Special Reports

  • Sutton Spill Damage: Answers Lie Below

    Activists sounded the alarm about the recent Cape Fear River coal ash spill as Duke Energy downplayed the damage, but researchers say determining the true extent of contamination requires digging deeper.

  • Test Case for Oceanfront Development Risks

    In real estate, location is everything, and the perilous site of the Kure Beach condominium complex called The Riggings make it a textbook example of challenges in managing coastal development.

  • New Rule Latest Effort to Save The Riggings

    The legislature in June threw a lifeline to The Riggings, a condo complex in Kure Beach threatened by erosion since its construction, but the sandbag rule change is just another short-term fix in a losing battle with the ocean.

  • GenX Aware: Old Assumptions, New Attitudes

    In the second and final part of our series on the anniversary of the first GenX news report, we examine what has changed in terms of the public’s awareness, behavior and how they may vote.

  • GenX Wake-up Call, Legislative Snooze Button

    It’s been a year since news was first reported of GenX and other contaminants in the Cape Fear region’s drinking water, but despite all the attention, little progress has been made to protect public health.

  • Blueprint: Water Quality, Living Shorelines

    In the second installment of our series on the Lower Cape Fear River Blueprint, we explain the plan’s goals and strategies for protecting the river’s vulnerable natural resources.

  • Lower Cape Fear Focus of Restoration Effort

    Groups including the North Carolina Coastal Federation recently unveiled the Lower Cape Fear River Blueprint, a long-range plan for restoring and protecting the river’s coastal area.

  • Collaboratory Studies: Better GenX Detection

    Researchers with grants from the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory are proposing new, simpler ways to test for GenX and other emerging contaminants in drinking water and to encourage more frequent water sampling.

  • Policy Collaboratory Moves Into New Phase

    After initial skepticism among Democrats, UNC faculty and environmental advocates, the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory appears to be finding its role and gaining support in its second year.