• Ocean

Offshore Oil and Gas Industry Challenged By Lawsuits and Bankruptcies

• conservation
• environment
• Florida
• leasing
• North Carolina
• offshore drilling
• oil and gas

One thing Democrats and Republicans in many southern states seem to agree on is that they don’t want oil and gas drilling off their coastlines.  The Hill reported that last week the State of North Carolina sued the federal government for its continuing to prepare for offshore leasing in the Atlantic just off their coast.  And in Florida, while President Trump has promised that he will not pursue oil and gas drilling there, even outgoing Republican Congressman Francis Rooney is worried about the President going back on his word if he is re-elected.

Why This Matters:  The President’s fossil fuel commitments are hard to deny, even as he promises Florida a reprieve.

• Animals

One Undead Thing: NC Parks Officials Warn of “Zombie” Snake

• North Carolina
• snakes

According to ABC News, parks and recreation officials in North Carolina issued a warning about a so-called “zombie snake” in the state that tends to “play dead.” The North Carolina State Parks and Recreation shared images of the eastern hognose snake on its Facebook page, warning residents to stay alert if they happen to come […]

• Animals

Sea level rise is having a big impact on coastal birds

• birds
• climate change
• ghost forests
• North Carolina
• sea level rise

When saltwater inundates coastal forests as sea levels rise, it kills salt-sensitive trees, leaving “ghost forests” of bare snags behind. A new study from North Carolina State University revealed that changes in vegetation as salt water moves further inland posed very different outcomes for different varieties of coastal bird species. Surprisingly, species of high conservation […]

• Climate Change

Saltwater intrusion a ticking time bomb for NC farms

• agriculture
• farming
• North Carolina
• sea level rise

As climate change is causing sea levels to rise, this salty water’s encroachment inland means that drinking water, native plant species, and agriculture are all coming under threat. The Washington Post reported that “rising seas, sinking earth and extreme weather are conspiring to cause salt from the ocean to contaminate aquifers and turn formerly fertile […]