The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) is an agency of the government of North Carolina that focuses on the preservation and protection of

natural resources Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest and cultural value. ...

and

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

. The Department is headed by the Secretary of Environmental Quality, who is appointed by the

Governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...

and is a member of the

North Carolina Cabinet The North Carolina Cabinet is the group of unelected heads of the executive departments of the Government of North Carolina. It is separate and distinct from the North Carolina Council of State, the members of which are elected statewide, and wh ...

. The Department of Environmental Quality was formed in 2015 and it was preceded by the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources, which was formed in 1971 by the North Carolina Executive Reorganization Act. The current secretary is Elizabeth Biser, who was appointed to the role by Governor

Roy Cooper Roy Asberry Cooper III (born June 13, 1957) is an American attorney and politician, serving as the 75th governor of North Carolina since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 49th attorney general of North Carolina from 200 ...

History

The Department was originally established as the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources by the North Carolina Reorganization Act of 1971.

Divisions

Current Divisions of the NCDEQ include: * Air Quality * Coastal Management * Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources * Environmental Assistance and Customer Service * Environmental Education and Public Affairs * Marine Fisheries * Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs * Mitigation Services * Waste Management * Water Infrastructure * Water Resources * Financial Services * General Counsel * Human Resources * Stewardship Program

Secretaries

The Secretaries of the Department of Environmental Quality have included: * Elizabeth Biser, July 2021 until present * Dionne Delli-Gatti (acting), March 2021 until June 2021 * Michael S. Regan, January 2017 until March 2021. * Donald R. van der Vaart, January 2015 until December 2016. As the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources, the Secretaries included the following: * John E. Skvarla, III, 2013 - 2014 * Dee A. Freeman, 2009 - 2013 * William G. Ross, Jr., 2001 - 2009 * William E. Holman, 1999 - 2001 * Wayne McDevitt, 1997 - 1999 * Jonathan B. Howes, 1993 - 1997 * William W. Cobey, Jr., 1989 - 1993 * S. Thomas Rhodes, 1985 - 1988 * James A. Summer, 1984 - 1985 * Joseph W. Grimsley, 1981 - 1983 * Howard N. Lee, 1977 - 1981 * George W. Little, 1976 - 1977 * James E. Harrington, 1973 - 1976 * Charles W. Bradshaw, Jr., 1971 - 1973 * Roy G. Sowers, 1971

Marine Patrol

The North Carolina Marine Patrol is part of the Division of Marine Fisheries. The mission of the Marine Patrol is to "ensure sustainable marine and estuarine fisheries for the benefit of the people of North Carolina". The patrol have jurisdiction over the coastal waters of the state, up to three miles offshore, and up to 200 miles offshore in respect of some federally-regulated species. Carter Witten was appointed colonel of the Marine Patrol in February 2019. The Marine Patrol are responsible for ensuring compliance with state rules and regulations relating to fisheries and fishing. The work of the Patrol is divided into three districts (Northern, Central and Southern) and an aviation section. Officers are responsible for regulating and inspecting commercial and recreational fishermen, and also provide a general patrol service on waterways, piers, and beaches in coastal areas. The Patrol are also responsible for providing inspection services through the fish supply chain, including wholesalers and restaurants.

References

{{authority control Government of North Carolina State environmental protection agencies of the United States

Department of Environment and Natural Resources The Department of Environment and Natural Resources ( fil, Kagawaran ng Kapaligiran at Likas na Yaman, DENR or KKLY) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for governing and supervising the exploration, developmen ...

Natural resources agencies in the United States

Environmental Quality "Environmental Quality" is a set of properties and characteristics of the environment, either generalized or local, as they impinge on human beings and other organisms. It is a measure of the condition of an environment relative to the requirements ...

Government agencies with year of establishment missing