Storm water is polluting coast

RALEIGH - For nearly 30 years, Carteret County Crossroads has been a pro-environmental voice on local issues such as land use planning and water quality.

The nonprofit advocacy group's interest in protecting coastal waters put President Mark Hooper on a bus for Raleigh on Wednesday to participate in an event, hosted by the North Carolina Coastal Federation, for two reasons.

Carteret County Crossroads is one of five organizations and individuals from Onslow and Carteret County to receive a Pelican Award in recognition of their environmental activism.

The group also endorses new state coastal storm water rules that prompted the Coastal Federation and coastal residents to take a message of support for reform to legislators.

"As part of living on the coast, we have an impact on the waters around us," Hooper said.

The revised coastal storm water rules, set to go into effect in August unless the General Assembly intervenes, are designed to better control the impact of pollution from storm water runoff.

Pollutants can be carried in the rainwater that washes off roads, parking lots, driveways and other surfaces.

This storm water run-off is the focus of the Coastal Federation's 2008 State of the Coast report, which was released during a program on the Halifax Mall behind the Legislative building in Raleigh.

The report explains the effects run-off, which is said to be the largest source of water pollution on the coast, has had on the state's waters.

There has been opposition from developers, realtors, local governments and others to stricter restrictions on development. Bills have been introduced in the state House and Senate that would "disapprove" the rules.

The Coastal Federation backs the efforts to revise 20-year-old rules that regulatory officials have said are not effective.

"Our message is that the current program we have to control storm water has not worked and it's time for a program that does work," said Frank Tursi, the federation's Cape Lookout Coastkeeper.

More than 300 people attended the Coastal Federation event to show support and meet with legislators about the rules.

Tursi said several thousand copies of the State of the Coast report were distributed, and each legislator will be receiving a copy as well.

"One of our goals was to take what is a complex issue and put it into words and a frame of reference that people can understand. It is also our goal to put the report in the hand of legislators so they have a clear view of what is at stake here," Tursi said.

While the report examines the need for better storm water management coast-wide, there are individuals and groups doing their part to protect the coast and water quality.

Hammocks Beach State Park has replaced most of an old asphalt parking lot with rain gardens that now collect storm water so that it is gradually absorbed into the ground instead of carried to the adjacent waterway. And a cistern now holds rainwater the parks can use for washing vehicles and other non-drinking purposes.

"We're hoping to use it in our education programs in the park to get the public more interested in how to manage storm water," said Park Superintendent Paul Donnelly.

Hammocks Beach State Park and Carteret County Crossroads were two of the five recipients of Pelican Awards for the central coast.

In the local government category, the Onslow County Soil and Water Conservation District was recognized for taking the lead on a new state program that helps homeowners, businesses and towns plan and install methods to fix storm water problems.

Newport Middle School teacher Tanya Scott received an award for broadening her students' appreciation of the environment by involving them in the planting of a wetland nursery and in N.C. Big Sweep.

Creative Carpentry & Woodworking Inc. of Atlantic Beach was honored for routinely using construction practices that reduce storm water run-off.

To download a copy of the State of the Coast report, go to the North Carolina Coastal Federation Web site at www.nccoast.org.

Contact staff writer Jannette Pippin at jpippin@freedomenc.com or 252-808-2275. Visit www.jdnews.com to comment on this report.