BANFF Tickets on Sale Now
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In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Western North Carolina’s economic recovery depends directly on the health and safety of our rivers. Whether you represent a Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Development Authority, Rotary Club, outdoor outfitter, or a local business, our waterways are the vital infrastructure that brings visitors to our towns and drives a $5 billion outdoor recreation economy.
With initial state funding secured last year, MountainTrue hired 100 local, storm-displaced residents who have already pulled more than 6 million pounds of debris from our rivers—but that funding is running out. Without renewed investment from the General Assembly, MountainTrue will soon have to shut down its cleanup operations and lay off these crews, leaving hundreds of miles of waterways clogged and closed for business.
We are inviting business owners, local chambers, civic clubs, and community organizations across the region to sign on to the letter below urging state legislators to continue funding this critical work. Lawmakers need to hear directly from a united business community that river cleanup is an urgent economic necessity for our small businesses, working families, and local tax bases. Please review the letter below and complete the sign-on form at the bottom of this page to add your business or organization’s name in support.
Dear [Legislator Name],
We, the undersigned representatives of local Tourism Development Authorities, Chambers of Commerce, and the outdoor recreation industry, are writing to respectfully urge your continued support and funding for river clean-up and debris removal efforts in Western North Carolina.
According to the 2024 Made X Mtns WNC Outdoor Recreation Survey, the outdoor recreation industry historically drives a staggering $5 billion impact on our local economy.
However, that baseline was measured before the Helene devastated our region.
Right now, our communities and local businesses are still struggling to recover. To bring that $5 billion economy back, we must repair our infrastructure—and in Western North Carolina, our waterways are our primary economic infrastructure. They are the factories and highways that support our outfitters, guides, hospitality businesses, restaurants, and retail shops. When our rivers remain clogged with storm debris, sediment, and hazards, they are closed for business. Consequently, tourism halts, small business revenues plummet, and local tax bases shrink.
With your help, last year the legislature appropriated funds to support allow MountainTrue to hire 100 local residents – many of them displaced by the storm – to clear our waterways so commerce can safely resume.
To date this effort has removed more than 6 MILLION pounds of debris.
But this job is far from completed. Without additional investment, MountainTrue will soon shut down its clean up work and lay-off its debris teams – while hundreds of miles of river and stream beds still need clean up.
That’s why we hope you will support continued investment in MountainTrue’s debris removal work. Cleaning up our rivers means rebuilding jobs, saving local businesses, and restoring an outdoor recreation economy that working families in our districts desperately depend on.
Please support local businesses, chambers, and tourism authorities by ensuring MountainTrue’s river clean-up efforts are fully funded to meet the scale of this recovery. Thank you for your time, your service to our state, and your dedication to the economic revitalization of our region.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
