2024 was a busy year in North Carolina’s environmental and energy sector. From PFAS regulations to more houses falling in the ocean; from the clean energy transition to Hurricane Helene, here’s a roundup of this year’s top environmental stories.

Helene is the most devastating storm to ever hit North Carolina

State officials estimate Helene is responsible for at least 103 deaths and $60 billion in damages.

For comparison, Hurricane Florence in 2018 caused 45 deaths and $17 billion in damages; Hurricane Matthew in 2016 caused 31 deaths and $4.8 billion in damages. Looking back farther, Hurricane Hugo in 1989 was responsible for 86 fatalities and $10 billion in damages, or about $25 billion when adjusted for inflation to a 2024 valuation.

Helene’s impacts are insurmountable and far reaching.

Farmers in western North Carolina will be recovering for years. Infrastructure will need to be rebuilt. Schools and universities were closed for weeks, with some moving to remote-only learning for the remainder of the fall semester.

In more rural communities, including Mitchell County, local businesses are still trying to reopen. More than 200 child care centers in western North Carolina were damaged, and dozens are expected to remain closed for the foreseeable future.

Federal regulations for PFAS in water announced, state regulations still in progress

In April, the EPA announced the nation’s first-ever drinking water standards for six PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals.” EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced the regulations in Fayetteville.

“(This is) the most significant action EPA has ever taken on PFAS. This new standard will reduce PFAS exposure for approximately 100 million people,” said Regan at the time.

Public water systems across the country have until 2029 to meet the standards.

Cornell Watson

/

For WUNC

This announcement came after the United Nations Human Rights Council issued a formal statement condemning chemical companies DuPont and Chemours for polluting the Cape Fear River with PFAS.

“The companies … completely (disregarded) the rights and wellbeing of residents along the lower Cape Fear River in North Carolina,” the statement reads.

Clean water advocates applauded the move.

“We’re getting validation for a lot of things we feel we deserve,” said Emily Donovan, co-founder of Clean Cape Fear. “I think the U.N. is just getting started. It’ll be interesting to see what sort of conversations happen … moving forward.”

On a more regional level, conversations this year at the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) have certainly been passionate and, at times, contentious.

While the EPA federally regulates drinking water, state agencies regulate surface water (lakes or rivers) and groundwater (private wells use groundwater).

For surface water, regulatory discussions are still ongoing within EMC’s Water Quality Committee. Clean water advocates have previously expressed disappointment and frustration with the slow process.

Celeste Gracia

/

WUNC

“A bunch of folks asking questions that really weren’t relevant, unless it was just a joke and part of this whole prank of stalling. It was almost comical if it wasn’t so devastating,” said Dana Sargent, the executive director of the Cape Fear River Watch in July, in reference to a meeting of EMC’s Water Quality Committee.

For groundwater, EMC is moving to adopt regulations for three PFAS: PFOS, PFOA and GenX. Those rules could be in place by July 2025. Interim groundwater standards are currently in place for eight PFAS.

North Carolina’s clean energy transition

A bipartisan state law passed in 2021 requires Duke Energy to reduce its carbon emissions by 70% compared to 2005 levels by 2030, and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The bill emphasizes taking a least-cost path that maintains system reliability. The law also gives the Utilities Commission discretion to push back the 2030 and 2050 goals.

In November, the North Carolina Utilities Commission approved the latest Carbon Plan, a plan that outlines how Duke Energy will reach those goals. The Carbon Plan must be revised every two years. The first Carbon Plan was released in December 2022. The most recent plan pushes back the 2030 goal of reducing carbon emissions by 70%.

“A delay of the Interim Target beyond 2032 is necessary to maintain the adequacy and reliability of the existing grid,” the plan reads.

Duke Energy plans to increase solar and onshore wind production, and expand battery storage. Duke will also gather information early next year to potentially develop offshore wind. Clean energy advocates applaud these actions. Additionally, Duke intends to build new natural gas and nuclear plants. The utility company will also retire the rest of its coal plants by 2036. These plans face strong criticism from advocacy groups.

“This commitment to fossil fuels is a major setback for North Carolina’s climate progress,” said Michelle Carter with the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters.

Clean energy and environmental organizations also expressed disappointment with pushing back the 2030 goal. Internationally, the year 2030 is viewed as a significant climate milestone. According to the United Nations, “emissions must already be decreasing and need to be cut by almost half by 2030” to stop catastrophic and irreversible climate damage.

Houses in Rodanthe keep falling in the ocean

Along the Outer Banks, six houses in Rodanthe fell into the ocean this year, and 11 in the past four years.

More than 750 homes along North Carolina’s coast are now considered threatened because of quickly rising sea levels and more intense storms fueled by climate change.

National Parks Service

As WUNC reported in November, local, state and federal officials are trying to figure out how to best move forward. More and more, the question is becoming not how to save such houses, but rather how to remove them before they collapse.

Extreme heat impacting outdoor workers

2024 is on track to be the hottest year on record, beating the previous record set in 2023.

This summer, health officials in North Carolina reported nearly 4,000 heat-related emergency room visits.

Workers in a number of industries – including agriculture, construction, and transportation – face a disproportionate impact of rising heat.

WUNC’s series, Scorched Workers, examines the impact of rising heat on outdoor workers and explores workers protections.

Experts say there aren’t enough policies to protect outdoor workers from the dangers of extreme heat. With a quickly warming climate, the push to implement heat related protections is even more urgent.