Welcome to N.C. Coastal Federation

Recovery Act Puts People To Work Rebuilding Oyster Reefs Along N.C. Coast

Through NOAA Recovery Act funds, the N.C. Coastal Federation, working closely with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, scientists and other private industry partners, received a $5 million grant to put private industry to work rebuilding the state’s oyster reefs. The project will save or create 140 jobs, many of them in industries hard-hit by the economic downturn, such as commercial fishermen, quarry workers, tug boat and barge operators and fisheries technicians. The project is one of 50 across the country that NOAA has funded .. more. 

State of Coast Report Outlines Plan for Beaches

The federation's annual State of the Coast Report examines why erosion is eating away at the state's beaches and outlines the rules that evolved to protect those beaches and the public's right to use them. With erosion forecast to increase dramatically this century because of climate change, the report advocates an aggressive  approach to ensure that the state's beautiful and public beaches remain so into the future...more.

Download the State of the Coast Report

Pelican Award Winners Announced

Sam Bland, the retired superintendent and ranger at Hammocks Beach State Park, received the federation's Lifetime Achievement Award.

He is among 20 people, groups or businesses that won Pelican Awards from the federation. We give the awards annually to those who do extraordinary work in protecting or restoring our coastal resources. They are announced each year in the State of the Coast Report.

This year's winners include activists who fought commercial development on the Outer Banks and the proposed Titan cement plant near Wilmington. Environmental educators and people who generously donate their time to plant rain gardens and restore wetlands were also recognized.

 Protecting Our Beaches 

Twenty-eight of North Carolina’s renowned scientific and public policy beach experts spent two days together in March working to develop a plan to save N.C. beaches.  They concluded that it will take energetic leadership pursuing a highly coordinated set of management actions to safeguard our public trust recreational beaches for future generations.

Summit participants released a set of findings and recommendations that are call on local, state and federal leaders to move forward together with consistent actions to better protect North Carolina’s oceanfront beaches...more.

Summit Agenda, Presentations, Materials

Resolution Honors Jim Stephenson

The federation Board of Directors at its last meeting passed a resolution honoring Jim Stephenson, the federation’s policy director and legislative lobbyist who died May 28 of a heart attack.

The board in the resolution notes that Jim was "...an extraordinary conservationist; that we find his efforts to protect estuarine and coastal waters to be a superlative legacy, one that will benefit our natural world and all its creatures in perpetuity; that we mourn his untimely passing and deeply lament the loss of our wonderful, productive friend and colleague; and that we hold Jim Stephenson, his life’s work, and his memory in highest esteem and honor."

Volunteers Turn Out in Wilmington

More than 60 volunteers joined the Southeastern Region staff, interns and board members to plant the first of six planned stormwater measures at Eagle Point Golf Course near Wilmington.

 Over 25 volunteers from all the regional Wal-Mart stores participated in the event. The region also welcomed two new volunteer partners -- the local office of Morgan-Stanley sent nine staff, and seven students and teachers from the Cape Fear Community Boys and Girls Club helped with the event.  

Staff from the following project partners also participated in the event: New Hanover Soil and Water Conservation District, the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund, UNC-W, Eagle Point and N.C. State University...more.

Volunteers Needed Along Southeast Coast

If you missed the Eagle Point planting, you can give our  Southeastern Regional offfice a hand at its next planting:

• Brunswick County Government Complex, Tuesday, July 14: Help plant a wetland to control runoff.

Bag Shells for Jones Island

The federation invites volunteers to help bag recycled oyster shells on July 7 at our main office on N.C. 24. These bags of shells will be placed along the eroding shoreline of Jones Island in the White Oak River. Oyster larvae naturally attach to oyster shells. The recycled shells will provide an ideal habitat for the oyster larvae and will also protect the shoreline…more.

Public Radio Volunteers Build Oyster Reef

About 60 people turned out on Jones Island in the White Oak River to build an oyster reef. The shells for the reef were bought with donations from listeners of Public Radio East as part of the station's recent fund drive. View the photo slide show.

Todd Miller Featured in Documentary

Federation Executive Director Todd Miller is one of three people profiled in a TV documentary about environmental activists in North Carolina. Produced by students at UNC in Chapel Hill, the documentary will air Saturday, July 4, at 11 p.m. during the "North Carolina Visions" film festival on UNC-TV...more.

Song Benefits Federation

Trance Fury of Willow Spring, N.C., writes new age and electronic music. During June and July he is donating 20 percent of all proceeds from the sale of his song  “Carolina Shore” from his CD Mother Earth and Father Time.  You can buy “Carolina Shore” at Trance Fury’s website.

Take a Hike, Explore an Island

The federation is offering a variety of free, weekly educational programs this summer along our coast:

• Nature walk at Festival Park in Manteo
• Barrier island ecology at Cape Lookout National Seashore in Carteret County
• Marsh restoration on Jones Island in the White Oak River near Swansboro in Onslow County

Join us to learn about the wonders of our coast.

We Ask Perdue to Delay Titan Permit

The N.C. Coastal Federation has asked Gov. Beverly Perdue to delay state permits on Titan America's  proposed cement plant near Wilmington until a federal study on its environmental effects is completed...more. 

Mike Giles, our Cape Fear Coastkeeper, warns in a guest newspaper column that it would be a mistake to trust current rules and regulations to prevent environmental damage from the Titan plant.

Hard Work Blooming at School

All the hard work of a lot of people is on colorful display at White Oak Elementary School in Cape Carteret. There, student, teachers and Wal-Mart employees recently helped plant three rain gardens to capture stormwater runoff from the school's rooftops. The rain gardens will reduce the amount of polluted stormwater runoff entering nearby Deer Creek and Bogue Sound. Wal-Mart and the N.C. Division of Soil and Water Conservation's Community Conservation Assistance Program funded the project.

House Committee to Consider Jetty Bill

At the time of his death, Jim Stephenson, our legislative lobbyist, was working hard to stop State Sen. Julia Boseman's bill to allow small jetties on the beach. The bill, S832, would threathen the foundation of the state's law that protects our beaches by allowing small jetties to be built at inlets to stop erosion. The bill breezed through the state Senate and is now scheduled to go before the N.C. House's Environment and Natural Resources Committee. Tell your representatives that we don't want hard structures on our beaches. Do it for Jim.

Watch a video featuring Jim and other federation staff on the threat this bill poses to healthy beaches.

Tell Your Legislator to Oppose This Bill

EPA 'Inexplicably' Allows PCS Permit

After worrying that PCS Phosphate's plan to expand its mine in Beaufort County would do "unacceptable harm" to the environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency decided not to do anything about it. It could have vetoed a permit that will allow PCS to destroy thousands of acres of wetlands along the Pamlico River. "EPA has inexplicably reversed course, embracing a devastating mine plan..." said Derb Carter of the Southern Environmental Law Center. "EPA isn't protecting the environment our children and grandchildren will inherit long after PCS Phosphate mining has left the area..." more.

Donate to Student Rain Garden Program

Onslow Board Opposes ONWASA Bill

The Onslow County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution opposing a bill promoted by the Onslow Water and Sewer Authority that would allow treated sewage to be injected into groundwater. The resolution urges that the N.C. General Assembly to appoint a commission to study the proposal. The bill in the N.C. House, H643, would overturn a longstanding ban on dumping sewage into groundwater...more.

ONWASA has hired two expensive lobbyists to get this stinker through the legislature. But the Charlotte Observer advises legislators to move cautiously before proceeding with this risky scheme, while the Fayetteville Observer questions whether treated sewage belongs in our aquifers in the first place.

Email Your State Representative

Newest Edition of Coastal Review

Read about trouble brewing on Northeast Cape Fear River, rain gardens sprouting all over our northern coast, our legislative agenda, investing in our coastal environment, an "army" of volunteers testing a river and much, much more in the Winter-Spring edition of the federation newsletter.

New Report Focuses on Warming's Effects

The White House has released a science report representing a consensus of 13 agencies developed over a year and half and focused on potential climate change impacts on the United States. The section on the Southeast outlines some grim forecasts:

• Projected increases in water and air temperatires will trigger more heat-related stresses on people, animals and plants.
• Decreased water availability is very likely to affect the region’s economy and natural systems.
• Sea-level rise and the likely increase in hurricane intensity and storm surge will be among the most serious consequences of climate change.
• Ecological thresholds are likely to be crossed throughout the region, causing major disruptions to ecosystems and to the benefits they provide to people.
• Quality of life will be affected by increasing heat stress, water scarcity, severe weather events and reduced availability of insurance for at-risk properties.
  

Read Our 2004 State of the Coast Report for a more complete breakdown of life in North Carolina in a warming world

Our Wilmington Staff Needs You

Are you looking for a good way to donate some free time each week and to make a real difference in your community? Do you enjoy working with people and having fun in a variety of environments? Do you have organization and communication skills that you would like to contribute to help protect our coast?

Then why not consider becoming a community events volunteer with the Wilmington staff of the N.C. Coastal Federation...more.

Step Back in Time

Check out our earliest newsletters, The Coastal Review, which are now posted on our Publications page. They provide fascinating and informative windows to past coastal environmental issues. You may be surprised to learn that some things haven't changed very much.

We'll be gradually posting all our newsletters and other  publications. Check back often.

Check out our monthly happenings

Our Monthly Briefings is a new feauture that will let you keep up with events, projects and volunteer activities. 

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Our Mission

To provide citizens and groups with the assistance they need to take an active role in the stewardship of North Carolina’s coastal water quality and natural resources.

Our Concern
Conserving the natural beauty and productivity of our coast so that it remains a great place to live, work and visit is what the NC Coastal Federation is all about.

Who We Are
Since 1982 the North Carolina Coastal Federation has worked with citizens to safeguard the state’s coastal rivers, creeks, sounds and beaches. We are the state's only non-profit organization focused exclusively on protecting and restoring the coast of North Carolina through education, advocacy, and habitat preservation and restoration. As a private, non-profit organization, our work is supported by foundations, companies, organizations and, most importantly, people like you.

What We’re Doing
We help people take an active role in the wise management of coastal resources by:

• Advocating for the Coastal Environment
• Encouraging Enforcement of Environmental Laws
• Educating Citizens, Students and Community Leaders
• Preserving and Restoring Habitat and Water Quality

What You Can Do

• Join the North Carolina Coastal Federation
• Learn more about coastal issues
• Become involved by attending meetings and planning sessions
• Contact your local, state and federal representatives and express your opinion of issues (Call us if you need to know who to contact!)
• Volunteer for the Federation or other environmental groups