Enviornment 6-08-07

State agencies could no longer use oyster shells in landscaping or highway beautification projects if the Senate agrees to changes in a bill, Senate Bill 1453, approved in the House this week. State agencies are trying to increase awareness of oyster shell recovery efforts. The state has already banned shells from landfills and is working to establish oyster hatcheries at the state's aquariums. North Carolina oyster stocks have dropped about 90 percent since 1900, and old shells provide the best habitat for young oysters.