Upper Neuse riverkeeper has resigned

Dean Naujoks monitored the river from above Falls Lake in Raleigh to Goldsboro, and was an advocate for stormwater controls along the river.

The riverkeeper program began in 1992 and Naujoks was hired in 2001. Naujoks was one of the foundation's two riverkeepers, and his resignation was effective Aug. 1.

"While I am very proud of the many successes we have had over the years, I want to emphasize that a tremendous amount of work needs to be done to ensure future generations have clean water," Naujoks said in a statement. "The Neuse River Basin is one of the fastest-growing river basins in the nation. Increasing population growth combined with poor land use practices will continue to degrade our water resources. Local governments need to implement strong stormwater programs and strictly enforce sedimentation pollution control laws to control runoff from construction activity."

In 2005, Naujoks was part of a citizens' task force that pressed local, state and federal officials to clean up the Ward Transformer industrial site near Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Some transformers at the site contained polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs.

The foundation was created in 1980 to guard the river against pollution.