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Coastal rules battle between two NC agencies heads to Appeals Court
North Carolina’s second-highest court will hear arguments Thursday in a dispute over 30 government rules targeting coastal North Carolina.
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N.C. shellfish industry gets a boost through loan program
Shellfish aquaculture in North Carolina has gotten a big boost thanks to a recently announced loan program aimed at helping shellfish growers.
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Coastal Property Owners Look to Terminal Groins for Protection
RALEIGH — More than $1.5 billion worth of coastal real estate could be swallowed by the Atlantic Ocean if North Carolina doesn’t reverse its 25-year ban on terminal groins — erosion control structures similar to jetties that are positioned perpendicular to the shoreline.
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Court: Groups May Intervene in Cases
RALEIGH — Government agencies often have the legal authority to impose fines for violations of agency regulations. It’s also not uncommon for interest groups to have an interest in how such proceedings turn out.
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Critics: Climate Panel Not Balanced
RALEIGH — A commission to study the effects of global climate change, established by the General Assembly this year, could be constituted to arrive at a foregone conclusion because of its makeup, some critics say. Environmental groups, which have constantly issued dire threats about the dangers of global warming, are amply represented on the panel.
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Ferry Size Required Illegal Dredging
RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Transportation’s project to establish passenger-ferry service across the Currituck Sound is a long way from hauling the schoolchildren it ostensibly was designed for. With Sen. Marc Basnight of Dare County as the driving force, the N.C. General Assembly appropriated $834,000 in June 2003 for the project. But evidence shows that the legislature approved the project without ordering a thorough analysis. Meanwhile, problems continue to multiply.
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Details Emerge on Ferry-Division Raid
RALEIGH — The director of the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division and the superintendent of dredge and field maintenance were the focus of a raid on state offices by state and federal law enforcement officials Aug. 26. Superintendent of Dredge and Field Maintenance Bill Moore, who reports directly to Ferry Division Director Jerry Gaskill, has claimed responsibility for illegal dredging that occurred in May in the Currituck Sound near Corolla. But both he and Gaskill said the dredging was accidental. Moore said that he and other employees did not “kick a channel” with the boat’s propellers, but that they were marking the channel.
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Law Enforcement Raids Ferry Office
RALEIGH — State and federal law-enforcement officials raided several offices of the NC Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division on Thursday. FBI, EPA, and SBI officials remained in the division headquarters in Morehead City the entire day, and took computers and other records, sources say. The raids were related to a probe of possible illegal dredging performed by Ferry Division employees in the Currituck Sound near Corolla. The activity is associated with the establishment of a passenger service from Corolla to Currituck. State and federal agencies are trying to determine whether the dredging was an accident, and if not, who gave the order.
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Probe of Illegal Dredging Continues
RALEIGH — A new ferry service across the Currituck Sound in northeastern North Carolina is scheduled to begin August 17 even though the boat has not been delivered and an investigation of illegal dredging continues. Documents suggest that state and local officials knew dredging would be required, but proceeded with the project without the proper permits. Currituck officials said the ferry service was necessary because students living on the Currituck section of the Outer Banks would no longer be able to attend Dare County schools because of overcrowding. About 12 students are scheduled to be involved in the ferry service this school year.
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Beach Nourishment Debate Rages
RALEIGH — Since the mid-1960s, the state and coastal-area local governments have spent more than $27 million to counteract natural and storm-related land erosion, primarily by dredging sand from channels and moving it onto North Carolina beaches. The federal government has contributed more than $40 million. While beach nourishment is far from new, the debate remains heated between detractors who argue the projects are expensive and fight a losing battle that’s damaging to the environment, and proponents who insist nourishment is critical to the economic vitality of beach communities.
