Month: December 2021
Happy New Year from Coastal Carolina Riverwatch
Together, We Protect Water Quality in Coastal North Carolina. Thank you for helping us,
Together, In 2022 we will Protect Water Quality in Coastal North Carolina. Your 100% tax-deductible gift will continue to provide the following programming in 2022: Pure Farms Pure Waters Program Providing services to communities impacted by factory farming and industrial agriculture in coastal North Carolina. Water Quality for Fisheries Program (WQ4F) Providing services that have been both identified and prioritized by the Industry Working Group made up of both commercial and recreational fishermen. North Carolina Marine Debris Symposium (NCMDS). Providing services that facilitate collaborative marine debris prevention and removal efforts in Coastal North Carolina. Equity in the Environment Program Providing services that bridge the gap between coastal sciences, marine fisheries, and underserved communities in coastal North Carolina. For a list of all programs please visit our website at www.coastalcarolinariverwatch.org.
Here is how you support Coastal Carolina Riverwatch: 3. Become a Business Member. We will highlight your support of clean water throughout the year. 4. Become a Volunteer and be a Water Quality super hero in 2022. With gratitude and love for clean water,
Executive Director (on behalf of the Coastal Carolina Riverwatch Board of Directors and Rebecca Drohan, White Oak Waterkeeper) Coastal Carolina Riverwatch www.coastalcarolinariverwatch.org Email not displaying correctly?
|
Season’s Greetings from Coastal Carolina Riverwatch
Coastal Carolina Riverwatch Season’s Greetings
From the Staff Seasons Greetings from the Staff at Coastal Carolina Riverwatch! Thank you for a great year – protecting the quality of water and quality of life in Coastal Carolina. Our foundation is built on collaboration. We have accomplished so much this year, with your help. Together, we elevated the voices from the coastal fishing community about specific water quality concerns that impact fisheries. Together, we increased coastal ecology and water quality educational opportunities for under-served coastal communities. Together, we advocated for sustainable farmers and fisheries that support water quality improvements. Together, we monitored potential pollution sources and reported results that implicate polluters to the proper agencies. Together, we facilitated the collaborative development of long-term solutions that prevent water quality pollutants including:
We are grateful for you and your continued support of our mission in 2022. From our family to yours, we wish you the very best this holiday season. We are looking forward to working with you, for the water, in 2022. Sincerely, Lisa Rider, Executive Director Rebecca Drohan, White Oak Waterkeeper
Become a Supporting Donor
Become a Regular Supporter of Clean Water with Coastal Carolina Riverwatch.
Thank you Local Businesses for your support!
Platinum Business Member
Gold Business Members
Silver Business Members
Become a Business Member Today! Coastal Carolina Riverwatch www.coastalcarolinariverwatch.org Email not displaying correctly?
|
Industry Working Group Oyster Roast
As part of the Water Quality for Fisheries Program (WQ4F) the Industry Working Group(IWG), made up of commercial and recreational fisheries representatives, was developed in early 2021. On December 18, 2021, members of the IWG, Coastal Carolina Riverwatch board and staff, and supporting members joined in celebration (or shellebration) for the first WQ4F Oyster Roast. It was a gorgeous (spring-like) day along North River, at the Oyster House. Members enjoyed fresh local oysters, vegetarian chili, fresh local-made corn bread, and desserts. This was a waste-free event supported by the waste reduction team at Coastal Carolina Riverwatch.
The Industry Working Group, made up of (equal representation) commercial and recreational fisheries representatives, participated in a series of facilitated meetings to address each of the 5 priority water quality concerns. 2021 Completed Goals of the IWG:
Funding for this project has been generously provided by the Marine Fisheries Commission Commercial Resource Funding Committee and the Funding Committee for the North Carolina Commercial Fishing Resource Fund. Donate to Support the Work of the Industry Working Group
Coastal Carolina Riverwatch www.coastalcarolinariverwatch.org Email not displaying correctly?
|
Roots Run Deep for Support of Clean Water
|
Coastal Carolina Riverwatch Roots Run Deep for Support of Clean Water
Honoring Fred Taylor and Family Coastal Carolina Riverwatch Member and Supporting Donor Fred Taylor, Sr. Research Scientist Emeritus at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, is a supporter of Coastal Carolina Riverwatch. While Fred lives in Austin, Texas, his roots run deep here in Coastal North Carolina, and so does his passion for water quality. Dr. Taylor left Coastal North Carolina to earn a PhD from Cornell University, where he studied geology and aquatic ecology. He might have left North Carolina, but he has never forgotten his love for our coast and his passion for protecting water quality. You could say, his passion for water quality started at a young age and encouraged by his mother, Elizabeth. In 1938 Fred Taylor’s mother was 22 and lived with her aunt Sara Hurst on her farm behind the marsh near Bear Creek. “Mama often went over to the beach at Brown’s Island and helped the Lawrences and Gillikins, who captained boats down from Otway, process catches of mullet that they seined there each fall.” Elizabeth Taylor was a great naturalist and conservationist. She was an avid composter and protector of animals and plants. “She seemed to know every plant in the woods.” To read more about Elizabeth, see “Southern Cultures” by David Cecelski about the mullet camp for which he draws photos taken by Charles Farrell, now in the State archives on Flickr. David knew Fred’s mother, but did not know that “she was someone in his SC article that he had referred to as the “Mickey Mouse Girl” until I found her photos in the Farrell collection and asked her about them because I thought it was her wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt (which she ordered from Sears Roebuck).” Link to David’s article in Southern Cultures: Thanks Fred Taylor and to all the CCRW volunteers, members, and donors! Whether you have strong roots to the coast, lived here your entire life, or just moved here to enjoy the salt air, we need your support to protect the quality of water and quality of life. Regular donors are vital to continue the growth of service that Coastal Carolina Riverwatch provides to the coastal community. We are a small grassroots advocacy nonprofit working to provide services to Carteret and Onslow counties (link our Pure Farms Pure Waters Program), and serving the entire coast with our Water Quality for Fisheries Program (WQ4F) We do so with limited resources, because we have a support system like you. Together, we protect the quality of water and quality of life in Coastal North Carolina.
Become a Supporting Donor
Become a Regular Supporter of Clean Water with Coastal Carolina Riverwatch.
Thank you Local Businesses for your support!
Platinum Business Member
Gold Business Members
Silver Business Members
Become a Business Member Today! Coastal Carolina Riverwatch www.coastalcarolinariverwatch.org Email not displaying correctly?
|
DEQ Secretary Biser Meet and Greet
|
Coastal Carolina Riverwatch Secretary Biser Meet and Greet
Coastal Carolina Riverwatch Executive Director, White Oak Waterkeeper, and Board President met with leaders from the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) last week to discuss our collaborative work with the Division of Marine Fisheries and partners. Secretary Biser, Chief Deputy Secretary Nicholson, Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) Director Rawls, DMF staff, and fellow non-governmental organizations joined together at a round-table event. The purpose of the meeting was “to introduce Secretary Biser to the key leaders of organizations that represent the varied and diverse stakeholders of the Division of Marine Fisheries.” Coastal Carolina Riverwatch joined a small group of other non-governmental organizations to review primary goals, speak about how they interact with DMF, and share focus areas for the upcoming year. Like the Division of Marine Fisheries, we are concerned about the growing number of water quality issues. We work to protect and enhance the quality of water, thus protecting the marine fisheries and fisheries economy of eastern North Carolina. The primary goals of Coastal Carolina Riverwatch:
* All of these pollutants are specific, and in-order or priority water quality concerns of our commercial and recreational fishing communities. We accomplish these goals through strong advocacy, outreach and equitable education, regular investigative and emergency watershed monitoring, supporting environmental policy and statewide agency work for the water, assessing and researching water quality concerns from the voices of the coast, and by promoting citizen stewardship. Our goals interact with the Division of Marine Fisheries in the following ways:
Coastal Carolina Riverwatch’s focus for the coming year includes the following: Expand the Water Quality for Fisheries Program (WQ4F) to provide services that have been both identified and prioritized by the Industry Working Group made up of both commercial and recreational fishermen. This will include a draft Study Bill supported by the collaborative work of our Industry Working Group. Additional proposed action items for 2022 are highlighted in our draft WQ4F Assessment document that will be published in early 2022. We also want to mention that we are currently working on specific WQ4F actions that will be current in the coming year. Those include: Targeted Emerging Contaminant Research in Fishing Communities We are working to secure funding along with principal investigator Dr. Lee Ferguson. Dr. Ferguson is a Duke University Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and CCRW board member. Research in Ferguson laboratory is focused on development of methods for trace analysis of contaminants in the aquatic environment, in wastewater and drinking water. A prioritized targeted research area has been identified in the Downeast area of Coastal North Carolina. We’d like to find out if contamination is happening, so that we can work towards a collaborative solution that benefits the entire community environment. Targeted Micro Plastic Pollution Research and working Collaboratively with Local Governments to reduce and remove debris before it enters the marine environment. We are currently working on a collaborative statewide program studying micro-plastics in our waterways and implementing plastic debris collection and removal devices in pilot study locations and in partnership with local governments. We hope to expand this local government collaboration after this pilot program is complete. In addition to this, we are also working collaboratively to properly fund plastic research that will identify the amount and types of plastic and potential leachate in targeted fish species. These targeted water quality issues that we are focusing on are also highlighted in a WQ4F documentary film, to be released and available to use by the public in early 2022. There will also be five short (commercial and social media use) videos released at the end of December targeting each of the top five water quality concerns priorities by coastal commercial and recreational fishermen. Other focuses this coming year are to: Fund the Coastal Carolina Riverwatch’s Equity in the Environment Program that bridges the gap between coastal sciences, marine fisheries, and underserved communities in coastal North Carolina. Expand the Pure Farms Pure Waters Program that provides services to communities impacted by factory farming and industrial agriculture in coastal North Carolina. These communities include our military and fishing communities here in coastal North Carolina. Both factory farming and industrial agriculture had been identified by the commercial and recreational coastal fishing community to be the top water quality issue accounting to our recent survey, partnered with ECU as a part of the WQ4F program. Another focus in 2022 is Coastal Carolina Riverwatch’s North Carolina Marine Debris Symposium (NCMDS). This event is based in NC, but has international interest and support. Our goal for 2022 is a Spring Plastic Pollution Policy Workshop co-presented by Duke Law and Policy, and the full Symposium in the Fall of 2022, with both in-person and virtual attendance available. We expressed to Secretary Biser and staff how grateful we are for the support from many representatives of DEQ divisions that attend the NCMDS event. We use the NCMDS to showcase marine debris prevention and removal efforts across the region, hear from best management practices from a global perspective, and conduct workshops with hands on waste auditing, policy development, and education programs with citizen science based curriculum. We are so grateful for the opportunity to showcase our goals, how we collaborate with State and local government and other non-governmental organizations. Together, we protect the quality of water and quality of life in Coastal North Carolina.
Give Clean Water for the Holidays – Click Here!
Thank you Local Businesses for your support!
Platinum Business Member
Gold Business Members
Silver Business Members
Volunteer Today Become a volunteer with Coastal Carolina Riverwatch. We have virtual and in-person options.
Coastal Carolina Riverwatch www.coastalcarolinariverwatch.org Email not displaying correctly?
|
Volunteer Feature
|
Coastal Carolina Riverwatch Volunteer Feature
Meet Maria Coastal Carolina Riverwatch Member, Advocacy Committee Member, and Research Volunteer Using her Masters in Biology from Virginia Commonwealth University, Maria Mood-Brown has been volunteering as a researcher and advisor for Coastal Carolina Riverwatch since May of 2020. Maria grew up around the wetlands of Delaware and has “always had an affinity for these ecosystems, as well as for their conservation and restoration. I believe it is imperative to educate the inherit importance and priceless value of these systems.” Maria used her time at VCU to focus on plant ecology. She has previous state and federal work experience in water quality. Maria plays a vital role in our Water Quality for Fisheries Program (WQ4F) She has completed research for our Industry Working Group collaborative meetings and participated in a five-part assessment review process. She also created a media contact database for WQ4F press releases. In 2021, Maria joined the CCRW Advocacy Committee to help identify and collaborate on specific areas of focus within our Pure Farms Pure Waters Program and work to improve outreach and education. Maria also worked to improve the CCRW Coastal Habitat Restoration Program, which strives to replant and restore areas on the coast that are being impacted by over-development. Maria assisted staff and Advocacy Committee members with researching and developing public comments on the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan, now in review. Volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization. We are a small grassroots advocacy nonprofit working to provide services to a total area of 320 miles of rivers and streams, 140,104 acres of estuaries, and 129 miles of coastline. We do so with limited resources, because we have a support system like you. Thanks Maria and to all the CCRW volunteers, members, and donors! Together, we protect the quality of water and quality of life in Coastal North Carolina.
Volunteer Today
Become a volunteer with Coastal Carolina Riverwatch. We have virtual and in-person options.
Thank you Local Businesses for your support!
Platinum Business Member
Gold Business Members
Silver Business Members
Coastal Carolina Riverwatch www.coastalcarolinariverwatch.org Email not displaying correctly?
|
What you need to know about the “Right to Farm Act”
 “Protecting Quality of Water and Quality of Life in Coastal North Carolina.” What you need to know about the “Right to Farm Act” Oral arguments for the constitutional challenges to HB 467 and SB 711 (laws that eliminate nuisance claims) were held at the Court of Appeals (One West Morgan Street in Raleigh) at 2:00pm on Dec. 1. Requests for change from all over North Carolina, including our coastal water quality community include: Amendments to NC’s “Right to Farm” law (codified at N.C.G.S. §§ 106-701 & 702) NC House Bill (HB) 467 (2017) When a neighbor sues an agricultural or forestry operation for creating a private nuisance, the amount they can recover (their “damages”) is limited to their home’s lost property value. They can’t be compensated for other types of damages that have traditionally been awarded to plaintiffs for nuisance, including personal discomfort, inconvenience, annoyance, loss of enjoyment, injury to health, and mental distress. The bill went even further by limiting the total, combined damages that can be recovered from an ag/forestry operation to the property’s fair market value. This means that no matter how many times an operation creates a nuisance or how severe the nuisance is, a neighbor can never be awarded more than their property’s fair market value. A couple of implications: If the harmed property is eventually sold and the buyer sues the same ag/forestry operation for creating a nuisance, the buyer will not be compensated if the operator already paid fair market value to the seller in a previous lawsuit. If a different company buys the ag/forestry operation and creates another nuisance, it will not be liable for damages if the first company already paid the full market value of the harmed property in a previous lawsuit. Additionally, punitive damages can only be awarded to plaintiffs if there is “a criminal conviction or a civil enforcement action taken by a State or federal environmental regulatory agency pursuant to a notice of violation for the conduct alleged to be the source of the nuisance within the three years prior to the first act on which the nuisance action is based.” Senate Bill (SB) 711 (2018) SB 711 prohibits nuisance lawsuits against an ag/forestry operation unless: (1) the harmed property is located within a 1/2 mile of the ag/forestry operation and (2) the operation is less than a year old or undergoes a “fundamental change” which does not include a change in ownership, size, technology, or product. If an operation undergoes a “fundamental change,” any lawsuit must be brought within a year of that change. The one-year time limit for filing a claim (the “statute of limitations”) begins when the operation is established or the fundamental change occurs, not when the nuisance starts. Under this one-year limit, essentially all CAFOs are protected from nuisance actions because no new hog operations were built after the 1997 moratorium on hog farms, and because of the very restrictive 2013 definition of “fundamental change”, essentially no operation that expands or changes operations can be sued for nuisance. SB 711 also strikes N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 106-701(a2), which excluded “negligent or improper” agricultural or forestry operations from the law’s exemption from nuisance liability. Three main arguments that HB 467 and SB 711 violate NC’s Constitution Use and enjoyment of property is a fundamental right, and compensatory damages are a form of property. Because HB 467 and SB 711 concern a fundamental right, they must pass heightened scrutiny under the court’s “ends-means” test. Under this test, the State must look at the actual purpose of the law (in this case, to protect hog operations from nuisance liability and resolve pending lawsuits in Smithfield’s favor) and determine whether it was within the State’s proper police power. Additionally, the means chosen must be necessary and only reasonably interfere with property rights. SB 711’s elimination of the nuisance remedy for all hog operations in existence since 1997 and HB 467’s elimination of all compensatory damages except lost property value do not satisfy the “ends-means” test. In contrast, they exceed the state’s police power and unreasonably interfere with fundamental property rights.
Give the Gift of Clean Water for the Holidays
Sign me up to volunteer (local and virtual opportunities)!
Getting stoked about the upcoming release of the Water Quality for Fisheries Documentary Film? We are too! We want to hear how you will improve Water Quality for Fisheries. Submit your video today @coastalcarolinariverwatch #WQ4F.
Coastal Carolina Riverwatch www.coastalcarolinariverwatch.org 700 Arendell Street Suite 2 Morehead City, North Carolina 28557 Email not displaying correctly?
|
Coastinista 