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The Board of Directors of the Friends of Jockey’s Ridge has adopted support for the readoption of the Area of Environmental Concern (AEC) status for Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head.

Craig Honeycutt, chairman of the board, stated in a letter to the Coastal Resources Commission “The recent decision by the Rules Review Commission to potentially remove this crucial designation poses a significant threat to the environmental integrity and long-term well-being of this unique coastal geologic formation.”

The AEC designation acknowledges Jockey’s Ridge as a unique coastal geologic formation and places it under environmental protection. “It is a critical piece to the preservation of the landmark from possible development, as well as maintaining migrating sand off property be replenished to the dune,” noted a news release from the Friends of Jockey’s Ridge. “Removing this designation could be detrimental to this local landmark visited by over 1 million visitors each year.”

The Board of Directors “strongly urges the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission to support the readoption of AEC status for Jockey’s Ridge State Park.”

The date for comments has been extended. Those who would like to show support for the readoption of the AEC should send in written comments by Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. to Angela.Willis@deq.nc.gov.

For more information about Friends of Jockey’s Ridge, a community-based non-profit that supports the preservation of Jockey’s Ridge State Park, and to read the letter to the commissioners, go to friendsofjockeysridge.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/friendsofjockeysridge.

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