cepted for public hearing and further 

 study by the EMC. 



From north to south, the sites included 

 Alligator River; Swan Quarter Bay and 

 Juniper Bay; southeastern Pamlico Sound, 

 Core Sound and Back Sound; western 

 Bogue Sound and Bear Island; Stump 

 Sound; Topsail Sound and Middle Sound; 

 Masonboro Island; and Lockwoods Folly 

 River. 



From the beginning, public support 

 favored coastal ORWs, says Charles Peter- 

 son, a member of the EMC and a Sea 

 Grant scientist. Calls, letters and com- 

 ments represented a growing public 

 awareness of what's happening at the 

 coast and the desire to save it, he adds. 



In December, Gov. James G. Martin and 

 his administration recommended ORW ap- 

 proval for the sites. The governor's back- 

 ing "greased the skids," as one EMC 

 member put it. 



Even so, environmentalists were worried 

 that the tide would turn. 



Three EMC decision-makers held strong 

 ties to development. And nine of the 

 voting members were sworn in Sept. 14, 

 the day the vote was taken. 



There was some disagreement and 

 discussion, Peterson says, but when the 

 votes came in, none were even close. 



All but one site was approved. Lockwoods 

 Folly, one of the state's prime shellfishing 

 grounds, had been closed because of 

 pollution. EMC recommended a plan to 

 clean up the waters. And they designated 

 the Tar-Pamlico River as "nutrient-sensitive 

 waters." (See story, next page.) 



The EMC clearly saw threats to coastal 

 waters with the rate and type of develop- 

 ment occurring, Derb Carter says. By pro- 



tecting existing water quality and refusing 

 to tolerate degradation, "they acted in the 

 best interest of all the citizens of the state 

 who use and are interested in these waters," 

 he adds. "They did the right thing." 



The new ORW classifications protect 

 critical areas such as shellfish beds, grass 

 beds and nursery areas for young fish. 



"Each water body has its own specific 

 standards," Carter adds. "Each is different 

 according to what resource you're trying 

 to protect." 



Basically the standards cover sewage 

 disposal, density of development, new 

 marinas, dredging and channels. 



The biggest change is an expanded 

 area where construction and sewage 

 disposal permits will be required, Carter 

 says. 



Until now, specially designated waters 

 have been protected by regulating 

 development and discharges within a 

 zone 75 feet back from the water. 



For ORWs, the zone was expanded to 

 575 feet. And only low-density develop- 

 ment is permitted within the zone. Twenty- 

 five percent of an area can be built up. 



No doubt those who watch the coast 

 are pleased. In fact, the U.S. Congress is 

 looking at using North Carolina's ORW 

 classifications as a model for the rest of 

 the country. 



But some say it's just a start. 



For one, the state's ORW plan may not 

 provide the long-term protection that's 

 needed, says Doug Rader, senior scientist 

 with the N.C. Environmental Defense Fund. 



Rader and other environmentalists say 

 that while the new management plans dif- 

 fer with each ORW site, they are not spe- 

 cific enough in some areas. 



Photo by Jim Strickland 



For example, standards in shellfishing 

 grounds such as Bogue and Stump 

 sounds are not stringent enough to fully 

 protect the resource, Peterson says. 



And in regard to coastal development 

 around ORWs, 25 percent density may be 

 too much, says Todd Miller, executive 

 director of the N.C. Coastal Federation. 



The Federation recommended levels of 

 12 to 15 percent development to the EMC. 

 Pine Knoll Shores, developed at 17 per- 

 cent, is already experiencing water quality 

 problems from stormwater runoff in its 

 canals. 



Others agree that the decision-makers 

 need to expand the range of protection of 

 coastal waters. 



The new ORW plan focused on the 

 most threatened waters along the southern 

 coast. Identify and protect ORWs from 

 Cape Lookout north now, Miller suggests. 



Address the whole watershed and pro- 

 tect wetlands too, he says. What happens 

 upstream affects the water downstream. 



"North Carolina has a lot of waters in 

 pretty good shape," Rader says. "With 

 ORWs, we're trying to keep them that way," 

 he adds. "We're the stewards." 



Photo by John ft. Rottet 



