News

Sediment polluting a Neuse River tributary is on the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s radar, but no new action has been taken by the state, according to Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop.

“We learned about the sediment pollution in September, and after we investigated, we reported the issue to DEQ,” Samantha said. “They did a site visit, but haven’t been able to follow up on further inspections. It could be staff doesn’t have the time or resources to follow up — DEQ is incredibly underfunded — but it’s disappointing this hasn’t moved forward. We have at least one, maybe two, developments that are pollution risks.”

In early September, an area resident called in to Sound Rivers, describing brown, murky water in Brices Creek. Photos set in illustrated the same. Sound Rivers’ Riverkeeping team first tried to identify the source of sediment via kayak, though they ultimately had to turn back because the water was too shallow to navigate. The following week, Samantha took a surveillance flight, which resulted in spotting two potential pollution sites two miles upstream from the where impacts were originally discovered: at an expansion of the Carolina Colours development and a new development owned by Nolan Construction Contractors, on the opposite side of the small waterway. Land had been cleared on either side of Brices Creek, with definite impacts to the buffer, she said.

Samantha reported her findings, and sent aerial photos, to NCDEQ’s Department of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources and the Division of Water Resources. Staff followed up with site inspections in late September, where they found some buffer violations, but were unable to walk the entire site.

An email from a DWR environmental specialist sent this week said DWR staff intends to revisit the sites in two weeks.

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