Over the past few months, MountainTrue has been working with lawmakers to support a number of conservation projects that could end up being adopted in the next state budget. Specifically we are asking lawmakers to support funding to:
Provide the NC Department of Environmental Quality with the resources it needs to investigate and clean up hazardous spills from unknown sources.
Provide state funding to monitor popular WNC rivers and streams for E. coli and other pollutants that can make people sick.
Improve fish habitat and fishing access by providing matching funds to remove the Ward’s Mill Dam on the Watauga River in Watauga County.
Improve public access to a popular recreation area on the Green River Game Lands in Henderson and Polk counties.
Expand camping and fishing tourism with investment in the Watauga River Paddle Trail in Watauga County and the French Broad River Paddle Trail in Transylvania, Henderson, Buncombe and Madison counties.
These items have all made it into the NC Senate’s proposed budget and are now being discussed in final budget negotiations with the state House of Representatives. MountainTrue – and our region – is fortunate to have a number of lawmakers who have been willing to support these projects including Representatives Chuck McGrady, Josh Dobson, Kevin Corbin and Brian Turner and Senators Chuck Edwards and Deanna Ballard.
Please contact your legislators and thank them for supporting these important projects and initiatives.
