trails, water sources and areas near visitor facilities when they are discovered or reported. Visitors should not feed or interact with the park’s deer herd and should report any animals that show obvious signs of sickness to rangers or at the park’s office.

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Public Comment Sought on New Oyster Sanctuary

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public meeting in August to receive comments on the location for a new oyster sanctuary site near Engelhard.

The meeting is set for 6 p.m. Aug. 15 at the Hyde County Courthouse, 30 Oyster Creek Road, Swanquarter.

The division proposes to construct an oyster reef with about 1,000 concrete structures on five acres of soft bottom in the Long Shoal area.

These materials will attract oyster larvae, as well as clams, juvenile fish, crabs and other marine organisms, providing fish habitat and improving water quality.

The reefs also will serve as a brood stock for oysters. Harvest of oysters and the use of bottom disturbing gear are prohibited on the reef. But the oysters that grow there will produce millions of eggs annually that will be carried by currents and tides to surrounding areas that are open to oyster harvest.

The division’s Oyster Sanctuary Program will receive funding for this project from the U.S. Departmentof theNavy as mitigation for the reactivation of the Navy’s DareCountyBombingRange at Long Shoal.

Interested parties are invited to provide advice regarding the placement of the reef.

For more information, contact Pelle Holmlund, with the division’s Resource Enhancement Section, at 252-808-8055 or Pelle.Holmlund@ncdenr.gov.

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State Agency Completes First Digital Map of N.C.'s 12,000-Mile Estuarine Shoreline

Michele Walker

RALEIGH – The N.C. Division of Coastal Management has completed a project to create the first ever continuous digital map of more than 12,000 miles of estuarine shoreline in North Carolina.

The map is the result of a partnership between the state agency and East Carolina University.

Among its findings, the project identified the mileage of shoreline types such as a marsh or a swamp forest and the number of shoreline structures such as piers and bulkheads along estuarine waterways. Estuarine shorelines are found along the coast’s broad network of brackish sounds, marshes, rivers and creeks. Estuaries are a unique and important part of coastal life – a transitional area where fresh and salt water mix.

“This is a really exciting project,” said Braxton Davis, director of the state Division of Coastal Management, or DCM. “The maps can be used by DCM, local governments and researchers to assess changes in shorelines and structures, study where and why shorelines are eroding, monitor future changes, and better understand development trends along our estuarine shorelines.This work will provide a wealth of useful data for North Carolina’s coastal management program.”

Using the most recently available aerial photography for each county, the estuarine shoreline for all 20 coastal counties has been digitized and is now available to view on the stateDivision of Coastal Management’s website.

From broad, shallow sounds like the Albemarle and Pamlico, to narrow bodies of water such as Core and Masonboro sounds, North Carolina has 2.2 million acres of estuarine waters. These shallow sounds, rivers and creeks make up one of the largest estuarine systems in the United States.

Staff from the state Division of Coastal Management and East Carolina University will continue working together to conduct a more in-depth analysis of the shoreline data, including calculating the length of the five distinct shoreline types and the different types of modified shorelines. They will also work to identify regional shoreline development trends and analyze the distribution of various coastal structures.

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State Environmental Officials Schedule Hearing to Gather Public Input on Draft Alcoa Agreement...

Cathy Akroyd

RALEIGH - Officials with the N.C. Division of Waste Management will gather public input during a hearing on Thursday about the division’s proposed administrative agreement and action plan for Alcoa Inc. to cap contaminated sediments in two areas of Badin Lake.

The public hearing will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 2 in the Commissioners Meeting Room in the Stanly Commons Building, located at 1000 North First St. in Albemarle. Registration for those wishing to speak during the hearing will begin at 6 p.m. All interested attendees will have the opportunity to present five-minute oral statements regarding the draft agreement and plan and will be able to submit written comments and data.

In conjunction with the public hearing, written comments will be accepted until Aug. 24, 2012, and should be addressed to Elizabeth W. Cannon, Chief; North Carolina Division of Waste Management, Hazardous Waste Section; MSC 1646; Raleigh, NC 27699 1646. Written comments may also be submitted by email to elizabeth.cannon@ncdenr.gov. All comments received during the public comment period or at the hearing will be considered in the decision regarding the draft Administrative Agreement and Badin Lake Sediment Remedial Action Plan.

Two areas within the southwestern arm of Badin Lake contain sediments impacted by the historical discharge of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These areas are located in the vicinity of stormwater discharge outfalls in Badin Lake that drain the Alcoa industrial site: one at Outfall 002 near the boat ramp and the other in Badin Lake at Outfall 012. A draft remedial action plan has been prepared to isolate these contaminated sediments by placing a cap over them. The draft remedial action plan is available on the DWM website at: http://goo.gl/65l44.

The state intends to enter into an Administrative Agreement with Alcoa Inc., who will conduct these voluntary remedial actions. The proposed Administrative Agreement can be found on the Division of Waste Management website at http://goo.gl/kMoxs.

Copies of the draft Administrative Agreement, Badin Lake Sediment Remedial Action Plan and a fact sheet (also available at http://goo.gl/SfMJy) are available for public review during office hours (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at the Hazardous Waste Section offices, located at 217 West Jones Street in Raleigh. Interested parties may call 919 707-8270 for an appointment to review these documents. Copies of the Administrative Agreement and Badin Lake Sediment Remedial Action Plan are also available at the Montgomery County Library, 215 West Main Street in Troy, and at the Stanly County Library, 133 East Main Street in Albemarle.

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State Record Gag Grouper, Queen Trigger Caught

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries officially certified two state record fish catches Friday.

A Jacksonville man broke the state queen trigger fish record with a 10 pound, 11 ounce fish caught July 3, and a Newport man established the state gag grouper record with a 43 pound, 8 ounce fish caught May 12.

Benjamin Peterson of Jacksonville caught the queen trigger 55 miles out New River Inlet using squid as bait on a Shimano Trevela rod and Shimano Sarasota 18000 reel with Power Pro 65 pound test braided fishing line. It measured 23.5 inches fork length (tip of the nose to fork in the tail) and had a 22-inch girth.

Peterson’s queen trigger replaces the previous state record of 10 pounds, 5 ounces, set in 2011. The world record queen trigger was 14 pounds, 3 ounces, when it was caught in Mexico in 2009.

David Abernathy of Newport established the state record for gag grouper with a 43 pound, 8 ounce fish caught off Morehead City using a Roscoe jig on a Shimano Saragosa reel and Star Spinning rod with a 65-pound test fishing line. It measured 45 inches total length (tip of the nose to tip of the tail) and had a 31.5-inch girth.

North Carolina previously did not have a state record gag grouper. To establish a state record fish, the angler must submit an application that is then reviewed by N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries staff and a N.C. Saltwater Fishing Tournament Advisory Board. The fish must be exceptionally large for North Carolina waters and within a reasonable range of the world record.

The world record gag grouper was 80 pounds, 6 ounces, caught off of Florida in 1993.

For more information, contact Carole Willis, division sportfishing specialist, at 252-808-8081 or carole.y.willis@ncdenr.gov.

Download photos of Peterson and Abernathy with their catches at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/2012-nr-072412-photos.

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State Accepting Public Comments on Bonner Bridge CAMA Permit Application

Michele Walker

RALEIGH – The N.C. Division of Coastal Management is accepting public comments on a Coastal Area Management Act major permit application from the N.C. Department of Transportation for replacement of the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge in Dare County.

The public comment period for this permit application extends through Aug. 11. The division’s policy is to accept all comments up to the date of the permit decision. Comments can be sent to Braxton Davis, the director of the state Division of Coastal Management, 400 Commerce Ave., Morehead City, N.C. 28557, or via email atBraxton.Davis@ncdenr.gov.

The complete permit application file can be viewed in the Division of Coastal Management’s Elizabeth City Office, 1367 U.S. 17 South, Elizabeth City.

The permit application can also be viewed on N.C. Department of Transportation’s website atwww.nccoastalmanagement.net/bonnerpermitapp.pdf.

DOT proposes to replace the existing 2.4-mile two-lane bridge over the Oregon Inlet and related approaches with a new, 2.8-mile two-lane bridge and related approaches to the west of the existing bridge. The new bridge will be constructed parallel to the existing bridge.

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New Advisory Committees Formed for Marine Fisheries Commission; Meetings Set

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY - In an effort to work more efficiently, the state has reorganized several advisory committees of the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission.

These new committees will meet in the coming weeks to give input on two issues the commission will discuss at its August meeting. These issues are potential management measures for gill nets due to the listing of Atlantic sturgeon as an endangered species and the creation of two new seed oyster management areas.

A new state law combines and condenses the Northeast, Central, Southeast and Inland regional advisory committees into a Northern Regional Advisory Committee and a Southern Regional Advisory Committee. The new law also combines and condenses the Shellfish and Crustacean advisory committees into one Shellfish/Crustacean Advisory Committee.

The N.C. General Assembly passed the legislation at the recommendation of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries. Gov. Bev Perdue signed the bill into law July 16.

The recommendation stemmed from a 2010 law that directed the division to study ways to improve the fishery management plan process without impairing public input.

The new Northern Regional Advisory Committee encompasses areas from the Virginia line south through Hyde and Pamlico counties and any counties to the west. The new Southern Regional Advisory Committee encompasses areas from Carteret County south to the South Carolina line and any counties to the west.

Marine Fisheries Commission Chairman Rob Bizzell pulled from the pool of members of the old committees to appoint members to the new committees today. A membership list is on the division’s website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/mfc-advisory-committees.

Each new committee is comprised of 11 members representing commercial and recreational fishing interests, as well as scientists.

The new Shellfish/Crustacean Committee will discuss a proposed amendment to the Oyster Fishery Management Plan to create seed oyster management areas at Possum Bay and Swan Point in the mouth of the New River. Read about this proposal at http://portal.ncdenr.org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=54ead4de-0bf7-4c8d-bb62-07cbb9cb8b56&groupId=38337.

The new regional advisory committees will discuss the proposed seed oyster management areas, as well as management options to reduce sea turtle and Atlantic sturgeon interactions in the estuarine gill net fishery. Read about this issue at: http://portal.ncdenr.org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=dca94324-dd18-4c61-ad22-c6bd6a986774&groupId=38337.

The meetings will be held at the following dates, times and locations:

Northern Regional Advisory Committee

6 p.m. July 31

N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Office

943 Washington Square Mall, Washington

Contact: Kathy Rawls at 1-800-338-7805 or 252-264-3911 or Kathy.Rawls@ncdenr.gov

Southern Regional Advisory Committee

6 p.m. Aug. 1

N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Office

127 Cardinal Drive, Wilmington

Contact: Mike Marshall at 1-800-682-2632 or 252-808-8077 or Mike.Marshall@ncdenr.gov

Shellfish/Crustacean Committee

6 p.m. Aug. 2

N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Central District Office

5285 Highway 70 West, Morehead City

Contact: Mike Marshall at 1-800-682-2632 or 252-808-8077 or Mike.Marshall@ncdenr.gov

Previously announced meetings of the Finfish Advisory Committee and the Sea Turtle Advisory Committee remain as scheduled. These committees also will discuss potential sea turtle and sturgeon management measures. Those meetings are scheduled for:

Finfish Advisory Committee

11 a.m. July 25

N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Office

943 Washington Square Mall, Washington

Contact: David Taylor, 252-808-8074 or David.L.Taylor@ncdenr.gov

Sea Turtle Advisory Committee

6 p.m. July 26

N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Central District Office

5285 Highway 70 West, Morehead City

Contact: Chris Batsavage, 252-808-8009 or Chris.Batsavage@ncdenr.gov

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Davis Named Director of State Division of Land Resources

Diana Kees

RALEIGH – Tracy Davis of Raleigh has been named as director of the N.C. Division of Land Resources and assumed his duties today. Additionally, Dr. Kenneth Taylor, chief of the N.C. Geological Survey, has been designated the state geologist.

Davis, a career staff member in the division’s Land Quality Section, replaces Jim Simons, who retired effective May 31. DLR promotes the wise use and protection of North Carolina's land and geologic resources. Within the division, Land Quality Section programs regulate and provide technical assistance related to mining, dam safety and sedimentation control; the N.C. Geological Survey performs scientific investigations, provides technical assistance and maps the state’s geological resources; and the division as a whole supports public education in the earth sciences.

“Tracy’s engineering background, regulatory experience and managerial skills combine to make him a good fit for this very challenging position,” said Dee Freeman, secretary of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “Tracy has extensive field knowledge, technical expertise and exceptional communication skills, and will lead the division in its environmental protection mission, while at the same time keeping in mind the practical concerns of the regulated community.”

Davis, a licensed professional engineer and certified public manager, has worked for DENR for nearly 25 years. He started his career as an assistant state mining specialist in the Land Quality Section, and was then promoted to manage the section’s mining permit program. Davis has served as the Section’s chief engineer since 2003. In that role, he managed the Section’s engineers and environmental professionals across DENR’s seven regional offices, and led special projects, including the statewide implementation of the express permitting program for erosion and sedimentation control projects.

Davis has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from N.C. State University. A native of Dayton, Ohio, he has lived in Raleigh since childhood, where he still resides with his wife and son.

Since 1851, state law has recognized the need to have an expert on the geology of North Carolina within state government. Simons, who is a licensed geologist, served as the lead state geologist prior to his retirement. Freeman designated Taylor as the new state geologist in concert with his duties leading the N.C. Geological Survey.

Following ratification of Session Law 2012-143, the Clean Energy and Economic Security Act, the Division of Land Resources on Aug. 1 will be renamed as the Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources.

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State parks director announces $1.05 million in Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grants to local governments

Charlie Peek

RALEIGH - State parks director Lewis Ledford today announced the award of $1.05 million in grants from the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund to five local governments for parks and recreation projects.

“The Parks and Recreation Trust Fund has reached into hundreds of local communities offering new opportunities for recreation and fitness,” Ledford said. “These opportunities for new parks, trails, greenways and recreation facilities go hand in hand with North Carolina’s commitment to conservation, sound environmental stewardship and economic opportunity.”

The matching grants, awarded by the Parks and Recreation Authority, will help fund land acquisition, development and renovation of public park and recreation areas. Earlier this year, the board awarded 10 grants totaling $1.6 million. During the 2011-12 funding cycle, the authority considered 60 grant applications requesting nearly $13 million. A maximum of $500,000 can be awarded to a single project.

The Parks and Recreation Trust Fund is administered through the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation and was established in 1994 when the General Assembly dedicated 75 percent of the state’s share of the excise tax on real estate deed transfers to the fund. The revenue is distributed to three programs: 65 percent to the state parks system for repairs, capital improvements and land acquisition; 30 percent for matching grants to local parks and recreation programs for development and land acquisition; and 5 percent to the coastal beach access program.

Since 1995, the Parks and Recreation Authority has received 1,351 grant applications with requests totaling about $286 million. The board has awarded 701 grants for $157 million.

The local governments receiving grants are:

· Cornelius, which received $300,000 for the Robbins Park Phase II project

· Hillsborough, which received $425,000 for Riverwalk Phase II

· Maysville, which received $55,693 for the Frost Park improvements

· Montreat, which received $115,160 for the Assembly Drive Greenway

· Pender County, which received $162,545 for Millers Pond Park.

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Three New Sites Certified as North Carolina Clean Marinas

Michele Walker

RALEIGH – Three coastal marinas have recently been certified as North Carolina Clean Marinas, bringing the total number of Clean Marinas in coastal North Carolina to 28. Clean Marina is a designation given to marinas that go beyond the state’s environmental regulations.

The Coinjock Marina in Coinjock; the Boathouse in Beaufort; and Harbor Oaks Boataminium in Carolina Beach earned the status as North Carolina Clean Marinas.

The Clean Marina program illustrates how marina operators can help safeguard the environment by using management and operation techniques that exceed environmental requirements. To earn the certification, the marina’s owners prepare spill prevention plans and conduct safety and emergency planning. Marina operators also control boat maintenance activities to protect water quality. Marinas must complete the recertification process every two years to retain their certification as a North Carolina Clean Marina.

N.C. Clean Marina is a voluntary program that began in the summer of 2000. Marina operators who choose to participate must complete an evaluation form about their use of specific best management practices. If a marina meets criteria developed by the N.C. Division of Coastal Management, it will be designated as a Clean Marina. Such marinas are eligible to fly the Clean Marina flag and use the logo in their advertising. The flags signal to boaters that a marina cares about the cleanliness of area waterways.

Clean Marina is a nationwide program developed by the National Marine Environmental Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works to clean up waterways for better recreational boating. The foundation encourages states to adapt Clean Marina principles to fit their own needs.

The North Carolina program is a partnership between the N.C. Division of Coastal Management, N.C. Boating Industry Services, the N.C. Marine Trade Association, the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program, N.C. Sea Grant, the U.S. Power Squadron, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and N.C. Big Sweep.

For more information, contact Pat Durrett with the N.C. Division of Coastal Management at 252-808-2808.

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Air Quality Officials Issue Code Orange Notice for Ozone

Jamie Kritzer

RALEIGH – Air quality officials have issued a health notice for air pollution in the Triangle metropolitan area on Wednesday.

The primary pollutant of concern is ozone, a highly reactive form of oxygen. Ozone can be unhealthy to breathe, and high levels generally occur on hot sunny days with stagnant air.

The air pollution forecast for Wednesday predicts that ozone levels in the Triangle region will exceed the federal standard of 75 parts per billion averaged during eight hours. High ozone levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments, older adults and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity in the afternoon, when ozone levels are highest.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality issues daily air forecasts for the Asheville, Charlotte, Hickory, Fayetteville, Rocky Mount and Triangle metropolitan areas. In the Triad, the Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection issue forecasts. The forecasts are part of the N.C. Air Awareness Program, a voluntary effort aimed at reducing air pollution in the state’s major metro areas. Residents can help reduce air pollution by taking some of the following actions:

· Limit driving by riding the bus, walking, bicycling or postponing trips.

· If you drive, avoid idling for long periods of time, stay within speed limits, combine errands to reduce the number of small trips, and use vehicles with higher fuel economies.

· Conserve electricity by setting thermostats at the highest comfortable temperature and turning off appliances not in use.

The incidence of high-ozone days has declined statewide during the past decade due to measures adopted by state and the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce ozone-forming emissions from power plants, industry and motor vehicles. Ozone forms when nitrogen oxides (NOx) react with hydrocarbons on hot, sunny days. Most NOx emissions result from the burning of fuels for transportation, industry and power generation.

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Study Documents Large Cut in N.C. Mercury Emissions from Industry, Power Plants

Tom Mather

RALEIGH – North Carolina’s coal-fired power plants have cut their toxic mercury emissions by more than 70 percent since the General Assembly enacted the Clean Smokestack Act in 2002, according to a study the N.C. Division of Air Quality presented Thursday to the state Environmental Management Commission.

The mercury emissions reductions resulted as a “co-benefit” from pollution controls that power plants installed to comply with caps that the legislature set on ozone- and particle-forming emissions in the Clean Smokestacks Act. Those caps required the state’s 14 coal-fired power plants to reduce their nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by about three-fourths over the following decade.

Power companies achieved those cuts by installing $2.9 billion worth of scrubbers and other equipment aimed at reducing NOx and SO2 emissions, which are the primary contributors to ozone, haze, particle pollution, acid precipitation and other air quality problems.

“We knew that scrubbers and other controls would reduce mercury emissions, but the actual reductions were larger than we expected,” DAQ Director Sheila Holman said. “These cuts show that North Carolina is one of the leading states for reducing mercury emissions and have significant health implications for our residents.”

Mercury is a highly toxic metal that can accumulate in the food chain when it reaches streams, lakes and coastal waters. Eventually it can reach levels in some waters that make top-predator fish unhealthy to eat, particularly for children, pregnant women and women of child-bearing age. Such concerns have prompted the State Health Director to issue advisories about eating large-mouth bass and other top predatory fish caught in waters across North Carolina.

The study found that airborne emissions account for nearly all (98 percent) of the mercury reaching North Carolina waters. Of those emissions, 84 percent comes from out-of-state sources and 16 percent from power plants and other industry located in North Carolina.

Coal-fired power plants account for about half (52 percent) of the mercury air emissions in North Carolina. Large industrial plants account for about one-third (33 percent) of the emissions, and those sources reduced their mercury emissions by about 50 percent over the past eight years. The remaining emissions (15 percent) come from about 600 smaller industrial sources.

Further reductions in mercury emissions are expected over the coming decade due to pending federal regulations on power plants, boilers and other industrial facilities. The state’s two major power companies (Duke Energy and Progress Energy) plan to shut down some of their smaller coal plants and/or convert them to natural gas as part of their plans to comply with new federal and existing state regulations.

Other notable findings in the study include:

Power plants with the most advanced levels of controls cut their mercury emissions by more than 90 percent.
Mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants declined from 3,350 pounds in 2002 to 960 pounds in 2010, a reduction of 71.3 percent.
Mercury emissions from the eight largest industrial sources (other than power plants) declined from 1,950 pounds in 2002 to 890 pounds in 2010, a reduction of 54.4 percent.

A copy of the report and other information about air quality issues can be found at the DAQ website, www.ncair.org/.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: Masonboro Island Reserve Hosts Educational Field Programs This Summer

Michele Walker

WHAT: “Meet Me at Masonboro” Educational Field Programs

WHEN: 10 a.m. July 21, July 28 and Aug. 4

WHERE: Masonboro Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, Wilmington, N.C.

WILMINGTON – Learn about sea turtles, estuarine ecology, and the plants and animals of the Masonboro Island National Estuarine Research Reserve during three educational field programs led by reserve staff on Saturdays in July and August.

All sessions will begin at 10 a.m. and will last for one to one-and-a-half hours.

The scheduled field programs are:

July 21, Sea Turtles – Endangered sea turtles nest on Masonboro Island during the summer and use the nearby waters regularly. During this guided field trip, learn about their life history, nesting habits and conservation efforts.
July 28, Estuary Ecology – Estuaries are special places where dynamic forces are the norm. Learn about the tides, currents and winds that bring nearly constant change to the specially adapted habitats and organisms that call the estuary home.
August 4, Plants and Animals of the Reserve – Visit several distinct habitats during this field trip across the island from sound to sea. Learn about the unique organisms that live in and use each habitat in this hands-on exploration.

Programs will take place near the north end of the island. Participants should meet just below the north cove at “First Beach” on July 21 and July 28, and should meet just below the second cove at “Third Beach” on Aug. 4. Look for the white tent with the Coastal Reserve banner. Transportation to the island is not provided.

For more information or to register for a field trip, please contact site manager Hope Sutton at 910-962-2998 orsuttonh@uncw.edu. Participants can also register at the N.C. Coastal Reserve’s website atwww.nccoastalreserve.net.

The N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve Program protects natural areas for education, research and compatible recreation. Since its creation in 1989, the program has preserved more than 41,000 acres of unique coastal environments at 10 sites along the coast.

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Conolly is new superintendent at Carvers Creek State Park

Charlie Peek

RALEIGH – Jane Conolly, a veteran state park ranger, has been promoted to superintendent of Carvers Creek State Park in Cumberland County, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.

Conolly succeeds Janet Pearson, who accepted a position as superintendent at Stone Mountain State Park earlier this year.

A superintendent is the chief of operations and administration at a state park or state recreation area with wide-ranging responsibilities for staffing, training, law enforcement, visitor services, natural resource protection and environmental education.

Conolly is a native of Athens, Ga. and a 1982 graduate of the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation management, and she worked with Georgia State Parks while in college. She joined the North Carolina state parks system in 1997 as a ranger at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area and transferred to Gorges State Park in 2003. After working with local and state parks systems in Georgia in 2008-09, she returned to the division as a ranger at Crowders Mountain State Park. She holds certifications in environmental education and advanced law enforcement, and volunteers as a peer support counselor.

“Jane has deep experience in all phases of park operations as well as a keen sense of our mission, and that will be invaluable as we prepare to open Carvers Creek State Park with interim facilities later this year. Development of this new park will be an exciting and challenging experience both for Jane and the state parks system,” said Lewis Ledford, state parks director.

Carvers Creek State Park was authorized by the N.C. General Assembly in 2005, and currently encompasses 4,076 acres.

(EDITORS: A jpeg image of Conolly is available on our websitewww.ncparks.gov linked to this release under “News”).

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State urges people to avoid algal blooms brought on by N.C.'s hot weather

Susan Massengale

RALEIGH – State officials are urging people to avoid contact with potentially harmful algal blooms that have shown up in prominent water bodies statewide in recent weeks due to North Carolina’s hot weather.

North Carolina’s elevated temperatures are contributing to algal blooms in the Cape Fear River, Fontana Lake and Lake Twitty, according to officials with the N.C. Division of Water Quality.

Algal blooms also have appeared above and below Lock and Dam #1 in Bladen County along the Cape Fear River and in the Tuckasegee River arm of Fontana Lake in Swain County. On Lake Twitty, near Monroe in Union County, an algal bloom is believed to be contributing to low oxygen levels that during the past week have killed a few thousand shad, crappie, brim and catfish. The blooms on the Cape Fear River and in Fontana Lake are primarily composed of bluegreen algae, which can grow rapidly in response to elevated temperatures.

While it is safe to boat or fish in the affected areas, the N.C. Division of Public Health routinely encourages the public to avoid contact with large accumulations of the algae and to take precautions to prevent children and pets from swimming or ingesting water in an algal bloom. North Carolina has had no reports of adverse health effects in humans associated with freshwater algal blooms.

A diverse population of algae is usually beneficial and provides a rich food source for aquatic animals. However, when hot temperatures and calm water combine with nutrient-rich waters, large algal blooms may form that can produce toxins that pose a human health hazard. The algal blooms also may reduce the oxygen available to fish and other aquatic animals, which can result in fish kills.

State health and water quality officials recommend the following steps to safeguard pets and children from any potentially harmful algal bloom:

· Keep children and pets away from water that appears very green, discolored or scummy.

· Do not handle or touch large mats of algae.

· Avoid handling, cooking or eating dead fish that may be present.

· If you come into contact with an algal bloom, wash thoroughly. Also, use clean water to rinse off pets that may have come into contact with an algal bloom.

· If your child appears ill after being in waters containing an algal bloom, seek medical care immediately.

· If your pet appears to stumble, stagger or collapse after being in a pond, lake or river, seek veterinary care immediately.

For more information on the potential health effects from algal blooms, visit the N.C. Division of Public Health’s website at:http://www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/oee/safefromhab.html. To learn more about algae, visit the N.C. Division of Water Quality’s waterUknow! website at:http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/home/wyk.

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Agreement marks first steps to protect significant natural area in N.C. foothills

Jamie Kritzer

RALEIGH – The first steps have been taken to protect one of North Carolina’s most treasured wilderness areas, thanks to a recent agreement between a private landowner and the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Tim Sweeney, owner of the Box Creek Wilderness area near Marion, recently signed a registry agreement with Dee Freeman, secretary of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The agreement formalizes Sweeney’s commitment to manage the 3,300-acre Box Creek Wilderness area in ways that will protect the property’s rare species and enhance its natural beauty, said Linda Pearsall, director of Conservation, Planning, and Community Affairs.

“We are pleased Mr. Sweeney agreed to register a wilderness area with outstanding natural and scientific values,” Freeman said. “This voluntary agreement is especially significant at a time when state budgets are tight and fewer financial resources are available to devote to land conservation. All North Carolinians should be grateful for conservationists like Mr. Sweeney because the state simply does not have the money to protect every place like the Box Creek Wilderness.”

The Box Creek Wilderness, which sits in Rutherford and McDowell counties, boasts many rare species and plants as well as natural plant communities. Plants such as Appalachian golden-banner and animals such as Broad River spiny crayfish and South Mountains gray-cheeked salamander are a few of the rare species that live in the forested wilderness. The area is also an important part of the South Mountains landscape, as it includes a continuous natural area capable of supporting populations of many forest animals.

In May, the N.C. Natural Heritage Program’s advisory committee recommended that the state enter into a registry agreement with Sweeney, who lives in Cary.

The agreement signed in June doesn’t involve any exchange of funding or property interests. Instead, it recognizes Box Creek Wilderness as one of North Carolina’s registered Natural Heritage Areas and creates a mutual understanding between Sweeney and the state to protect the property’s natural diversity. As a part of the agreement, the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program has agreed to provide Sweeney with site-specific management recommendations. Those recommendations include allowing the forests to mature to old growth, managing the property for the protection of natural communities, rare species and native wildlife, removal of invasive exotic species and use of prescribed burning to better manage the forest.

Several conservation agencies, including Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, worked with Sweeney and state partners on the agreement.

For more information about the Box Creek Wilderness, check out Unique Places’ website,www.boxcreekwilderness.com. Unique Places is a conservation design and land management firm based in Durham.

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Air Quality Officials Issue Code Orange Notice for Ozone

Tom Mather

RALEIGH – Air quality officials have issued a health notice for air pollution in the Charlotte, Triad and Triangle metropolitan areas on Saturday.

Forecasters have predicted Code Orange conditions, which means air quality is likely to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. People who are sensitive to air pollution should avoid moderate exertion outdoors. Sensitive groups include: children and older adults; people who work or exercise outdoors; people with heart conditions; and those with asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and other respiratory ailments.

The primary pollutant of concern is ozone, a highly reactive form of oxygen. Ozone can be unhealthy to breathe, and high levels generally occur on hot, sunny days with stagnant air.

The air pollution forecast for Saturday predicts that ozone levels in Charlotte, the Triad and the Triangle will exceed the federal standard of 75 parts per billion averaged during eight hours. High ozone levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments, older adults and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity in the afternoon, when ozone levels are highest.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality issues daily air forecasts for the Asheville, Charlotte, Hickory, Fayetteville, Rocky Mount and Triangle metropolitan areas. In the Triad, forecasts are issued by the Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection. The forecasts are part of the N.C. Air Awareness Program, a voluntary effort aimed at reducing air pollution in the state’s major metro areas. Air quality officials are asking residents to help reduce air pollution by taking some of the following actions:

Limit driving by riding the bus, walking, bicycling or postponing trips.
If you drive, avoid idling for long periods of time, stay within speed limits, combine errands to reduce the number of small trips, and use vehicles with higher fuel economies.
Conserve electricity by setting thermostats at the highest comfortable temperature and turning off appliances not in use.

For more information about air quality forecasts, open burning restrictions and other air issues, visit the division’s website atwww.ncair.org or call 1-888-RU4NCAIR (1-888-784-6224). Information about air quality in the Triad can be found athttp://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/eap/.

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N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Director Betsy Bennett Announces Retirement

Mark Johnson

RALEIGH – Dr. Betsy Bennett today announced her retirement, effective at the end of December, after more than two decades as director of the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. Bennett’s drive and vision, with the support of donors, volunteers and staff, expanded the museum from cramped quarters to a world-class institution that has become a North Carolina landmark. The museum now links visitors and students to scientists around the globe and recently celebrated the opening of the Nature Research Center wing.

Dr. Bennett issued the following statement:

“Today I am announcing my retirement as director, effective December 31, 2012. I am proud of what we have built together here at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences over the past 22 years. North Carolina’s natural resources have always been a national treasure, and here at the Museum, our mission of sharing a deeper understanding of our natural world has been realized a hundred times over.

“Now, with the opening of the Nature Research Center, my work is close to complete. With the help of the state of North Carolina, the private sector, a devoted staff and so many generous individuals, we have built a world-renowned center for the study of our state and our world. What a tremendous gift to the people of North Carolina.

“In only 60 days, more than 300,000 people have poured through our doors, potentially pushing us to more than a million visitors this year. In my time at the museum, we have played host to visitors from every county in the state, every state in the nation and from all over the world.

“I leave this place with a touch of sadness but no regrets. We now have a sustainable institution with talented and committed leadership and staff and with unlimited potential. (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) Secretary Dee Freeman and our Friends Board have formed a search committee which has hired counsel and will conduct a national search for my successor. Mike Murphy, Friends Board Chair, will lead the committee.

“One of our founders, H.H. Brimley, said, “The building of a museum is a never-ending work.”

“The Museum of Natural Sciences is thriving!

“And so, I have given my all to this great enterprise. We have an awesome team and I am certain the future is exceptionally bright for this museum. I look forward to working with the boards and staff to assure a smooth transition. A big piece of my heart will always be right here at the museum.”

[Editors: Attached please find a copy of Dr. Bennett’s biography. The News & Observer story honoring Dr. Bennett as “Tarheel of the Year” for 2011 can be found athttp://www.newsobserver.com/2012/01/01/1745457/betsy-bennett.html ]

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Air Quality Officials Issue Code Orange Notice for Ozone

Tom Mather

RALEIGH – Air quality officials have issued a health notice for air pollution in the Charlotte and Triad metropolitan areas on Friday.

The primary pollutant of concern is ozone, a highly reactive form of oxygen. Ozone can be unhealthy to breathe, and high levels generally occur on hot, sunny days with stagnant air.

· Limit driving by riding the bus, walking, bicycling or postponing trips.

· If you drive, avoid idling for long periods of time, stay within speed limits, combine errands to reduce the number of small trips, and use vehicles with higher fuel economies.

· Conserve electricity by setting thermostats at the highest comfortable temperature and turning off appliances not in use.

The incidence of high-ozone days has declined statewide during the past decade due to measures adopted by the state and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reduce ozone-forming emissions from power plants, industry and motor vehicles. Ozone forms when nitrogen oxides (NOx) react with hydrocarbons on hot, sunny days. Most NOx emissions result from the burning of fuels for transportation, industry and power generation.

For more information about air quality forecasts, open burning restrictions and other air issues, visit the division’s website atwww.ncair.org or call 1-888-RU4NCAIR (1-888-784-6224). Information about air quality in the Triad can be found athttp://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/eap/ .

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Drought conditions return to North Carolina for first time since May

Sarah M. Young

RALEIGH – Drought has returned to North Carolina for the first time in more than a month, due to below normal rainfall and record-breaking temperatures.

Conditions in 17 counties, including Mecklenburg and Wake, grew worse this week as moderate drought returned to parts of central and southwestern North Carolina.

It’s the first time since May 29 that any counties have experienced moderate drought, which is the least serious of the four drought categories.

“We’re seeing impacts to streamflows, inflows into reservoirs and low groundwater levels, but we are not seeing widespread impacts to public water supplies,” said Donna Jackson, chairwoman of the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council.“At this point, we want people to be prepared to take the appropriate actions to save water should conditions worsen during the coming months.”

A technical advisory group of the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council in early June announced that the state was drought-free for the first time in almost a year. Thursday’s federal drought map shows that in addition to the 17 counties experiencing a moderate drought, 35 others are abnormally dry because drought conditions could return without adequate rainfall. The drought map can be seen atwww.ncdrought.org.

The drought categories from least-to-most serious are moderate, severe, extreme and exceptional.

The introduction of moderate drought conditions in the 17 North Carolina counties is based on the lack of adequate rainfall, which contributes to below normal streamflows, low flows into reservoirs and below normal groundwater levels.

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Half a Million People Visit Jennette's Pier

Daryl Law

NAGS HEAD - Since it reopened in May 2011, Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head has truly lived up to its mantra of 'fishing, family and fun,' and the numbers back it up.

In the past week alone, anglers have reeled nine large cobia and one dolphin fish from the emerald green and clear, 76-degree water. Two, large, crevalle jack were caught and released the last week of June.

In the first 12 months of operations, estimates show that more than a half million people visited the pier complex, which features a 1,000-foot-long fishing pier, pier house, public beaches, bathhouse and parking. The pier is the fourth facility to be added to the North Carolina Aquariums Division, which is administered by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

According to Mike Remige, general manager of Jennette’s Pier, some 32,000 anglers have tried their luck during the first year of operation.

In addition, close to 2,400 people have participated in one of the 27 programs, classes or camps offered by the education department. Another 3,224 students from 36 schools made an educational field trip to the pier, said Christin Brown, education coordinator.

“We look forward to educating even more visitors this year,” she said.

Nearly 10,000 people have attended 75 functions in Oceanview Hall, the pier’s second-story banquet hall, with its covered, wrap-around porch and sweeping ocean views. These events included wedding receptions, corporate retreats and governmental meetings.

During its first year, the pier received two awards for green technologies in design and construction. In March, on behalf of the pier, Remige accepted a Second Place DENR Sustainability award. In May, the U.S. Green Building Council awarded the pier a Platinum-level LEED certification.

By far the most noticeable part of the green package at Jennette’s are the three wind turbines, which produced more than 70,000 kilowatt hours in the first year.

“That’s enough to power six to seven regular-sized residential homes for a year,” Remige said.

Most of the pier’s 500,000 visitors seem to find the green technologies and educational panels, explaining coastal topics such as coastal wind, waves, fishing, seasonal changes, surfing and fish identifications, to be an extra bonus to their experience.

“The entire pier is an educational tool,” Remige said.

The thousands of anglers also seemed pleased with the wide variety of fish and other sea life available. To date, anglers have caught plenty of bluefish, spot, croaker, sea mullet, gray trout, speckled trout, flounder, cobia, crevalle jack and Spanish mackerel.

A huge, fierce barracuda was landed last summer. Anglers have also landed spiny dogfish, skates, rays, sea stars, lingcod, hickory shad, horseshoe crabs, blue crabs, a moon fish and even a lobster.

Large red drum and bluefish have also been caught. On any given day, all levels anglers continue to try their luck.

Another element visitors seem to appreciate is the facility’s accessibility to those with disabilities. The entire facility is handicap accessible – and thanks to a grant from the N.C. Waterfront Access and Marine Industry Fund, there’s even a new ramp to the beach.

The pier is open 24 hours a day seven days a week, June through September. For more information and seasonal hours, visit http://www.jennettespier.net.

In addition to Jennette’s Pier, the N. C. Aquariums Division operates three public aquariums; one is near Nags Head on Roanoke Island, the second is in Pine Knoll Shores near Atlantic Beach and the third is at Fort Fisher near Carolina Beach.

The mission of the aquarium division is to inspire appreciation and conservation of North Carolina’s aquatic environment.

For more information about Jennette’s Pier, please contact Daryl Law at daryl.law@ncaquariums.com or 252-255-1501 ext. 202.

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Grant Money Available for Recreational Boating Infrastructure

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY - The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is accepting proposals for the Boating Infrastructure Grant, or BIG, Program for federal fiscal 2013.

BIG is a program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that reimburses up to 75 percent of costs for projects that construct, renovate or maintain tie-up facilities and related amenities for recreational transient vessels that are at least 26 feet long. The grant program was authorized by Congress in 1998 and is funded by excise taxes on fishing equipment and motorboat fuel.

The state Division of Marine Fisheries serves as the liaison between projects in North Carolina and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the BIG Program. Proposals must be submitted to the division to be considered for this funding opportunity.

Some examples of potentially eligible activities include transient slips, mooring buoys, day-docks, floating and fixed piers and breakwaters, dinghy docks, restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, retaining walls, bulkheads, dockside utilities (water, electric, telephone, Internet), sewage pump-out stations, recycling and trash receptacles, navigational aids and marine fueling stations.

BIG funds are distributed each year. Grants are available on a two-tiered basis. For Tier 1 (Basic) grants, all states may receive up to $100,000 per grant cycle as long as proposals meet the program's guidelines. Tier 2 (Competitive) grants are reserved for large-scale, more expensive undertakings and are awarded on a nationwide competitive basis. For fiscal 2013, applicants may apply for up to $88,000 under Tier 1 and up to $1.5 million under Tier 2.

For information about grant availability, project eligibility and proposal development, please visit the division’s website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf, or contact Kelly Price, the division’s federal aid coordinator, at 252-808-8168 or 800-682-2632 (in North Carolina only) or Kelly.Price@ncdenr.gov. The deadline for applications to be received by the division is Aug. 16. Electronic submission is preferred.

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Black Sea Bass Upgraded to Recovering in 2012 Stock Status Report

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY - The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries declared black sea bass, both north and south of Cape Hatteras, “Recovering” in its 2012 Stock Status Report released today.

The report upgrades the black sea bass stock south of Cape Hatteras from “Depleted” in 2011 and the stock north of Cape Hatteras from “Concern” in 2011.

“This is good news, and it reflects what we’re seeing in the catches,” said Louis Daniel, director of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries.

The black sea bass stock south of Cape Hatteras has been under a federally managed rebuilding plan since 2006. A 2011 federal stock assessment found the stock is not overfished but has not yet met the rebuilding target.

The black sea bass stock north of Cape Hatteras, continues to show signs that the stock is improving. A 2010 National Marine Fisheries Service’s updated stock assessment found that the stock is considered rebuilt. However, uncertainty in the stock status has resulted in conservative management of this stock.

In other stock status changes this year, American eel was listed as “Depleted.” It was listed as “Unknown” in 2011. The stock was declared depleted by a 2012 Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission benchmark stock assessment. While a determination of overfishing could not be made, the assessment indicated the stock is at or near historical lows. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is considering new management measures in 2012.

“While American eel is ‘Depleted,’ anytime we can move a stock out of the unknown category it’s a positive step,” Daniel said.

New to the Stock Status Report this year is black drum, listed as “Unknown.” Concern for the stock has been expressed coast-wide because of a declining trend in landings and because the majority of black drum harvested are young, potentially juvenile fish.

“The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is developing a black drum fishery management plan, and we hope a known status can be assessed in the future,” Daniel said.

The division annually grades the status of marine finfish, shellfish, shrimp and crabs as either “Viable,” “Recovering,” “Concern,” “Depleted” or “Unknown.” The grades serve as a barometer of the overall health of the state’s fishery resources, and they are used to prioritize development of fishery management plans.

A stock is considered “Viable” when it exhibits stable or increasing trends in a number of biological factors associated with healthy populations, such as a normal distribution of sizes, ages and spawning-age females or when it has met biological targets for sustainable harvest.

A “Recovering” stock shows marked and consistent improvement in the criteria listed for a “Viable” stock, but has not yet reached its target.

Stocks designated as “Concern” are those that do not have an approved stock assessment or fishery management plan, but have seen increased fishing pressure, a decline in landings, lack a normal age distribution, or are negatively impacted by environmental factors that cannot be controlled.

A “Depleted” stock is a population in which there are too few spawning females to support an active fishery. Factors that can contribute to this status include overfishing, poor water quality, habitat loss, larvae survival and disease. This status determination is based on an approved stock assessment or fishery management plan.

A stock is classified as “Unknown” when there is not sufficient data to determine trends in fishing pressure, landings or biological factors. Stocks designated as “Unknown” are often prioritized for research programs.

A complete list of the 2012 Stock Status Report can be found on the division’s website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/2012-stock-status-report.

For more information, contact Alan Bianchi in the division’s Morehead City headquarters office, at 252-808-8092 or Alan.Bianchi@ncdenr.gov.

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Poor Air Quality Conditions to Continue into the Weekend in North Carolina

Diana Kees

RALEIGH – One of North Carolina’s worst air quality episodes in many years is expected to continue into the weekend.

Forecasters have predicted Code Orange conditions in most of the state’s major metropolitan areas and high mountain elevations for the weekend, which means that air quality is likely to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. People who are sensitive to air pollution should limit prolonged outdoor exertion. Sensitive groups include: children and older adults; people who work or exercise outdoors; and those with asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and other respiratory ailments. The primary pollutant of concern is ozone, a highly reactive form of oxygen. Ozone can be unhealthy to breathe, and high levels generally occur on days with stagnant air.

Air quality conditions deteriorated quickly on Friday, with ozone levels rising well into the Code Orange range across most of North Carolina. Ozone has even approached generally unhealthy, or Code Red levels in the Charlotte and Triangle areas. Those conditions are expected to linger well into the evening hours in those areas.

The air pollution forecast for Saturday predicts that ozone levels in the Charlotte, Fayetteville, Hickory, Rocky Mount, Triad and Triangle metropolitan areas and the ridge top elevations in the Asheville area will exceed the federal standard of 75 parts per billion averaged during eight hours. The Code Orange conditions are expected to continue on Sunday for the Charlotte, Triad and Triangle areas, as well as the ridge top elevations in the Asheville area.

High ozone levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments, older adults and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity in the afternoon, when ozone levels are highest.

The incidence of high-ozone days has declined statewide during the past decade due to measures adopted by the state and the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce ozone-forming emissions from power plants, industry and motor vehicles. Ozone forms when nitrogen oxides, or NOx, react with hydrocarbons on hot, sunny days. Most NOx emissions result from the burning of fuels for transportation, industry and power generation.

“Air emissions have come down significantly in the last decade leading to improved air quality, but a combination of the unprecedented meteorological conditions and regional pollution transport is leading to one of the most widespread poor air quality episodes in a decade,” DAQ Deputy Director Mike Abraczinskas said. “We are experiencing some of the highest ozone levels we’ve seen in many years. It’s important that people who are sensitive to air pollution, especially children and older adults, limit their outdoor exertion.”

The N.C. Division of Air Quality issues daily air forecasts for the Asheville, Charlotte, Hickory, Fayetteville, Rocky Mount and Triangle metropolitan areas. In the Triad, the Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection issues forecasts. The forecasts are part of the N.C. Air Awareness Program, a voluntary effort aimed at reducing air pollution in the state's major metro areas. Air quality officials are asking residents to help reduce air pollution by taking some of the following actions:

Limit driving by riding the bus, walking, bicycling or postponing trips.
If you drive, avoid idling for long periods of time, stay within speed limits, combine errands to reduce the number of small trips, and use vehicles with higher fuel economies.
Conserve electricity by setting thermostats at the highest comfortable temperature and turning off appliances not in use.

For more information about air quality forecasts, open burning restrictions and other air issues, visit the division's website at www.ncair.org or call 1-888-RU4NCAIR (1-888-784-6224). Information about air quality in the Triad can be found at http://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/eap/.

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Air quality officials issue Code Red health notice for the Charlotte forecast region

Diana Kees

RALEIGH - Air quality officials have updated the air quality forecast to Code Red for the Charlotte area today. This Code Red forecast covers Cabarrus, Lincoln, Gaston, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Union and southern Iredell counties. Air quality officials have issued a health notice for air pollution for all North Carolina air quality forecast regions on Friday.

Forecasters have predicted Code Red conditions in the Charlotte area, which means that air quality will be unhealthy. All children and older adults, people with respiratory disease such as asthma, and people who are active outdoors should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion. Everyone else should limit prolonged outdoor exertion from late morning through late evening.

Forecasters have also predicted Code Orange conditions in most other major metropolitan areas and high mountain elevations, which means that air quality is likely to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. People who are sensitive to air pollution should limit prolonged exertion outdoors. Sensitive groups include: children and older adults; people who work or exercise outdoors; and those with asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and other respiratory ailments. The primary pollutant of concern is ozone, a highly reactive form of oxygen. Ozone can be unhealthy to breathe, and high levels generally occur on hot days with stagnant air.

The air pollution forecast for Friday predicts that ozone levels in Charlotte, Fayetteville, Hickory, Rocky Mount, Triad, Triangle, and valley and ridge top elevations in the Asheville area will exceed the federal standard of 75 parts per billion averaged during eight hours. High ozone levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments, older adults and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity in the afternoon, when ozone levels are highest.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality issues daily air forecasts for the Triangle, Charlotte, Asheville, Hickory, Fayetteville and Rocky Mount metropolitan areas. In the Triad region, which is also under a Code Orange health notice for tomorrow, forecasts are issued by the Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection. The forecasts are part of the N.C. Air Awareness Program, a voluntary effort aimed at reducing air pollution in the state’s major metro areas. Air quality officials are asking residents to help reduce air pollution by taking some of the following actions:

Limit driving by riding the bus, walking, bicycling or postponing trips.
If you drive, avoid idling for long periods of time, stay within speed limits, combine errands to reduce the number of small trips, and use vehicles with higher fuel economies.
Conserve electricity by setting thermostats at the highest comfortable temperature and turning off appliances not in use.

In addition, residents of affected areas should refrain from outdoor burning on Code Orange and Red days. It is illegal to burn all man-made materials in North Carolina, including paper, trash, and construction materials. In 1999, the N.C. General Assembly passed legislation aimed at reducing ozone-forming emissions from cars and trucks, including an expansion of the motor vehicle emissions inspection program from nine to 48 counties. In 2002, the General Assembly enacted legislation that will require the state's coal-fired power plants to reduce their ozone- and haze-forming emissions by three-fourths during the next decade.

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Air quality officials issue Code Orange health notice for all North Carolina forecast regions

Jamie Kritzer

RALEIGH– Air quality officials have issued a health notice for air pollution for all North Carolina air quality forecast regions on Friday.

Forecasters have predicted Code Orange conditions in most major metropolitan areas and high mountain elevations, which means that air quality is likely to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. People who are sensitive to air pollution should avoid moderate exertion outdoors. Sensitive groups include: children and older adults; people who work or exercise outdoors; people with heart conditions; and those with asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and other respiratory ailments. The primary pollutant of concern is ozone, a highly reactive form of oxygen. Ozone can be unhealthy to breathe, and high levels generally occur on days with stagnant air.

· Limit driving by riding the bus, walking, bicycling or postponing trips.

· If you drive, avoid idling for long periods of time, stay within speed limits, combine errands to reduce the number of small trips, and use vehicles with higher fuel economies.

· Conserve electricity by setting thermostats at the highest comfortable temperature and turning off appliances not in use.

For more information about air quality forecasts, open burning restrictions and other air issues, visit the division’s website atwww.ncair.org or call 1-888-RU4NCAIR (1-888-784-6224). Information about air quality in the Triad can be found athttp://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/eap/.

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Air Quality Officials Issue Code Orange Notice for Ozone in Charlotte area

Jamie Kritzer

RALEIGH– Air quality officials have issued a health notice for air pollution in the Charlotte metropolitan area on Thursday.

Forecasters have predicted Code Orange conditions, which means air quality in Charlotte is likely to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. People who are sensitive to air pollution should avoid moderate exertion outdoors. Sensitive groups include: children and older adults; people who work or exercise outdoors; people with heart conditions; and those with asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and other respiratory ailments.

The primary pollutant of concern is ozone, a highly reactive form of oxygen. Ozone can be unhealthy to breathe, and high levels generally occur on hot, sunny days with stagnant air.

The air pollution forecast for Thursday predicts that ozone levels in Charlotte will exceed the federal standard of 75 parts per billion averaged during eight hours. High ozone levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments, older adults and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity in the afternoon, when ozone levels are highest.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality issues daily air forecasts for the Asheville, Charlotte, Hickory, Fayetteville, Rocky Mount and Triangle metropolitan areas. In the Triad, forecasts are issued by the Forsyth County Environmental Affairs Department. The forecasts are part of the N.C. Air Awareness Program, a voluntary effort aimed at reducing air pollution in the state’s major metro areas. Air quality officials are asking residents to help reduce air pollution by taking some of the following actions:

· Limit driving by riding the bus, walking, bicycling or postponing trips.

· If you drive, avoid idling for long periods of time, stay within speed limits, combine errands to reduce the number of small trips, and use vehicles with higher fuel economies.

· Conserve electricity by setting thermostats at the highest comfortable temperature and turn off appliances not in use.

In addition, residents of affected areas should refrain from outdoor burning on Code Orange and Code Red days. It is always illegal to burn paper, trash, construction materials and other non-vegetative matter in North Carolina.

The incidence of high-ozone days has declined statewide during the past decade due to measures adopted by state and the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce ozone-forming emissions from power plants, industry and motor vehicles. Ozone forms when nitrogen oxides, or NOx, react with hydrocarbons on hot, sunny days. Most NOx emissions result from the burning of fuels for transportation, industry and power generation.

For more information about air quality forecasts, open burning restrictions and other air issues, visit the division’s website atwww.ncair.org or call 1-888-RU4NCAIR (1-888-784-6224). Information about air quality in the Triad can be found athttp://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/EnvAffairs/.

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Smoke from eastern N.C. wildfire no longer producing elevated levels of air pollution

Jamie Kritzer

RALEIGH – State air quality officials say smoke from a wildfire in eastern North Carolina is no longer generating elevated concentrations of air pollution, thanks to firefighting efforts and heavy rainfall during the weekend.

For the past seven days, monitors had detected elevated concentrations of particle pollution in parts of eastern North Carolina due to smoke from the Dad Fire, which began June 17 in the Croatan National Forest. Smoke from wildfires can create extremely small particles and liquid droplets that can be harmful to breathe and contribute to haze and other air quality problems.

However, rain and firefighting efforts have helped significantly reduce smoke from the fire, and officials with the N.C. Division of Air Quality say that monitors are no longer detecting elevated amounts of particle pollution.

State air quality officials will not issue additional smoke advisories, unless monitors detect changes in particle pollution near the fire that warrant a health advisory.

For the latest information on the Dad Fire, check out the U.S. Forest Service’s websitehttp://www.inciweb.org/incident/2925/.

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Air Quality Officials Continue Health Notice for Eastern North Carolina

Jamie Kritzer

RALEIGH – Air quality officials continued an advisory for air pollution in eastern North Carolina on Saturday as smoke from a Craven County wildfire drifts downwind.

However, forecasts call for improving air quality conditions during the weekend, thanks to firefighting efforts and more favorable weather conditions.

Residents from Morehead City to Havelock, New Bern, Oriental and Aurora could experience unhealthy air quality, depending on wind directions.

The nearly 22,000-acre wildfire in the Croatan National Forest County is blanketing some coastal communities with heavy smoke that could contain high levels of particle pollution. The fire is centered between Havelock and New Bern, and satellite photos show a noticeable plume of smoke drifting downwind. Prevailing winds are expected to blow toward the northeast on Saturday, but smoke movement could shift due to calm periods and sea breezes.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality, or DAQ, does not have a monitor close to the fire, but previous measurements have found very unhealthy air pollution levels in smoke directly downwind of wildfires. Some of the highest particle pollution levels that DAQ has ever measured were in smoke plumes from wildfires.

The primary pollutant of concern is fine particles, which are extremely small particles and liquid droplets in the air. Particles can be harmful to breathe and contribute to haze and other air quality problems.

The air pollution forecast for Saturday estimates that fine particle levels could exceed the standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter averaged over 24 hours. High particle levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments, older adults and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity.

Forecasters have predicted Code Orange or unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups in portions of Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Jones and Pamlico counties. Air quality monitors as far west as Raleigh and as far north as Tarboro and Jamesville have shown increased particle pollution at times due to smoke from the fire, and smoky conditions may be encountered throughout the central coastal region.

The forecast means people who are sensitive to air pollution should avoid or reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors. Sensitive groups include older adults, children, people who work or exercise outdoors, and those with heart conditions and respiratory ailments such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. Everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.

Fine particles can penetrate deeply into the lungs and be absorbed into the bloodstream, causing or aggravating heart and lung diseases. Symptoms of exposure to high particle levels include: irritation of the eyes, nose and throat; coughing; phlegm; chest pain or tightness; shortness of breath; and asthma attacks. In extreme cases, particle pollution can cause premature death.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality issues daily air forecasts for the Triangle, Charlotte, Asheville, Hickory, Fayetteville and Rocky Mount metropolitan areas. In the Triad, forecasts are issued by the Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection. For additional information, call 1-888-RU4NCAIR (1-888-784-6224) or visit the DAQ website atwww.ncair.org or Forsyth County’s website at,http://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/eap/ .

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State fisheries commission denies consideration of request for declaratory ruling

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission voted Thursday to deny consideration of arequest for declaratory ruling regarding a proclamation related to menhaden purse seine fishing.

Omega Protein, a menhaden processing company in Reedville, Va., filed the request May 31, challenging the validity of a proclamation prohibiting the use of purse seines deployed from a mother ship for the harvest of menhaden in state waters. The commission voted for this management measure at its May meeting, and N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Director Louis Daniel implemented the regulation by proclamation.

Omega Protein has the option to seek judicial review from the courts.

A purse seine is a type of net that is used to encircle a school of fish then trap the fish when it is closed with a line passing through rings, like a drawstring.

Audio of this meeting can be found at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/june-2012-mfc-business-meeting.

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Air Quality Officials Continue Health Notice for Eastern North Carolina

Tom Mather

RALEIGH – Air quality officials continued an advisory for air pollution in eastern North Carolina on Friday as smoke from a Craven County wildfire drifts downwind.

Residents from Morehead City to Havelock, New Bern, Oriental and Aurora could experience unhealthy air quality, depending on wind directions.

The 22,000-acre wildfire in the Croatan National Forest County is blanketing some coastal communities with heavy smoke that could contain high levels of particle pollution. The fire is centered between Havelock and New Bern, and satellite photos show a large plume of smoke drifting downwind. Prevailing winds are expected to blow toward the northeast on Friday, but smoke movement could shift due to calm periods and sea breezes.

The air pollution forecast for Friday estimates that fine particle levels could exceed the standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter averaged over 24 hours. High particle levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments, older adults and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity.

Forecasters have predicted Code Red or unhealthy air quality in portions of Craven and Pamlico counties. Also, residents could experience Code Orange conditions, or unhealthy for sensitive groups, in those areas as well as Beaufort, Carteret and Jones counties. Air quality monitors as far west as Raleigh and as far north as Tarboro and Jamesville have shown increased particle pollution at times due to smoke from the fire, and smoky conditions may be encountered throughout the central and northern coastal region.

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Air Quality Officials Issue Code Orange Notice for Ozone

Tom Mather

RALEIGH– Air quality officials have issued a health notice for air pollution in the Charlotte and Triad metropolitan areas on Thursday.

The primary pollutant of concern is ozone, a highly reactive form of oxygen. Ozone can be unhealthy to breathe, and high levels generally occur on hot, sunny days with stagnant air.

The air pollution forecast for Thursday predicts that ozone levels in Charlotte and the Triad will exceed the federal standard of 75 parts per billion averaged during eight hours. High ozone levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments, older adults and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity in the afternoon, when ozone levels are highest.

Limit driving by riding the bus, walking, bicycling or postponing trips.
If you drive, avoid idling for long periods of time, stay within speed limits, combine errands to reduce the number of small trips, and use vehicles with higher fuel economies.
Conserve electricity by setting thermostats at the highest comfortable temperature and turn off appliances not in use.

Thursday’s health notice for air pollution in Charlotte and the Triad is not related to the air quality advisories issued earlier today for the parts of eastern North Carolina affected by smoke from a Craven County wildfire.

The incidence of high-ozone days has declined statewide during the past decade due to measures adopted by state and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reduce ozone-forming emissions from power plants, industry and motor vehicles. Ozone forms when nitrogen oxides (NOx) react with hydrocarbons on hot, sunny days. Most NOx emissions result from the burning of fuels for transportation, industry and power generation.

For more information about air quality forecasts, open burning restrictions and other air issues, visit the division’s website atwww.ncair.org or call 1-888-RU4NCAIR (1-888-784-6224). Information about air quality in the Triad can be found athttp://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/eap/.

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Air Quality Officials Continue Health Notice for Eastern North Carolina

Tom.Mather@ncdenr.gov

RALEIGH – Air quality officials continued an advisory today for air pollution in eastern North Carolina on Thursday as smoke from a Craven County wildfire drifts downwind.

Residents from Morehead City to Havelock, New Bern and Washington, N.C., could experience unhealthy air quality, depending on wind directions.

The 21,000-acre wildfire in the Croatan National Forest County is blanketing some coastal communities with heavy smoke that could contain high levels of particle pollution. The fire is centered between Havelock and New Bern, and satellite photos show a large plume of smoke drifting downwind. Prevailing winds are expected to blow toward the northeast on Thursday, but smoke movement could shift due to calm periods and sea breezes.

The air pollution forecast for Thursday estimates that fine particle levels could exceed the standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter averaged over 24 hours. High particle levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments, older adults and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity.

Forecasters have predicted Code Red or unhealthy air quality in portions of Craven, Jones and Pamlico counties. In addition, residents could experience Code Orange conditions, or unhealthy for sensitive groups, in those areas as well as Beaufort, Carteret and Hyde counties. Air quality monitors as far west as Raleigh and as far north as Tarboro and Jamesville have shown increased particle pollution due to smoke from the fire, and smoky conditions may be encountered throughout the central and northern coastal region.

# # #

Air Quality Officials Issue Code Orange Notice for Ozone

Tom Mather

RALEIGH - Air quality officials have issued a health notice for air pollution in the Charlotte and Hickory metropolitan areas on Wednesday.

The primary pollutant of concern is ozone, a highly reactive form of oxygen. Ozone can be unhealthy to breathe, and high levels generally occur on hot sunny days with stagnant air.

The air pollution forecast for Wednesday predicts that ozone levels in Charlotte and Hickory will exceed the federal standard of 75 parts per billion averaged during eight hours. High ozone levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments, older adults and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity in the afternoon, when ozone levels are highest.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality issues daily air forecasts for the Asheville, Charlotte, Hickory, Fayetteville, Rocky Mount and Triangle metropolitan areas. In the Triad, the Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection issue forecasts. The forecasts are part of the N.C. Air Awareness Program, a voluntary effort aimed at reducing air pollution in the state’s major metro areas. Residents can help reduce air pollution by taking some of the following actions:

Limit driving by riding the bus, walking, bicycling or postponing trips.
If you drive, avoid idling for long periods of time, stay within speed limits, combine errands to reduce the number of small trips, and use vehicles with higher fuel economies.
Conserve electricity by setting thermostats at the highest comfortable temperature and turning off appliances not in use.

Wednesday’s health notice for air pollution in Charlotte and Hickory is not related to the air quality advisories issued earlier today for the parts of eastern North Carolina affected by smoke from a Craven County wildfire.

For more information about air quality forecasts, open burning restrictions and other air issues, visit the division’s website at http://www.ncair.org or call 1-888-RU4NCAIR (1-888-784-6224). Information about air quality in the Triad can be found at http://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/eap/.

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Air Quality Officials Expand Health Notice for Eastern North Carolina

Tom Mather

RALEIGH – Air quality officials expanded an advisory for air pollution in eastern North Carolina on Wednesday as the Craven County wildfire grows and smoke drifts downwind.

Residents from Cape Carteret to Morehead City, Havelock, New Bern, Washington, Plymouth and Columbia could experience unhealthy air quality, depending on wind directions.

The wildfire in the Croatan National Forest County has grown to more than 21,000 acres, generating heavy smoke that can contain high levels of particle pollution. The fire is centered between Havelock and New Bern, and satellite photos show a large plume of smoke drifting downwind. Winds are expected to blow toward the northeast on Wednesday.

The air pollution forecast for Wednesday estimates that fine particle levels could exceed the standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter averaged over 24 hours. High particle levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments, older adults and children should reduce physical exertion, particularly when outdoors.

Forecasters have predicted Code Red or unhealthy air quality in all or parts of Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Jones and Pamlico counties. In addition, residents could experience Code Orange conditions, or unhealthy for sensitive groups, in those counties as well as Dare, Hyde, Martin, Pitt, Tyrrell and Washington counties. Air quality monitors as far west as Raleigh and as far north as Tarboro and Jamesville have shown increased particle pollution due to smoke from the fire, and smoky conditions may be encountered throughout the central and northern Coastal Plain.

The forecast means people who are sensitive to air pollution should avoid or reduce prolonged or heavy exertion, particularly when outdoors. Sensitive groups include the older adults, children, people who work or exercise outdoors, and those with heart conditions and respiratory ailments such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. Everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.

Fine particles can penetrate deeply into the lungs and be absorbed into the bloodstream, causing or aggravating heart and lung diseases. People most susceptible to particle pollution include those with heart and respiratory conditions, the elderly and young children. Symptoms of exposure to high particle levels include: irritation of the eyes, nose and throat; coughing; phlegm; chest pain or tightness; shortness of breath; and asthma attacks. In extreme cases, particle pollution can cause premature death.

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Three sites certified, six others recertified as North Carolina Clean Marinas

Michele Walker

RALEIGH– Three coastal marinas have been certified as North Carolina Clean Marinas, a designation given to marinas that exceed the state’s environmental regulations.

The Mona Black Marina, Federal Point Yacht Club and Carolina Beach State Park, which are all in Carolina Beach, earned the status as North Carolina Clean Marinas.

The Clean Marina program illustrates how marina operators can help safeguard the environment by using management and operation techniques that exceed environmental requirements. To earn the certification, the marina’s owners prepare spill prevention plans and conduct safety and emergency planning. Marina operators also control boat maintenance activities to protect water quality. Marinas must complete the recertification process every two years in order to retain their certification as a North Carolina Clean Marina.

In addition to the three newcomers, six coastal marinas have been recertified as North Carolina Clean Marinas: Cypress Landing Marina, Harbour Village Marina, Wilmington Marine Center, Joyner Marina, Southport Marina and New Bern Grand Marina.

For more information, contact Pat Durrett, with the N.C. Division of Coastal Management, at 252-808-2808.

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Chimney Rock State Park to dedicate improvements June 29

Charlie Peek

RALEIGH – Chimney Rock State Park will formally dedicate improvements to its elevator and trail access facilities that allow visitors to reach the signature rock spire and nearby natural features, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.

A ceremony will be at 11 a.m. June 29 at the park in Rutherford County.

The two-year project resulted in a complete renovation of a 1940s-era elevator that carries visitors up 26 stories to the park’s principal features as well as replacement of the Outcroppings Trail, a companion stairway that also allows access to summit destinations. The projects were completed by contractors supported by state park staff and Chimney Rock Management LLC, the private firm that operates visitor facilities within the Chimney Rock section of the 5,700-acre state park.

The dedication will mark completion of a long-term effort to improve infrastructure at Chimney Rock, the centerpiece of the state park. Chimney Rock had been a private tourist destination before it was incorporated into the state park in 2007. The Morse family started developing the popular attraction in 1902.

“Our commitment upon the purchase of Chimney Rock was continued stewardship of its natural resources and improvement of its facilities for visitor safety and enjoyment, and these projects contribute to that effort,” said Lewis Ledford, state parks director. “Simultaneously since 2007, we’ve completed other important land acquisitions within the Hickory Nut Gorge and developed a comprehensive master plan for the state park as a whole.”

To furnish elevator service to the mountain’s summit in 1949, workers labored for 18 months to blast through solid granite, creating a 258-foot elevator shaft reached through a 198-foot-long tunnel. The Sky Lounge entrance facility at the top was then built as a gateway to the Chimney Rock feature. The elevator renovation project repaired or replaced almost every part, including the original elevator car and an emergency evacuation stair system.

The Outcroppings Trail, a series of 491 stairs that rises 260 feet in elevation was reopened to the public in April, replacing a network of wooden stairways gradually created in the first half of the last century. The project involved four helicopter airlift missions to transport construction materials. Steel columns were carefully lowered between rock outcroppings and large trees onto new concrete footings.

Since 2007, the state parks system has invested $5.1 million in renovations at Chimney Rock, most of it provided through the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, the principal funding source for state parks capital projects and land acquisition. The improvements have also included replacement of water-supply tanks on the mountain’s summit, structural repairs and repaving of the park’s entrance bridge. Also, the Sky Lounge and restrooms at two sites were modified, making them fully accessible and adding sustainable, water-saving features.

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Air Quality Officials Issue Code Orange Notice for Ozone

Tom Mather

RALEIGH – Air quality officials have issued a health notice for air pollution in the Charlotte metropolitan area on Tuesday.

Forecasters have predicted Code Orange conditions, which means that air quality in Charlotte is likely to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. People who are sensitive to air pollution should avoid moderate exertion outdoors. Sensitive groups include: children and older adults; people who work or exercise outdoors; people with heart conditions; and those with asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and other respiratory ailments.

The primary pollutant of concern is ozone, a highly reactive form of oxygen. Ozone can be unhealthy to breathe, and high levels generally occur on hot, sunny days with stagnant air.

The air pollution forecast for Tuesday predicts that ozone levels in Charlotte will exceed the federal standard of 75 parts per billion averaged during eight hours. High ozone levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments, older adults and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity in the afternoon, when ozone levels are highest.

Limit driving by riding the bus, walking, bicycling or postponing trips.
If you drive, avoid idling for long periods of time, stay within speed limits, combine errands to reduce the number of small trips, and use vehicles with higher fuel economies.
Conserve electricity by setting thermostats at the highest comfortable temperature and turning off appliances not in use.

Tuesday’s health notice for air pollution in the Charlotte metropolitan area is not related to the air quality advisories issued earlier today for the parts of eastern North Carolina affected by smoke from a Craven County wildfire.

For more information about air quality forecasts, open burning restrictions and other air issues, visit the division’s website atwww.ncair.org or call 1-888-RU4NCAIR (1-888-784-6224). Information about air quality in the Triad can be found athttp://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/eap/.

# # #

Air Quality Officials Continue Health Notice for Eastern North Carolina

Tom Mather

RALEIGH – Air quality officials continued an advisory for air pollution in eastern North Carolina on Tuesday as smoke from a Craven County wildfire drifts downwind.

Residents from Havelock to New Bern and Washington, N.C., could experience unhealthy air quality, depending on wind directions.

An 8,000-acre wildfire in the Croatan National Forest County is blanketing some coastal communities with heavy smoke that could contain high levels of particle pollution. The fire is centered between Havelock and New Bern, and satellite photos show a large plume of smoke drifting downwind. Winds are expected to shift toward the north on Tuesday.

The air pollution forecast for Tuesday estimates that fine particle levels could exceed the standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter averaged over 24 hours. High particle levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity.

Forecasters have predicted Code Red or unhealthy air quality in portions of Craven, Jones and Pamlico counties. Also, residents could experience Code Orange conditions, or unhealthy for sensitive groups, in the following counties: Beaufort, Craven, Hyde, Jones, Martin, Pamlico, Pitt and Washington counties. Air quality monitors as far west as Raleigh and as far north as Tarboro have shown increased particle pollution due to smoke from the fire, and smoky conditions may be encountered throughout the central and northern Coastal Plain.

The forecast means people who are sensitive to air pollution should avoid or reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors. Sensitive groups include the elderly, children, people who work or exercise outdoors, and those with heart conditions and respiratory ailments such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. Everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.

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Air Quality Officials Issue Health Notice for Eastern North Carolina

Tom Mather

RALEIGH – Air quality officials issued an advisory today for air pollution in eastern North Carolina as smoke from a Craven County wildfire drifts downwind. Residents in Carteret, Craven, Jones, and Onslow and Pamlico counties could experience unhealthy air quality, depending on wind directions.

The air pollution forecast for Monday estimates that fine particle levels could exceed the standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter averaged over 24 hours. High particle levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity.

Residents could experience Code Orange conditions, or unhealthy for sensitive groups, today in the Carteret, Craven, Jones, Onslow and Pamlico counties. Air quality monitors as far west as Raleigh have shown increased particle pollution due to smoke from the fire, but concentrations had not reached unhealthy levels in the Triangle by mid-morning Monday.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality issues daily air forecasts for the Triangle, Charlotte, Asheville, Hickory, Fayetteville and Rocky Mount metropolitan areas. In the Triad, forecasts are issued by the Forsyth County Environmental Affairs Department. For additional information, call 1-888-RU4NCAIR (1-888-784-6224) or visit the DAQ website atwww.ncair.org or Forsyth County’s website at,http://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/EnvAffairs/

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Commission to release report on western North Carolina Friday

Judy Francis

RALEIGH – The North Carolina Mountain Resources Commission will unveil a report Friday that provides decision-makers in 27 western counties with beneficial information about the use of the region’s abundant resources.

The commission will release the Western North Carolina Vitality Index at 1 p.m. Friday at Grandfather Mountain during an event with the theme “Mountain Connections: The Economy, Culture, and Resources of WNC.”

The index is a free resource with a map viewer and can be found online at www.wncvitalityindex.org.

“The Western North Carolina Vitality Index will be an invaluable tool for counties and others as a free source of trusted and current information on a wide range of topics that will be helpful to develop and implement critical projects,” said Charles Vines, the Mitchell County manager who also serves as a commission member.

Commission members hope the index will be used by local government officials, interest groups and the public to:

Preserve the heritage and culture that defines western North Carolina communities while strengthening public health.
Improve the region’s local economic activity and expand its influence.
Promote development that accommodates healthy growth.
Protect the region’s unique natural resources.
Compare western North Carolina to the rest of the state and the nation.

The index was developed during the course of the last year, thanks to financial support of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area and the U.S. Forest Service’s Southern Research Station and technical help from the University of North Carolina as well as state and local governments, university faculty, nonprofit organizations and people in the private sector.

The North Carolina Mountain Resources Commission was created by the General Assembly in 2009 to provide recommendations regarding resources in the state’s 27 western counties. Members are appointed by the governor and the state legislature and are not paid state money for their service to the commission. The commission serves in an advisory capacity and has no regulatory authority. The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources provides the commission with administrative support.

For more information, please contact Jamie Kritzer, public information officer with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, at 919-707-8602 or Judy Francis, the western program’s coordinator with the state Office of Conservation Planning and Community Affairs, at 828-768-0561.

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State fisheries commission schedules meet to discuss request for declaratory ruling

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY - The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet June 21 to decide whether to grantor deny consideration of arequest for declaratory ruling regarding a proclamation related to menhaden fishing.

The meeting will begin at 1 p.m. at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center, 203 South Front St., New Bern.

Omega Protein, a menhaden processing company in Reedville, Va., filed the request, which challenges the validity of a proclamation prohibiting the use of purse seines deployed from a mother ship for the harvest of menhaden in state waters. The commission voted for this management measure at its May meeting, and N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Director Louis Daniel implemented the regulation by proclamation.

A purse seine is a type of net that is used to encircle a school of fish then trap the fish when it is closed with a line passing through rings, like the drawstring of a money purse.

The division received the petition May 31 and the commission is required by law to grant or deny consideration of the request within 30 days. Should the commission choose to grant consideration of the petition, attorneys will present their arguments at a later date.

The request for declaratory ruling and the meeting agenda are posted on the division website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/june-2012-mfc-business-meeting.

Also on the agenda are votes to reauthorize rule suspensions for the purse seine closure and other regulations. These votes must occur at every commission meeting to continue any regulation that the division director has implemented by issuing a proclamation that temporarily suspends a rule.

The meeting is open to the public; however, no public comment period is scheduled.

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N.C. Coastal Resources Commission will meet June 20-21 in Beaufort

Michele Walker

RALEIGH – The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission, or CRC, will meet June 20-21 at the NOAA/NCNERR Administration Building, 101 Pivers Island Road, in Beaufort.

The meeting will begin at 1 p.m. June 20 and 8:30 a.m. June 21. The meeting is open to the public.

The following are some of the items on the CRC’s agenda:

Draft Sea-Level Rise Policy Review– The CRC’s Estuarine and Ocean Systems Subcommittee will consider further revisions to the N.C. Coastal Resources Commission’s draft sea-level rise policy.
DCM Regulatory Process –N.C.Division of Coastal Management, or DCM, staff will present information on the division’s permitting process, including customer service, the CAMA Major Permit process, and compliance and tiered enforcement policies.
Land Use Planning Process –DCM staff will review the status of land use planning guidelines and discuss future direction for the program.
Estuarine Shorelines –DCM staff will discuss departmental coordination efforts with regard to living shorelines, and the division’s recent estuarine shoreline mapping project.
Variance Request– The CRC will consider one request for a variance from the commission’s rules.
Land Use Plan Amendments –The CRC will consider land use plan amendments for the towns of North Topsail Beach and Swansboro, and the counties of New Hanover and Pamlico.
Public Input and Comment –Members of the public may comment on CRC issues at 11:30 a.m. June 21.

The Coastal Resources Advisory Council, a group that provides the CRC with local government perspectives and technical advice, will meet at 10 a.m. June 20 in the NOAA/NCNERR Administration Building auditorium.

A full meeting agenda is posted on the N.C. Division of Coastal Management’s website at www.nccoastalmanagement.net.

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State seeking public input on proposed change to water quality guidelines

Susan Massengale

RALEIGH – Officials are seeking public comments on a proposed change to state water quality guidelines that would allow developers in the entire state to earn stormwater credits if they use permeable pavement on projects rather than asphalt or concrete.

Currently, only development projects in eastern North Carolina are eligible for stormwater treatment credits when permeable pavement is properly designed and installed. The change being proposed by the N.C. Division of Water Quality would make projects that properly use permeable pavement anywhere in North Carolina eligible for the credits.

Permeable pavement is an alternative to concrete and asphalt that allows stormwater to infiltrate through its surface and soak into the ground or be stored and released. When it’s compared to asphalt or concrete, properly used permeable pavement can reduce the volume of stormwater discharged from developed areas by as much as 90 percent. That’s important because stormwater and the sediment it carries represent North Carolina’s No. 1 source of water pollution.

Construction permits issued by the N.C. Division of Water Quality often require developers to put in place measures to offset the impacts that a project will have on streams and wetlands. The change to the state water quality guidelines would give developers in the entire state credit for using permeable pavement as one measure to offset environmental impacts.

The proposed change from the state Division of Water Quality takes into account the different soil types found in the state and gives more credit for properly designed and constructed systems in sandy soils than for those in clay soils. Proper maintenance of the permeable pavement is critical to continued benefits from its installation. Without proper maintenance, sediments can clog the pores that allow infiltration and compromise the pavement’s effectiveness.

The proposed change came about as a result of new research on the effectiveness of permeable pavement in North Carolina soils. Until recently, concerns about permeable pavement’s ability to provide long-term stormwater treatment limited its use as a management device to those areas such as the Sandhills and Coastal Plains, both of which have sandy soils with high infiltration rates. However, research conducted at N.C. State University has shown that permeable pavement can be used successfully to improve stormwater treatment in most soil types as long as the paved areas are properly designed, installed and maintained.

Research has shown that permeable pavement removes more pollutants than many other treatment practices. It also recharges more water into the ground, aquifers and streams. In addition to its environmental benefits, permeable pavement can reduce development costs. That’s because developers who properly design and install permeable pavement may be able to reduce costs associated with stormwater treatment and qualify for higher-density development.

People who would like more information about the N.C. Division of Water Quality’s proposed change, can find that information at www.ncwaterquality.org. Click on the Permeable Pavement Revisions link on the left side of the page under Hot Topics. People who wish to comment on the proposed change have until July 31.

Questions or comments should be directed to Annette Lucas at annette.lucas@ncdenr.gov or 919-807-6381, or Boyd DeVane at boyd.devane@ncdenr.gov or 919-807-6373.

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Air Quality Officials Issue Code Orange Notice for Ozone

Tom Mather

RALEIGH– Air quality officials have issued a health notice for air pollution in the Charlotte metropolitan area on Saturday, the first "Ozone Action Day" of 2012.

The primary pollutant of concern is ozone, a highly reactive form of oxygen. Ozone can be unhealthy to breathe, and high levels generally occur on hot, sunny days with stagnant air.

The air pollution forecast for Saturday predicts that ozone levels in Charlotte will exceed the federal standard of 75 parts per billion averaged during eight hours. High ozone levels can impair breathing and aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory problems, and irritate the lungs in healthy individuals. People with chronic lung ailments, older adults and children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity in the afternoon, when ozone levels are highest.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality issues daily air forecasts for the Asheville, Charlotte, Hickory, Fayetteville, Rocky Mount and Triangle metropolitan areas. In the Triad, forecasts are issued by the Forsyth County Environmental Affairs Department. The forecasts are part of the N.C. Air Awareness Program, a voluntary effort aimed at reducing air pollution in the state’s major metro areas. Air quality officials are asking residents to help reduce air pollution by taking some of the following actions:

Limit driving by riding the bus, walking, bicycling or postponing trips.
If you drive, avoid idling for long periods of time, stay within speed limits, combine errands to reduce the number of small trips, and use vehicles with higher fuel economies.
Conserve electricity by setting thermostats at the highest comfortable temperature and turn off appliances not in use.

The incidence of high-ozone days has declined statewide over the past decade due to measures adopted by state and the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce ozone-forming emissions from power plants, industry and motor vehicles. Ozone forms when nitrogen oxides, or NOx, react with hydrocarbons on hot, sunny days. Most NOx emissions result from the burning of fuels for transportation, industry and power generation.

For more information about air quality forecasts, open burning restrictions and other air issues, visit the division’s website atwww.ncair.org or call 1-888-RU4NCAIR (1-888-784-6224). Information about air quality in the Triad can be found athttp://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/EnvAffairs/.

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Drought disappears from N.C. for first time in nearly two years

Sarah M. Young

RALEIGH – Recent rainfall has helped to rid North Carolina of drought conditions for the first time in almost two years.

The rain the state received from Tropical Storm Beryl helped eliminate lingering moderate drought conditions in eastern North Carolina. There are still 36 central and southeastern counties experiencing abnormally dry conditions. The last time the state was drought-free was during the week of June 29, 2010.

Abnormally dry is not a drought category. Rather, it describes less severe dry conditions, which still require heightened awareness by water users in the affected counties. These counties should monitor their water supply sources for diminished capacity and plan for potentially worsening conditions if the dryness persists.

These conditions are reflected on the federal drought map for North Carolina, which is released every Thursday. To see the most recent drought map, go to www.ncdrought.org.

“Recent rains have improved many streams and groundwater levels,” said Donna Jackson, chairwoman of the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council. “Major reservoirs, including those in the Triangle and Catawba River basin, are full and there is a sufficient water supply available at this time.”

While recent rainfall has brought recovery to surface water and topsoil, there is a deeper groundwater deficit. There are lower water levels in wells, which help supply individual and community water needs.

“North Carolina’s rainfall becomes more difficult to forecast, as well as less reliable, during the summer months,” said Michael Moneypenny, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Raleigh and a member of the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council. “Weather systems are typically weaker and the bulk of our rainfall comes from scattered shower and thunderstorm activity that pops up during the heat of the day.”

Ryan Boyles, the state climatologist who works at N.C. State University, added: “Winter climate conditions can be predicted several months in advance due to factors such as La NiÃ±a. However, summer seasonal conditions are not currently predictable, and the upcoming summer is just as likely to be dry as wet.”

With little guidance to rely upon, underlying dryness will have to be monitored closely. Conditions can worsen quickly because North Carolina’s hot summer months can bring about higher rates of evaporation.

For tips and ways to save water, go to www.savewaternc.org.

# # #

Statement on Release of U.S. Geological Survey Assessment of North Carolina Oil and Gas Resources

Diana Kees

On June 5, 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released its assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources for five East Coast Mesozoic basins. Its assessment was released in a fact sheet entitled: “Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the East Coast Mesozoic Basins of the Piedmont, Blue Ridge Thrust Belt, Atlantic Coastal Plain, and New England Provinces, 2011” -- FS 2012-3075. This fact sheet, which includes an assessment of the North Carolina oil and gas resource, can be found on the USGS website at http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2012/3075/fs2012-3075.pdf.

Dr. Kenneth Taylor, chief of the N.C. Geological Survey, has the following statement in regard to the USGS characterization of North Carolina oil and gas resource:

“Using a geology-based assessment method, the USGS estimates the mean undiscovered natural gas resources in the Deep River Basin in North Carolina to be 1,660 billion cubic feet of gas and 83 million barrels of natural gas liquids. Based on the 2010 average daily natural gas consumption volume in North Carolina of 811 million cubic feet per day, the USGS mean estimate of 1.66 trillion cubic feet could meet the state’s natural gas demand for 5.6 years.

“For the Dan River-Danville Basin, the mean undiscovered resources are 49 billion cubic feet of gas and no natural gas liquids. The USGS assessment combined both the North Carolina and Virginia portions to calculate one estimate for the entire basin. Based on the 2010 average daily natural gas consumption volume in North Carolina of 811 million cubic feet per day, the USGS mean estimate of 49 billion cubic feet could meet the state’s natural gas demand for 60 days.”

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North Carolina State Parks mobile application among most popular of its type

Charlie Peek

RALEIGH – The free Pocket Ranger mobile application for North Carolina’s state parks, developed for smartphones by ParksByNature Network, has been ranked among the top 100 free navigation applications by Apple’s iTunes, the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation announced.

Apple’s iTunes ranked the North Carolina State Parks Pocket Ranger Mobile App 43^rd in popularity, based on the number of times the application has been downloaded. The mobile application, or app, was introduced in May 2011 by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation in partnership with Friends of State Parks and ParksByNature Network. The app was among the first such comprehensive mobile applications for state parks systems created by New York-based ParksByNature.

The downloadable application for iPhone and Android smartphones allows visitors to plan trips and explore state parks with details readily at hand about park locations, trails, facilities, reservations, events and special news alerts. It also allows GPS-aided, state-of-the-art navigation of state parks, storage of detailed topographic maps and enhanced interactive features for social media. An “alert” feature supplies GPS coordinates to designated contacts in case of emergencies.

The mobile app for North Carolina state parks can be downloaded from the iTunes Store and Android’s Market by searching NC State Parks or NC Pocket Ranger or by logging on towww.officialstateparkapps.com.

# # #

MEDIA ADVISORY: Masonboro Island Reserve Local Advisory Committee to meet June 4

Michele Walker

WHAT: Local Advisory Committee Meeting for the Masonboro Island Reserve

WHEN: 6 p.m. June 4

WHERE: Habitat Conference Room of the UNCW Center for Marine Science, 5600 Marvin K. Moss Lane, Wilmington.

WILMINGTON - The Local Advisory Committee for the Masonboro Island component of the N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve will meet at 6 p.m. June 4 in the Habitat Conference Room of the UNCW Center for Marine Science, 5600 Marvin K. Moss Lane, Wilmington.

The meeting is open to the public.

The committee of local residents, partners and leaders provide the Division of Coastal Management’s Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve staff with guidance and feedback regarding management of the reserve.

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Ferry Service Suspended at Hammocks Beach State Park

Charlie Peek

RALEIGH – Ferry service and camping at Hammocks Beach State Park will be suspended Wednesday due to weather conditions associated with Tropical Depression Beryl, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.

The Swansboro area, including Hammocks Beach State Park and Bear Island, is expected to have over 30 mph winds and be under a flood watch Wednesday. A determination will be made by noon Wednesday regarding service resumption.

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Grandfather Mountain Becomes First State Attraction to Join NC GreenTravel Initiative

Diana Kees

RALEIGH – Grandfather Mountain today became the first attraction to join and become certified to the NC GreenTravel Initiative, a program that recognizes state travel-related businesses that employ healthy environmental practices.

The N.C. Division of Environmental Assistance and Outreach – in partnership with the Center for Sustainable Tourism at East Carolina University and the Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development in the N.C. Department of Commerce – launched the NC GreenTravel Initiative earlier this year to spotlight the state’s commitment to sustainable practices and to recognize businesses that have integrated greener practices into their daily routine.

“Grandfather Mountain, a signature North Carolina landmark, has been a premier wildlife sanctuary and nature preserve for decades,” said Mary Penny Thompson, chief deputy secretary for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “We recognize the strong conservation ethic at the natural attraction, endowed by its property owners many years ago, as well as its environmental commitment and leadership, as it becomes our first attraction in the NC GreenTravel Initiative.”

To date, 23 other entities have been certified through the NC GreenTravel Initiative. Grandfather Mountain, located in Linville, qualified for recognition through the program because of its green practices, which include:

Generating its own green power through an array of photovoltaic cells. These cells produce seven kilowatts of electricity per month that is sold directly to the power grid.
Using solar thermal panels to heat the water and supply radiant heat in Grandfather’s Fudge Shop. The shop also features renewable bamboo flooring and skylight for natural lighting. Rain barrels collect runoff from the roof and the reclaimed water is used to water the butterfly garden.
Using 100 percent compostable and biodegradable plates, cups, forks, spoons, knives and take-out container in its Nature Museum Restaurant. Recycling bins for aluminum and plastic can also be found in different locations throughout the park.

“The state wanted to take the lead in establishing criteria and rating the green practices of businesses in the North Carolina travel industry so that consumers would know a business qualifies as green,” said Catherine Morton, director for Mission at the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “Travelers want to spend their money on things they know to be sustainable.”

Businesses seeking recognition by the NC GreenTravel Initiative submit an online application. The application features categories related to recycling, energy management, water conservation and other sustainable actions, along with an associated score. Once points are tallied, the business is awarded recognition on one of three levels based on its overall score.

Applicants recognized by the NC GreenTravel Initiative receive a wall certificate and door decal identifying them as members of the NC GreenTravel community. They will also be listed as a sustainable travel business on the NC GreenTravel website at www.ncgreentravel.org/.

For information about the program, contact Tom Rhodes, NC GreenTravel program coordinator, at tom.rhodes@ncdenr.gov or 919-707-8140; or Alex Naar, director of sustainable tourism outreach at ECU, at naara@ecu.edu or 252-737-1346.

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Advisory: Grandfather Mountain to be Recognized for its Environmental Commitment

Diana Kees

RALEIGH - Chief Deputy Secretary Mary Penny Thompson of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources will recognize Grandfather Mountain for its environmental commitment during a short public event on Tuesday in connection with the NC GreenTravel Initiative, a joint program with DENR; the Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development in the N.C. Department of Commerce; and the Center for Sustainable Tourism at East Carolina University.

Immediately following the event, officials with Grandfather Mountain will lead a short tour highlighting the attraction’s environmental efforts.

Where: Grandfather Mountain, Half Moon Overlook (just below the Woods Walk Picnic Area), US 221 & Blue Ridge Parkway, Linville

When: Tuesday, May 29; 1 p.m.

Who: DENR Chief Deputy Secretary Mary Penny Thompson; Catherine Morton, director for Mission, Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation; Penn Dameron, executive director of Grandfather Mountain; and Pat Long, director of the Center for Sustainable Tourism.

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N.C. Coastal Resources Commission to meet via conference call May 24

Michele Walker

RALEIGH – The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission has scheduled a conference call for 10 a.m. May 24 to consider a variance request from a homeowners association in North Topsail Beach.

The Topsail Reef Homeowners Association, Inc. is requesting a variance to construct sandbag revetments that exceed the dimensions, bag size and location permitted by the commission’s rules.

The CRC’s rules limit sandbag structures to six feet in height and 20 feet in base width. The variance request seeks authorization to construct revetments up to 12 feet high, with a base width of between 40 feet and 45 feet. The commission’s rules also limit placement of sandbag structures to a maximum of 20 feet waterward of threatened structures. The variance seeks the commission’s permission to place the sandbags as much as 29 feet waterward of the structures. The homeowners association seeks a variance from other technical issues related to the methods of installing the sandbags.

Informational materials for the variance request are available on the N.C. Division of Coastal Management’s website athttp://dcm2.enr.state.nc.us/topsailreefvariance.pdf.

Interested parties can listen to the conference call at the division’s offices listed below:

· Morehead City Headquarters, 400 Commerce Ave.

· Wilmington Office, 127 Cardinal Drive Ext.

· Elizabeth City Office, 1367 U.S. 17 South

· Washington Office, 943 Washington Square Mall

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Recycling Programs Grow in North Carolina; Catawba County Leads State in Per Capita Recycling Rate

Diana Kees

RALEIGH – Expanding recycling efforts in North Carolina contributed to last year’s historic drop in its per capita disposal rate, and state environmental officials today recognized Catawba County for its leadership in recycling, as shown in the state’s annual rankings of county per capita recycling rates.

Catawba County earned the top spot in the state recycling rankings, according to data compiled in the 2010-2011 North Carolina Solid Waste and Materials Management Report. Its recycling rate of more than 729 pounds per capita can in large part be attributed to the Catawba County Regional EcoComplex and Resource Recovery Facility, an innovative and interactive network of companies and operations that tries to match waste streams with the need for materials in the manufacturing of new products and energy sources. The on-site use of discarded materials in turn helps Catawba County achieve higher rates of recycling.

“Catawba County and its municipalities set a strong example for other North Carolina communities in the implementation of programs and policies that encourage waste reduction and recycling,” said Rob Taylor, Local Government Assistance team leader for the Division of Environmental Assistance and Outreach. “They do an outstanding job of recovering both traditional recyclables in curbside and drop-off programs, but also other materials like wood and pallets at the County’s innovative EcoComplex.”

Municipal and county recycling programs across the state continue to play an important role in diverting materials from landfills and delivering them to North Carolina’s recycling economy. The 2010-2011 report and analysis of solid waste management indicates that North Carolinians threw away less per capita than at any time in nearly 20 years, largely due to continuing recycling efforts as well as economic conditions.

“One of Gov. Bev Perdue’s top priorities has been and continues to be investing in our economic future and creating jobs,” said Secretary Dee Freeman of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “The growth we’re seeing in public recycling programs such as in Catawba County, brings the welcome news of more materials to North Carolina manufacturers who rely on recycled commodities as their raw materials.”

Features of note related to public recycling efforts during fiscal year 2010-11 include:

· Continued growth in the recovery of traditional recyclable materials. Local government programs collected a record tonnage of traditional recyclable materials like newspapers, magazines, cardboard, junk mail, aluminum and steel cans and plastic and glass bottles and jars. This occurred in spite of a weak consumer economy, a trend towards decreased weight of packaging, and the continued decrease in the circulation and size of newspapers.

Plastic bottle recovery in particular has experienced significant growth since the state’s disposal ban became effective on Oct. 1, 2009, increasing 22 percent in FY 2009-10 and 23.4 percent in FY 2010-11.

· Increases in the number of curbside recycling programs and the number of citizens with access to recycling collection. During FY 2010-11 the number of publically operated curbside recycling programs grew for the third year in a row, climbing to 283 total programs from 259 in 2010 and 214 programs in 2009.

· Significant growth in local government electronics recycling programs. The number of local governments operating an electronics recycling program has more than doubled in the past five years and will continue to grow in response to the state’s electronics disposal ban and as the demand for the metals and plastics in discarded electronics continues to rise. In FY 2010-11 local governments recycled more than 7,400 tons of electronics including more than 3,000 tons of televisions, a threefold increase over the amount in the previous year.

One way the state measures the overall success of recycling in North Carolina is through its annual ranking of per capita annual recycling rates for each North Carolina county. The total recycling tonnage shown includes materials collected and managed by county programs plus the municipal programs within the county. Yard waste, tires and some special wastes are excluded from the tonnage totals to allow for consistent comparisons from year-to-year.

Access to recycling markets and the commitment of local leaders to waste reduction and recycling both remain important factors in recycling program performance, but the rankings demonstrate success is being achieved by a wide range of communities from mountains to coast and from large populations to small. For more information about public recycling programs in North Carolina, contact Rob Taylor with the Division of Environmental Assistance and Outreach at 919-707-8139.

Rank	County Name	Total Tonnage	Population	Per Capita Recovery (lbs.)
1	CATAWBA COUNTY	56,396.63	154,654	729.33
2	PITT COUNTY	41,769.83	169,378	493.21
3	DARE COUNTY	6,135.43	33,886	362.12
4	ORANGE COUNTY	18,006.10	134,325	268.10
5	SWAIN COUNTY	1,862.13	14,020	265.64
6	MACON COUNTY	4,487.21	33,946	264.37
7	WATAUGA COUNTY	6,352.21	51,326	247.52
8	GUILFORD COUNTY	52,147.91	490,371	212.69
9	BUNCOMBE COUNTY	23,795.90	239,179	198.98
10	BRUNSWICK COUNTY	10,706.41	108,176	197.94
11	MECKLENBURG COUNTY	89,474.39	923,944	193.68
12	CURRITUCK COUNTY	2,186.15	23,559	185.59
13	NEW HANOVER COUNTY	18,530.63	203,439	182.17
14	HAYWOOD COUNTY	5,386.78	59,148	182.15
15	SAMPSON COUNTY	5,490.39	63,481	172.98
16	CAMDEN COUNTY	864.36	10,000	172.87
17	IREDELL COUNTY	13,821.25	160,107	172.65
18	ALEXANDER COUNTY	2,936.47	37,254	157.65
19	CRAVEN COUNTY	7,850.48	104,147	150.76
20	ALLEGHANY COUNTY	811.70	11,171	145.32
21	WAKE COUNTY	61,095.61	907,314	134.67
22	HENDERSON COUNTY	7,058.48	107,177	131.72
23	MADISON COUNTY	1,352.56	20,795	130.09
24	ASHE COUNTY	1,774.45	27,378	129.63
25	JACKSON COUNTY	2,615.89	40,480	129.24
26	MOORE COUNTY	5,582.80	88,594	126.03
27	TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY	2,041.31	33,189	123.01
28	DURHAM COUNTY	16,392.88	268,925	121.91
29	HYDE COUNTY	350.16	5,783	121.10
30	DUPLIN COUNTY	3,300.11	58,729	112.38
31	BEAUFORT COUNTY	2,605.41	47,929	108.72
32	ONSLOW COUNTY	10,021.90	185,304	108.17
33	CABARRUS COUNTY	9,573.68	179,025	106.95
34	PASQUOTANK COUNTY	2,159.27	40,605	106.35
35	DAVIE COUNTY	2,198.78	41,378	106.28
36	PENDER COUNTY	2,785.11	52,504	106.09
37	POLK COUNTY	1,087.46	20,588	105.64
38	MITCHELL COUNTY	820.68	15,588	105.30
39	CHATHAM COUNTY	3,304.35	63,870	103.47
40	PAMLICO COUNTY	659.64	13,136	100.43
41	CHOWAN COUNTY	733.65	14,762	99.40
42	FORSYTH COUNTY	17,260.86	351,798	98.13
43	CARTERET COUNTY	3,258.46	66,712	97.69
44	PERQUIMANS COUNTY	647.55	13,486	96.03
45	CUMBERLAND COUNTY	14,698.44	326,673	89.99
46	NASH COUNTY	4,290.12	96,215	89.18
47	GRANVILLE COUNTY	2,616.03	60,547	86.41
48	BURKE COUNTY	3,738.78	91,008	82.16
49	LINCOLN COUNTY	3,222.85	78,684	81.92
50	WAYNE COUNTY	4,946.62	122,893	80.50
51	SCOTLAND COUNTY	1,429.08	36,098	79.18
52	MCDOWELL COUNTY	1,779.40	45,031	79.03
53	ALAMANCE COUNTY	5,431.16	151,745	71.58
54	UNION COUNTY	7,223.99	202,592	71.32
55	PERSON COUNTY	1,405.95	39,585	71.03
56	HARNETT COUNTY	4,068.04	115,579	70.39
57	WILSON COUNTY	2,860.20	81,643	70.07
58	YANCEY COUNTY	620.96	17,802	69.76
59	LEE COUNTY	2,024.29	58,059	69.73
60	CLAY COUNTY	368.99	10,622	69.48
61	GATES COUNTY	416.40	12,214	68.18
62	ROCKINGHAM COUNTY	3,188.19	93,764	68.00
63	AVERY COUNTY	587.82	17,812	66.00
64	CLEVELAND COUNTY	3,230.24	98,249	65.76
65	LENOIR COUNTY	1,895.33	59,493	63.72
66	DAVIDSON COUNTY	4,982.87	163,488	60.96
67	YADKIN COUNTY	1,164.68	38,451	60.58
68	WASHINGTON COUNTY	399.50	13,224	60.42
69	MONTGOMERY COUNTY	823.79	27,992	58.86
70	GASTON COUNTY	6,063.25	206,384	58.76
71	BLADEN COUNTY	998.90	35,243	56.69
72	FRANKLIN COUNTY	1,697.16	60,978	55.66
73	MARTIN COUNTY	673.89	24,498	55.02
74	ROWAN COUNTY	3,684.80	138,651	53.15
75	SURRY COUNTY	1,945.86	73,791	52.74
76	RANDOLPH COUNTY	3,702.33	142,127	52.10
77	RUTHERFORD COUNTY	1,758.59	68,006	51.72
78	CALDWELL COUNTY	2,031.35	83,176	48.84
79	HERTFORD COUNTY	562.57	24,822	45.33
80	WILKES COUNTY	1,522.59	69,419	43.87
81	VANCE COUNTY	881.48	45,477	38.77
82	JOHNSTON COUNTY	3,269.19	170,151	38.43
83	HOKE COUNTY	861.88	47,376	36.38
84	STANLY COUNTY	1,098.25	60,714	36.18
85	TYRRELL COUNTY	79.15	4,390	36.06
86	WARREN COUNTY	373.77	21,031	35.54
87	STOKES COUNTY	818.53	47,478	34.48
88	RICHMOND COUNTY	781.30	46,600	33.53
89	GRAHAM COUNTY	148.77	8,888	33.48
90	EDGECOMBE COUNTY	938.35	56,681	33.11
91	CHEROKEE COUNTY	438.94	27,527	31.89
92	ANSON COUNTY	372.97	26,973	27.66
93	GREENE COUNTY	218.89	21,277	20.58
94	CASWELL COUNTY	199.94	23,676	16.89
95	NORTHAMPTON COUNTY	131.74	22,111	11.92
96	BERTIE COUNTY	121.78	21,267	11.45
97	JONES COUNTY	55.19	10,159	10.87
98	COLUMBUS COUNTY	255.31	58,204	8.77
99	ROBESON COUNTY	458.04	134,502	6.81
100	HALIFAX COUNTY	139.50	54,627	5.11

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Seats Still Available for Coastal Recreational Fishing License Grant Program Symposium

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – Seats are still available for a symposium that will showcase projects funded in the first five years of the Coastal Recreational Fishing License Grant Program.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries and N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will host the event May 31 at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center, 203 South Front St., New Bern.

The symposium is free and open to the public. However, pre-registration is required. Sign up by visiting the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ website athttp://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf//crfl-symposium-registration-form. The registration deadline has been extended to May 25.

The symposium will feature presentations from grant recipients for numerous projects, including:

· An N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries program to collect recreational fishing data;

· An N.C. State University study of the movement and mortality of spotted seatrout;

· A University of North Carolina at Wilmington project that tested the use of text messaging to submit catch and effort fishing reports from a wireless phone; and

· The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s construction of several boating access sites.

There will also be exhibits of some of the educational projects funded by the grant program.

A full agenda is available on the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ website athttp://portal.ncdenr.org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=a3d31ec8-c3ce-4952-8276-04b76bdb2da2&groupId=38337.

The grant program was established in 2007 to fund for projects that aim to manage, protect, restore, develop, cultivate and enhance the marine resources of the state. The program receives revenues from the sale of Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses.

In the five years since its inception, the grant program has awarded approximately $21 million to 68 projects.

For more information, contact grant program coordinator Tiffany Frazier at 252-808-8004 orTiffany.Frazier@ncdenr.gov.

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State Environmental Agency to Make Recycling Announcement in Newton

Diana Kees

RALEIGH – Secretary Dee Freeman of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources will make a special recycling announcement on Monday in Newton as part of the department’s roll-out of its annual county recycling rankings.

Where: PalletOne Facility, located in the Catawba County Regional EcoComplex and Resource Recovery Facility, 2815 Woodtech Dr., Newton (Highway 321, exit 37 to Highway 10 West, 1.5 mile turn left on Hickory-Lincolnton Highway, ¾ mile turn left on Rocky Ford Rd, ¾ mile turn left on Wood Tech Drive).

When: Monday, May 21; 11 a.m.

Who: Secretary Dee Freeman; Kitty Barnes, chairwoman of the Catawba County Commission; Barry Edwards, director of Catawba's department of utilities and engineering; Larry Draughn, associate regional manager of PalletOne; and Scott Mouw, Community and Business Assistance Section chief, Division of Environmental Assistance and Outreach.

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North Carolina to Prohibit Menhaden Purse Seine Fishery in State Waters

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – North Carolina will soon prohibit certain menhaden purse seine fishing operations in state waters.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission voted last week to prohibit the use of purse seines deployed from a mother ship for the harvest of menhaden within the state’s three-mile jurisdiction. The action mirrors a draft bill approved by a legislative study committee on marine fisheries issues.

“This is a conservation measure we think needs to be put in place,” said commission Chairman Rob Bizzell.

Commission members said they were concerned about the amount of bycatch associated with large purse seine fishing operations, and the conflicts that arise with other fishing sectors.

The measure does not prohibit smaller purse seine operations that do not use multiple vessels.

The commission asked Division of Marine Fisheries Director Louis Daniel to implement the closure by proclamation. Daniel said he plans to issue the proclamationin the next two weeks.

In other business, the commission:

Voted to ask the division to develop a suite of potential management options for the protection of Atlantic sturgeon, which was listed as a federally endangered species April 6. The proposed management options will likely impact both large mesh and small mesh gill net fishing in the Albemarle, Croatan and Roanoke sounds. The proposed management measures will be reviewed by advisory committees before coming before the commission in August. The commission also agreed by consensus to write a letter to North Carolina’s congressional delegation outlining its concerns with the National Marine Fisheries Service’s decision to list Atlantic sturgeon as an endangered species.
Voted to send the draft American Shad Sustainable Fishery Management Plan to the Regional and Finfish advisory committees for comment. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will require any state without an approved sustainable fishery plan for shad to close its fishery by Jan. 1, 2013. The ASMFC Shad and River Herring Management Board approved North Carolina’s draft plan May 1. The draft plan calls for a Feb. 20 to April 11 commercial season and a five-fish recreational bag limit in the Cape Fear River; a March 1 to April 15 commercial season in all waters except the Cape Fear River; and a one-fish recreational bag limit in joint and coastal waters of the Roanoke and Neuse river systemsto complement Wildlife Resources Commission regulations in inland waters.
Voted to begin the rulemaking process to create a seed oyster management area in Possum Bay and Swan Point at the mouth of the New River.
Voted to write a letter to the National Park Service opposing the Hatteras beach closures.
Agreed by consensus to ask the division to investigate if further regulations are needed in the conch fishery.

For more information on the meeting, contact Nancy Fish in the Marine Fisheries Commission Office at 252-808-8025 or Nancy.Fish@ncdenr.gov.

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Fisheries Commission Extends Flounder Gill Net Closure; Decreases Yardage Limit in Carteret County Waters

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – New restrictions on large mesh gill nets will go into effect Sunday in Carteret County waters to further protect threatened and endangered sea turtles and prevent overfishing of Bogue Sound.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission voted last week to continue a closure in the southern part of Core Sound, Back Sound, The Straits and North River to the use of set large mesh gill nets during the summer and fall. These waters closed May 13 to set nets with 4- to 6 ½-inch stretched mesh, but had originally been slated to reopen June 4.

The commission also voted to reduce the yardage limit on large mesh gill nets set from 2,000 yards to 1,000 yards in waters between North River and the N.C. 58 bridge to Emerald Isle.

The commission took this action to reduce interactions with sea turtles as the state continues to pursue a statewide Incidental Take Permit for large mesh gill nets under Section 10 of the federal Endangered Species Act. These permits allow for takes of endangered species that occur incidentally to an otherwise lawful activity under limitations specified in each permit. The commission and the division hope that active management of this identified hotspot for interactions will be viewed favorably by NMFS.

The southern part of Core Sound, Back Sound, the Straits and North River account for 53 percent of the sea turtle interactions the state had documented since implementing a large mesh gill net observer program in 2010.

The observer program was instituted as part of an agreement to settle a lawsuit filed against the state by the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.

Daniel issued a proclamation today to implement the new management measures. For specific information on the closure lines and the gill net yardage restrictions, see Proclamation M-23-12 on the division’s website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/proclamations.

The commission agreed by consensus to write a letter to the NMFS, copying the N.C. Congressional delegation, expressing frustration with the ITP process, the lack of a stock assessment for sea turtles; and problems with nesting data used to determine sea turtle population status.

For more information, contact Protected Resources Section Chief Chris Batsavage at 252-808-8009 or Chris.Batsavage@ncdenr.gov.

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Public Hearing Scheduled to Gather Input on Changes to Groundwater Standards

Susan Massengale

RALEIGH – The state Division of Water Quality and Environmental Management Commission will hold a public hearing later this month to gather input on three proposed options to change the groundwater standard for 1,1-dichloroethylene – changes that could impact the way the division establishes water quality standards in the future.

The public hearing will be held on May 23 in Raleigh in the Archdale Building Ground Floor Hearing Room, located at 512 N. Salisbury St. The hearing will begin at 6:30 p.m.; registration for speakers will begin at 6 p.m. Written comments can also be submitted to: Sandra Moore, Water Quality Planning Section, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh NC 27699-1617, or by email to sandra.moore@ncdenr.gov. The comment period ends July 2, 2012.

A chemical compound used in the production of vinyl chloride and semiconductors, 1,1-dichloroethylene has a state groundwater quality standard of 7 micrograms per liter (as a frame of reference, one microgram per liter is similar to one second of time in 32 years). Recent research has determined that the current standard is more stringent than is needed for the protection of human health. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has updated its Integrated Risk Information System – or IRIS – at www.epa.gov/IRIS/ to reflect the new research. Use of the new data yields a human health protective standard at 350 micrograms per liter.

However, under North Carolina groundwater quality standards regulations, DWQ and the EMC must use the most stringent assessment of health risk as published in several resources, including the EPA’s maximum contaminant level or MCL. Currently, USEPA’s MCL for 1,1-dichloroethylene is 7 micrograms per liter.While USEPA has stated that the less stringent level is protective of human health, it has not changed the MCL due to competing workload priorities, the administrative costs associated with rule-making and the burden on states and the regulated community to implement any regulatory change that resulted.

Therefore, the Division of Water Quality is proposing three options for changing the standard, to reduce the burden for manufacturers while still being protective of human health.

Option 1: A change in the 1,1-dichloroethylene standard from 7 micrograms per liter to 350 micrograms per liter is proposed in order to incorporate the most recent U.S EPA health effects information as published in the Integrated Risk Management System at http://www.epa.gov/IRIS/.
Option 2: A change in the criteria used to establish a standard is proposed in order to allow the EMC to establish a standard less stringent than the federal maximum contaminant level when the MCL is not established using the most recent USEPA IRIS health effects information.
Option 3: A change in the rules governing variances to allow the Environmental Management Commission to issue a statewide variance to the rules and clarify the existing variance requirements.

In addition, the EMC is seeking public input on proposals that allow flexibility in implementing the current regulations for establishing groundwater quality standards. All proposals must maintain or achieve appropriate water quality and public health standards. If a proposal generates a substantial change from existing rules additional rule-making may be required prior to adoption.

For more information, including a summary of the options and the proposed rule changes, visit the DWQ website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/groundwaterrulesrevisions.

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Commercial, Recreational Landings Decrease Slightly

Patricia Smith

MOREHEAD CITY – North Carolina commercial and recreational fish and shellfish harvests decreased slightly in 2011.

The commercial harvest decreased by about 6 percent to 67.5 million pounds, according to landings reports collected by the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Trip Ticket Program. This harvest had an estimated dockside value of $72.8 million.

Recreational landings dropped about 3 percent to 13.2 million pounds, according to division Marine Recreational Information Program estimates.

“The decrease in landings corresponds to a decrease in effort,” said Louis Daniel, director of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries. “Commercial trips were down by 11 percent and recreational trips were down by 17 percent in 2011.”

Commercial Landings

As usual, blue crab topped the state’s commercial harvest, both in pounds and value. Fishermen landed 30 million pounds of blue crab, with a dockside value of $21 million in 2011.

Shrimp took the No. 2 spot, followed by Atlantic croaker at No. 3. Commercial fishermen landed 5.1 million pounds of shrimp, which had an estimated dockside value of $11 million. Fishermen landed 5 million pounds of croaker, valued at $3.1 million.

Commercial fishermen landed 3.5 million pounds of menhaden in 2011, a 172 percent jump from 2010, pushing menhaden to No. 4 in the top commercial species list. The increase was due to a demand for bait in the crab pot fishery. Menhaden dropped out of the list of top five commercial species after the last menhaden reduction factory in the state closed in 2005. The 2011 menhaden landings had an estimated dockside value of $334,299.

Summer flounder rounded out the top five commercial species landed in 2011. Commercial fishermen landed 2.9 million pounds of summer flounder valued at $6 million.

Recreational Landings

Dolphinfish continued to top the list of recreational fish harvested. Anglers landed 3.5 million pounds of dolphinfish in 2011, a 7.6 percent increase from the previous year.

Striped bass jumped from the No. 4 slot in 2010 to No. 2 last year, due to high landings in the ocean fishery in January and February 2011. Cooler water temperatures caused the fished to migrate into North Carolina waters in 2011, something that does not happen in warmer winters. Anglers caught 2 million pounds of striped bass in 2011, up 350 percent from 2010.

Bluefish, yellowfin tuna and Spanish mackerel rounded out the top five recreational species landed in 2011. Anglers landed 993,543 pounds of bluefish (up 4.4 percent), 811,673 pounds of yellowfin tuna (down 1.5 percent) and 470,647 pounds of Spanish mackerel (down 17 percent).

Catches of cobia were down 70 percent, as were porgies and amberjacks landings.

For more information about commercial landings statistics, contact Alan Bianchi, Commercial Statistics Program manager, at 252-808-8092 or Alan.Bianchi@ncdenr.gov. For information about recreational landings, contact Doug Mumford, Recreational Statistics Program manager, at 252-948-3876 or Doug.Mumford@ncdner.gov.

A full landings report can be found on the division website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=4ab51737-3cfa-4e90-b3c8-e7886c9fcb2c&groupId=38337.

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Water Quality Swimming Alert Issued for Ocean-Side Site in Brunswick County

Erin Bryan-Millush or JD Potts

MOREHEAD CITY – State recreational water quality officials today are notifying the public that initial testing at an ocean-side site in Brunswick County showed levels of bacteria exceeding the state and Environmental Protection Agency’s recreational water quality swimming standards.

State officials will test the site again today, and the results of the sampling will dictate further action. If the new samples also show elevated bacteria counts, state officials will post a swimming advisory sign and issue a swimming advisory.

The alert affects waters at the Caswell Beach public access off Caswell Beach Road in Caswell Beach. Samples collected yesterday show test results of 271 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water, which exceeds the state and federal single-sample standard of 104 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water for Tier 1 high usage sites. Swimming areas are classified based on recreational use and are referred to as tiers.

The N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program tests water quality at ocean and sound beaches in accordance with federal and state laws.

Enterococci, the bacteria group used for testing, are found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. While it does not cause illness, scientific studies indicate that enterococci may indicate the presence of other disease-causing organisms. People swimming or playing in waters with bacteria levels higher than the standards have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness or skin infections.

State officials sample 240 sites throughout the coastal region, most of them on a weekly basis from April to October. Testing continues on a reduced schedule during the rest of the year, when the waters are colder.

To find out more about North Carolina’s beach water quality, visit the N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program website at: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/recreational-water-quality or on Twitter.com @ncrecprgm.

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Davidson is new superintendent of Raven Rock State Park

Charlie Peek

RALEIGH – Jeffery Davidson Jr., a veteran park ranger, has been promoted to superintendent of Raven Rock State Park in Harnett County, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.

He succeeds Kristen Woodruff, who accepted a position as superintendent of Singletary Lake State Park.

A native of Asheboro, Davidson graduated in 2005 from Campbell University with a bachelor’s degree in biology. He worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Oklahoma, as a researcher for North Carolina State University and as a seasonal employee at Raven Rock State Park before becoming a full-time ranger at Lumber River State Park in 2008. He was also an environmental science instructor at Campbell University.

As a ranger at Lumber River, Davidson managed operations at the Chalk Banks access area and was the state park’s volunteer coordinator. He holds certifications in environmental education and intermediate law enforcement and is a kayak/canoe program leader.

“Jeffery has extensive experience, not only in park operations, but natural resource management and education, which are the core components of our mission,” said Lewis Ledford, state parks director. “He’ll be a valuable leader at Raven Rock State Park, which is gaining in popularity with its new visitor center and improved trails systems.”

Raven Rock State Park was established in 1969, and now encompasses 4,694 acres. It reported visitation of 152,665 in 2011.

(EDITORS: A jpeg image of Davidson is available on our websitewww.ncparks.gov linked from this media release under “News”.)

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New Federal Ozone Designations Show Air Improvements in North Carolina

Tom Mather

RALEIGH - Air quality improvements in North Carolina over the past decade are borne out in the latest "non-attainment" designations for ozone that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on Tuesday.

The new EPA designations for areas not meeting the federal air quality standard for ozone included only the Charlotte metropolitan area, down from seven regions across the state that exceeded the standard in the early 2000s. The Charlotte non-attainment area includes all of Mecklenburg and parts of Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Rowan and Union counties. (See map http://www.ncair.org/planning/ozone/o3boundary/Final_Nonattainment_Area.png)

“We still have some work to do in the Charlotte area, but we believe that programs underway will help bring that area into compliance with the ozone standard soon,” said Sheila Holman, director of the N.C. Division of Air Quality. “Ozone levels have steadily declined across the state over the past decade due to stricter standards that resulted in lower emissions from power plants, other industry and motor vehicles.”

Ozone is North Carolina's most widespread air quality problem, particularly during the warmer months. A highly reactive form of oxygen, ozone can be unhealthy to breathe – particularly for children, people with respiratory problems or heart disease, and even healthy adults who work or exercise outdoors. Ozone also can damage trees and crops.

Ten years ago, more than 30 counties across the state faced nonattainment designations by the EPA for ozone – including the Charlotte, Fayetteville, Hickory, Rocky Mount, Triad and Triangle metro areas as well as high-altitudes in the Great Smokies and Blue Ridge mountains. At that time, more than half of the state’s residents lived in counties that periodically exceeded the ozone standard.

Nonattainment designations can have important implications for public health and air pollution control as well as industrial growth, development and highways. States and local governments need to develop plans for improving air quality in non-attainment areas and can face additional restrictions and federal review for highway projects. New industries wishing to locate in non-attainment areas or existing industries planning to expand often need to add more expensive control equipment, which can hamper industrial growth.

North Carolina responded to those threats through a series of measures aimed at reducing ozone-forming emissions. In 2002, the General Assembly enacted the Clean Smokestacks Act, which required the state’s 14 coal-fired power plants to reduce their emissions by three-fourths over the following decade. The legislature also expanded the state’s emissions testing program for cars and trucks from nine to 48 counties, and the EPA adopted more stringent controls for industrial plants, motor vehicle engines and fuels.

The DAQ and local air programs also worked with EPA to develop an air quality forecasting system to help citizens better protect their health and to comply with clean air standards. Air quality forecasts focus on the pollutant likely to reach the highest level on a given day, which could be ozone or particle pollution. The color-coded forecasts show whether air quality is likely to be good (green), moderate (yellow), unhealthy for sensitive groups (orange), or unhealthy (red). On Code Orange and Red days, the forecasts also suggest things people can do to protect their health and reduce air pollution.

The Charlotte area’s success in complying with the ozone standard will be due in part to individual actions as well as new technological controls on industry and cleaner vehicles being purchased.

“I urge all citizens to help us reduce air pollution through simple actions such driving less, taking their lunch to work or school and adjusting the thermostats in their houses,” Holman said. “This is particularly important on days when air quality is Code Orange or worse.”

State and local air quality programs issue air quality forecasts for ozone from April through October in the Asheville, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Hickory, Triad, Triangle and Rocky Mount metropolitan areas. Forecasts are issued for particle pollution year-round for all of the metro areas except Rocky Mount.

DAQ Meteorologists issue the air quality forecasts at 3 p.m. every day for the following day. In the Triad, forecasts are issued by the Forsyth County Environmental Affairs Department. Citizens can obtain air quality information and forecasts by visiting the DAQ’s website at www.ncair.org.

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