Environment

The parched lands of North Carolina are bearing stark witness to the intensifying climate crisis. For months, the skies have remained stubbornly dry, casting a pall of drought over the state. Asheville has not seen a significant downpour since late August, leaving its rain gauge yearning for a replenishing shower. The situation is echoed across the state, with Hickory, Southern Pines, and Reidsville all reeling from rainfall deficits.

Earlier this month, Governor Roy Cooper sent a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan strongly urging EPA to reverse its decision to allow shipments of waste material containing GenX from the Netherlands to North Carolina.

Flames, firefighters, and emergency decrees are blanketing Western North Carolina as state and local officials work to maintain multiple large wildfires.

Recently Three Rivers Land Trust (TRLT), a Salisbury-based conservation group, transferred 92 acres of forest to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC). The property is located in Montgomery County, near Troy, NC.

A new solar farm is being proposed for Pitt County, North Carolina that would cover nearly 1,000 acres. The project, being developed by Cypress Creek Renewables, would be one of the largest solar farms in the state.

Governor Roy Cooper and advocates are condemning Duke Energy’s latest proposal that relies on short-term solutions to meet the state’s net-zero emissions goals by 2050.