Post on 28-Jan-2016
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North Carolina Coastal FederationNorth Carolina Coastal Federation
Citizens Working Together for a Healthy Coastal Environment
Ted Wilgis – Cape Fear Coastkeeper
EducationEducationStudents and TeachersStudents and Teachers
• Field trips, Field trips,
• Classroom curriculum, Classroom curriculum,
• Teacher training, Teacher training,
• Wetland nursery programWetland nursery program
• Oyster restoration activitiesOyster restoration activities
PublicPublic
• Workshops Workshops
• PublicationsPublications
• Stewardship activitiesStewardship activities
Restoration & PreservationRestoration & Preservation
North River Farm - Wetland RestorationNorth River Farm - Wetland Restoration
Advocacy & Enforcement: Coastkeeper ProgramAdvocacy & Enforcement: Coastkeeper Program
Cape Fear, Cape Lookout Cape Fear, Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras and Cape Hatteras CoastkeepersCoastkeepers
Work w/ other NC Keepers Work w/ other NC Keepers Cape Fear River, New River, Cape Fear River, New River, NeuseNeuse
Advocacy – environmental Advocacy – environmental enforcement and complianceenforcement and compliance
Education and empowerment Education and empowerment
MonitoringMonitoring
RestorationRestoration
Miles of ocean beaches: Miles of ocean beaches: 320 320 Miles of estuarine shoreline: Miles of estuarine shoreline:
over 4,000 over 4,000 Acres of sounds, creeks and Acres of sounds, creeks and
marshes: marshes: 2 million-plus2 million-plus # of river basins draining to the # of river basins draining to the
coast: coast: 88 # of NC counties & sq. miles # of NC counties & sq. miles
that drain to the coast: that drain to the coast: 70 & 70 & 32,311 sq. miles32,311 sq. miles
% of East Coast commercial % of East Coast commercial fishery species that depend on fishery species that depend on NC’s estuaries: NC’s estuaries: 50-70%50-70%
North Carolina’s CoastNorth Carolina’s Coast
What Is CAMA?What Is CAMA?
The Coastal Area Management Act, or The Coastal Area Management Act, or CAMA, is the state law that balances CAMA, is the state law that balances development with environmental protection development with environmental protection along North Carolina’s coast.along North Carolina’s coast.
CAMA established Areas of Environmental CAMA established Areas of Environmental Concern, areas that are subject to natural Concern, areas that are subject to natural hazards or have environmental, social, hazards or have environmental, social, economic or aesthetic significance.economic or aesthetic significance.
CAMA TimelineCAMA Timeline
1972: Federal Coastal Zone Management Act1972: Federal Coastal Zone Management Act 1974 – State Coastal Area Management Act 1974 – State Coastal Area Management Act
(CAMA)(CAMA) 1978 – Feds approve state program1978 – Feds approve state program
CAMA WorkingsCAMA Workings
Affects 20 coastal Affects 20 coastal countiescounties
Rules developed by Rules developed by Coastal Resources Coastal Resources Commission (CRC)Commission (CRC)
Administered by Administered by Division of Coastal Division of Coastal Management (DCM)Management (DCM)
Coastal Resources CommissionCoastal Resources Commission
The 15-member CRC, The 15-member CRC, appointed by the Governor,appointed by the Governor,
establishes policies for the N.C. Coastal Management establishes policies for the N.C. Coastal Management Program and adopts implementing rules for both Program and adopts implementing rules for both CAMA and the N.C. Dredge and Fill Act.CAMA and the N.C. Dredge and Fill Act.
The commission designates areas of environmental The commission designates areas of environmental concern (AECs), sets policies and adopts rules for concern (AECs), sets policies and adopts rules for coastal development within AECs, certifies local land-coastal development within AECs, certifies local land-use plans, and hears permit variance requests and use plans, and hears permit variance requests and appeals.appeals.
NC Division of Coastal Management NC Division of Coastal Management action items:action items:
Permitting and EnforcementPermitting and Enforcement Federal ConsistencyFederal Consistency Land Use PlanningLand Use Planning North Carolina Coastal ReserveNorth Carolina Coastal Reserve Waterfront Access SitesWaterfront Access Sites
““Development”Development”
““Any activity … . . involving, requiring or Any activity … . . involving, requiring or consisting of construction or consisting of construction or enlargement of a structure; excavation; enlargement of a structure; excavation; dredging; filling; dumping; mining; dredging; filling; dumping; mining; bulk heading; driving pilings; clearing bulk heading; driving pilings; clearing or alteration of land as an adjunct of or alteration of land as an adjunct of construction; alteration or removal of construction; alteration or removal of sand dunes; alteration of the shore, sand dunes; alteration of the shore, bank or bottom of the Atlantic Ocean or bank or bottom of the Atlantic Ocean or any sound, by, river, creek, stream, lake any sound, by, river, creek, stream, lake or canal.”or canal.”
Areas of Environmental Concern Areas of Environmental Concern (AEC)(AEC)
Estuarine waters and public trust areasEstuarine waters and public trust areas Estuarine shoreline:Estuarine shoreline: 30 ft. or 75 ft. from mean 30 ft. or 75 ft. from mean
high water, 575 ft. from ORWhigh water, 575 ft. from ORW Coastal wetlandsCoastal wetlands Ocean hazard areas: Ocean hazard areas: ocean beaches, areas near ocean beaches, areas near
inlets, behind the dunesinlets, behind the dunes Public water suppliesPublic water supplies Natural and cultural resource areasNatural and cultural resource areas
Coastal Shoreline RulesCoastal Shoreline RulesBasic StandardsBasic Standards
Less than 30% impervious coverage along Less than 30% impervious coverage along Coastal Shoreline AECs, innovative Coastal Shoreline AECs, innovative stormwater systems acceptable (75’ AEC)stormwater systems acceptable (75’ AEC)
Less than 25% impervious coverage along Less than 25% impervious coverage along ORW coastal shoreline AECs, stormwater ORW coastal shoreline AECs, stormwater systems not allowed (575’ AEC)systems not allowed (575’ AEC)
Permit TypesPermit Types Major Permits: Major Permits: 10 10
state and four federal state and four federal agencies must review agencies must review
General Permits: General Permits: Projects that usually Projects that usually pose little or no threat pose little or no threat to the environmentto the environment
Minor Permits: Minor Permits: Projects that don't Projects that don't require major permits require major permits or general permitsor general permits
Major PermitsMajor Permits
Another state or federal Another state or federal permit, license or permit, license or authorizationauthorization
Excavation or drilling of Excavation or drilling of natural resourcesnatural resources
Construction of one or Construction of one or more buildings that cover more buildings that cover more than 60,000 sq. ft. more than 60,000 sq. ft. on a single parcelon a single parcel
Alteration of more than 20 Alteration of more than 20 acres of land or wateracres of land or water
Beach Fill – Nourishment & Beach Fill – Nourishment & Inlet AlterationInlet Alteration
““Piecemealing”Piecemealing”
Breaking major projects in smaller pieces to avoid Breaking major projects in smaller pieces to avoid major CAMA reviewmajor CAMA review
Cumulative environmental effects of a projects Cumulative environmental effects of a projects are minimizedare minimized
Example The Peninsula of Surf CityExample The Peninsula of Surf City
Reviewing PermitsReviewing Permits
Public process, public documentsPublic process, public documents Required notice in local newspaperRequired notice in local newspaper 30-day comment period30-day comment period Getting there before the ‘dozersGetting there before the ‘dozers
BuffersBuffers
CRC passed rule in 2000CRC passed rule in 2000 30 feet from normal high30 feet from normal high
waterwater Affects only new Affects only new
constructionconstruction Only “water-dependent Only “water-dependent
structures” – docks, boat structures” – docks, boat rampsramps
Vegetation can be trimmed, Vegetation can be trimmed, cutcut
Utilize and protect natural vegetative Utilize and protect natural vegetative buffers – The Goodbuffers – The Good
……the Bad and the the Bad and the
UglyUgly
MarinasMarinas
Can alter shoreline, Can alter shoreline, pollute waterpollute water
Must accommodate at Must accommodate at least 10 boatsleast 10 boats
Rules encourage upland Rules encourage upland sitessites
Open water sites should Open water sites should avoid dredging and can’t avoid dredging and can’t close shellfish watersclose shellfish waters
Example: McGinnis PointExample: McGinnis Point
Marina DevelopmentMarina Development
New marinas located within public trust New marinas located within public trust waters will require initial review through waters will require initial review through the NC State Environmental Policy Act the NC State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) process.(SEPA) process.
The outcomes of the Environmental The outcomes of the Environmental Assessment would be either a Finding of Assessment would be either a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or an No Significant Impact (FONSI) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Land-Use PlansLand-Use Plans
One of CAMA main requirementsOne of CAMA main requirements Collection of policies that serve as a community’s Collection of policies that serve as a community’s
blueprint for growthblueprint for growth Updated every 5 yearsUpdated every 5 years Public participation required, criticalPublic participation required, critical No CAMA permits if inconsistent with planNo CAMA permits if inconsistent with plan Can be useful enforcement tool: Cape Lookout Can be useful enforcement tool: Cape Lookout
Marina, Gallants Channel bridgeMarina, Gallants Channel bridge
Coastal WetlandsCoastal Wetlands Any project involving land Any project involving land
disturbance or construction disturbance or construction adjacent to or within any adjacent to or within any type of wetlands should be type of wetlands should be reviewed by a DCM or reviewed by a DCM or USACOE representative.USACOE representative.
Remember that the EMC’s Remember that the EMC’s 50 ft. buffer in the Neuse and 50 ft. buffer in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River Basins is Tar-Pamlico River Basins is measured from the landward measured from the landward edge of coastal marsh.edge of coastal marsh.
Typical Problems
Routine aerial surveillance flight Routine aerial surveillance flight revealed spoil behind the house in what revealed spoil behind the house in what
appears to be coastal wetlands.appears to be coastal wetlands.
Division of Coastal Division of Coastal Management WebsiteManagement Website
http://www.nccoastalmanagement.nethttp://www.nccoastalmanagement.net
Explosive Population Explosive Population GrowthGrowth
Development & Development & Infrastructure PressuresInfrastructure Pressures
Loss of Coastal Habitats and Loss of Coastal Habitats and their Buffering Capacitiestheir Buffering Capacities
Stormwater Control and Stormwater Control and Run-offRun-off
Issues Facing NC’s CoastIssues Facing NC’s Coast
Loss of Coastal HabitatsLoss of Coastal Habitats Over 50% of coastal plain Over 50% of coastal plain
wetlands in NC have been lostwetlands in NC have been lost
12,000 acres of wetlands 12,000 acres of wetlands ditched & drained under the ditched & drained under the Tulloch exemption in 1998Tulloch exemption in 1998
Approximately 30 miles of Approximately 30 miles of estuarine shoreline habitat is estuarine shoreline habitat is lost each year due to hardening lost each year due to hardening (bulkheads, rip-rap)(bulkheads, rip-rap)
Amount of Pavement = Health of Receiving Amount of Pavement = Health of Receiving WatersWaters
From UNCW – Mallin et al
Effects from Effects from Stormwater Stormwater RunoffRunoff• Closed shellfishing Closed shellfishing areasareas
• Swimming advisories Swimming advisories
• Algal blooms Algal blooms
• Fish killsFish kills
• Flooding & property Flooding & property damagedamage
One local story - Howe CreekOne local story - Howe Creek
19841984 20002000
Opportunity Lost ? South Brunswick Water & Sewer AuthorityOpportunity Lost ? South Brunswick Water & Sewer Authority
Point Source Pollution - NPDESPoint Source Pollution - NPDES
Chronic Violators
Aging Infrastructure
Beach Nourishment and Inlet Manipulation