The North Carolina General Assembly is in session for its 2019 term and the North Carolina Coastal Federation has an ambitious policy agenda for preservation and restoration of the coast.
At the top of the federation’s to-do list is full funding for the recommendations of a recent strategic plan for the state’s shellfish industry. Released in January, the report includes a series of both policy recommendations and appropriations designed to expand North Carolina’s oyster industry to $100 million in overall economic impact and create 1,000 jobs mostly in rural coastal communities. The federation’s recent oyster summit in Raleigh helped rally lawmakers and other stakeholders to the cause. We are also working with coastal lawmakers on legislation to implement the regulatory and other reforms recommended in the strategic plan.
Other federation legislative efforts include working with Hyde County stakeholders to fund the Lake Mattamuskeet Watershed Restoration Plan, a blueprint to protect this important by-way for migratory birds, as well as an important attraction for visitors to the region. The plan has the added benefit of making the communities surrounding the lake more resilient to storms by reducing the risk of catastrophic flooding.
We will also be working to secure another year’s funding for the federation’s popular crab pot cleanup and for matching funds for the ongoing effort to rebuild sanctuary oyster beds in the Pamlico Sound.
The federation’s efforts in Raleigh would not be possible without the support of our members – thank you for your support!
