In its early years, the foundation joined the National Wildlife 

 Federation in successfully suing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 

 winning protection for peat-based wetlands in what is now the 

 Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. 



In 1989, the watershed won a "nutrient sensitive" designation 

 from the state Division of Environmental Management and special 

 protection against nutrient input. 



The foundation has worked with other environmental groups, 

 industry and government to develop a new wastewater discharge 

 permit for Texasgulf Inc. in Aurora. The company's proposed 

 wastewater recycling system should reduce its phosphorus 

 discharge into the Pamlico River by 90 percent. 



PTRF's priorities for the future will include implementing a 

 comprehensive management plan for the basin and "maximizing 

 the degree of protection for wetland resources," McNaught says. 



LegaSea 



When Michael Egan moved to the Outer Banks from Louisiana 

 in 1983, he brought with him more than a love for surfing. He 

 came with some first-hand observations on the nature of the 

 offshore oil drilling business. 



''I worked on the cargo vessels that hauled cargo to the oil rigs 

 in the Gulf," Egan says, describing the toxic wastes he saw spilled 

 overboard and seeping from rigs. He says he left behind an area 

 economically devastated by a transient industry and ruined by 

 toxic pollution. 



At Cape Hatteras, he found a surfing mecca and an unspoiled 

 stretch of banier island. But the oil industry was not far behind. 



In 1981, the federal government sold 43 10-year leases off the 

 North Carolina coast to major oil corporations for the purposes of 

 drilling for oil and natural gas. In 1988, Mobile Oil Corp. submitted 

 an exploration plan that proposed drilling 38 miles due east of 

 Hatteras Island. 



That's when Egan and his surfing friends got busy; LegaSea 

 was born. 



"I didn't want to see happen in North Carolina what happened 

 in Louisiana," says Egan. "This is one of the last stretches of 

 beaches that is pristine. There's a vibrant economy based on 

 tourism and fishing, both of which are dependent on clean water 

 and clean beaches. 



"We began a process of educating ourselves," he says. Through 

 newsletters and meetings, the group now educates the public, 

 providing background on the issue, updates on legislative activity 

 and information on how to take action. 



And the group formulated its position and purpose — to fight 

 offshore drilling until scientific research projects no negative impact 

 on the marine environment or the socioeconomic stability of the 

 coastal zone. 



As the issue heats up, LegaSea has expanded beyond its core 

 group of surfers; its 500 members include residents, recreational 

 and commercial fishermen, hotel and motel owners, and real estate 

 agents, Egan says. 



In 1990, Congressman Walter B. Jones helped secure passage 

 of the Outer Banks Protection Act, which postponed drilling 

 approval until October 1991 and until the Secretary of the Interior 

 can certify to Congress that the information is adequate. It also 

 created a panel of scientists to review the environmental and socio- 

 economic impacts of oil exploration off the North Carolina coast. 



This panel has released a draft report for peer review, says 

 Donna Moffitt, director of the state's Outer Continental Shelf Office. 

 A final report is expected by the end of the year. 



In the meantime, the folks of LegaSea are employing an 

 offensive strategy. 



Egan and others are pushing for public support of a National 

 Marine Sanctuary designation that would include the area off Cape 

 Hatteras National Seashore known as "The Point." Under this 

 federal program, established in 1972, unique marine areas receive 



4 NO MEMBER/DECEMBER 1991 



