Any day now Gov. Beverly Perdue will make seven appointments to the N.C. Coastal Resources Commission.
This is her first opportunity to select a large group of commission members who reflect her philosophy for the coastal management, and who can then work together as a majority to carry out effective coastal protection policy.
Watch the actions of her new appointments very closely. The governor supports the current ban on terminal groins and seawalls along our ocean beaches. The members she selects will determine whether the commission supports or undermines her position on this major coastal issue.
Our beautiful coast urgently needs a commission that works effectively to anticipate and resolve its environmental challenges. Let's hope such a commission becomes one of the governor's most significant accomplishments.
Todd Miller
Executive director, N.C. Coastal Federation, Newport