Have Our Newsletters Sent to Your Inbox
Newsfeed
Kaiya Pickens Wins Top 2021 Carson Conservation Scholarship Award
The Carson Conservation Scholarship assists young people from Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties who want to pursue higher education in natural resource conservation fields. This year’s top scholarship award winner, Kaiya Pickens, is planning a career in ecological restoration and has been volunteering with MountainTrue to remove non-native invasive plants on Murphy’s River Walk.
One Million Gallons of Sewage Overflowed into Western North Carolina Waterways during Six Month Period
More than one million gallons of sewage overflowed from inadequate wastewater infrastructure into the French Broad River and other area waterways in Western North Carolina according to state data acquired and analyzed by MountainTrue. The data was collected from August 3, 2020 until March 4, 2021 by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Asheville Regional office and is the best available estimate of the amount of sewage that overflows from wastewater infrastructures such as pipes and manhole covers into area rivers and streams across 19 counties of western North Carolina.
MountainTrue Launches BioBlitz to Crown Champion of Biodiversity in WNC
Join MountainTrue for our annual 2021 BioBlitz. This year’s bioblitz is a regional competition to crown the 2021 champion of biodiversity. The competition will take place virtually across three counties from June 5 through June 19.
Take Action For Funding To Map Landslide Hazard Areas In WNC
Landslides in our mountains are a threat to homes, roads, drinking water, and even lives. But we can make our communities safer if we know where to expect them. Take action here.
MT Raleigh Report: How Legislative Advocacy Helped Us Track Down E. coli Pollution
On the French Broad River, our data showed a sharp increase in E. coli levels several years ago – but while we knew E. coli was spiking, we couldn’t say for certain where it was coming from. We needed funding to do more sensitive eDNA testing and determine the major sources of E. coli in the river. That’s when our lobbying effort in Raleigh kicked in.
Call on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and Asheville City Council: Build Back Better With Public Transit!
As our community recovers from Covid-19, building a more resilient and accessible public transit system in Buncombe County is more important than ever. Take action below to call on the Buncombe County Commissioners and Asheville City Council to increase funding for public transit in their budgets this year!
April 2021 E-Vistas Newsletter
We use DNA to determines sources of E. coli pollution, plant 12,000 live stakes to improve water quality in the Watauga, help launch a new solar program for Asheville & Buncombe County, continue to fight alongside neighbors against an asphalt plant in East Flat Rock, and invite you to join us in Andrews for Spring Fling. All that and more in our April E-Vistas Newsletter!
DNA Testing Indicates Animal Agriculture and Sewer Infrastructure are Major Pollution Sources for French Broad River
Some of it comes from cows, some from humans and dogs. But it’s all poop and it doesn’t belong in our rivers. Find out how MountainTrue and the French Broad Riverkeeper used DNA to determine the sources of E. coli pollution to the French Broad River.
Corridor K Should Be A Model for Future Highway Projects
MountainTrue has been working for decades, through our participation in WaysSouth, to ensure that the Corridor K highway expansion project met local needs to improve safety and reliability without compromising our rivers, forests and mountain heritage. Responding to community concerns, the North Carolina Department of Transportation put forward a final proposal for Corridor K on Thursday, March 25 that is excellently designed, and economically and environmentally sound.
Solarize Asheville-Buncombe to Launch Bulk-Purchase Solar Community Campaign on Wednesday, April 7
MountainTrue is part of a coalition launching Solarize Asheville-Buncombe, a community-based group-purchasing solar campaign that makes solar energy and battery storage more affordable to participants. A virtual launch event on Wednesday, April 7 at 6:00 p.m. will feature Vice-Mayor Sheneika Smith, Buncombe County Commission Chair Brownie Newman, and Solarize Asheville-Buncombe Steering Committee members.
#MTRaleigh Report
Get the latest on environmental policy and politics from the capitol with the #MTRaleigh Report.
read more