NC S697

Establishes a 10-year moratorium on permit applications and issuance of permits for wind energy facilities in North Carolina's territorial coastal waters from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2033.

Prohibits the Department of Environmental Quality and Environmental Management Commission from issuing any permits for wind energy facilities in territorial coastal waters during the moratorium period.

Defines "territorial coastal waters" as waters extending one marine league eastward from the Atlantic Ocean seashore of North Carolina, measured from the extreme low-water mark.

Directs the General Assembly to study the impacts of wind energy facilities currently sited in coastal waters of other states and their effects on those states' coastal resources, scenic and aesthetic resources, and commercial and recreational fishing.

Cites concerns that offshore wind projects may adversely affect marine fisheries, recreational opportunities, and economic uses that are more prevalent in state territorial waters than in proximate federal waters.