Call Gov. McCrory and ask him to veto H765

Last night the North Carolina House of Representatives passed House Bill 765, a piece of legislation that is outright hostile to the environment and the health and safety of the residents of North Carolina.

Call on Governor Pat McCrory and ask that he VETO House Bill 765,
Governor McCrory: 919-814-2000
[UPDATE: Calls are flooding in. If you can’t get through
at the number above, try 919-814-2050 and leave a message.]

The bill has been dubbed “The Polluter Protection Act”, and for good reason. Under the premise of “regulatory reform”, H765 would:

shield companies that violated environmental laws from having to pay penalties and would allow them to hide evidence of wrongdoing from the public,
allow developers to damage without any mitigation intermittent streams which could cause the loss of critical linkages in our stream networks and damage our watersheds, and
eliminate air quality monitors in at least four mountain counties, reducing the available data regarding air quality and the public’s ability to know whether our air is clean and clear.

These provisions benefit private interests at great cost to the public. For more details, Read the letter [PDF] to Governor McCrory from MountainTrue Co-directors Julie Mayfield and Bob Wagner. Download PDF.

Let McCrory know that you do not support House Bill 765.

Call on Governor Pat McCrory and ask that he VETO House Bill 765,
Governor McCrory: 919-814-2000
[UPDATE: Calls are flooding in. If you can’t get through
at the number above, try 919-814-2050 and leave a message.]

Our tourism industry and tens of thousands of jobs throughout the area are dependent on clean rivers, clean air and beautiful, smog-free vistas, and this bill is a giant step in the wrong direction. House Bill 765 would make it even more difficult for citizens and residents to find out what factories, power plants and other industries are putting into our air and water. There can be no justification to hiding from public view information that is essential to public health.

Let your friends and family know and ask them to lend their voice to demand that Governor McCrory do the right thing and veto House Bill 765.

Save the Date! Sunday, October 18: Protect Our Land Picnic

Save the date! The Carolina Land Coalition is having a Protect Our Land Picnic on Sunday, October 18, 2-5 PM. Attend this family-friendly event to enjoy food, fun and take action challenging Duke Energy’s plans!

Date/time: Sunday, October 18, 2-5pm

Location: Historic Henderson County Courthouse, Hendersonville

Who should attend: Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend, because even if power lines won’t run through your property or community, we’ll all pay for this $1.1 billion plan through our utility rates.

Purpose: Stand in unity against Duke Energy’s Western Carolina’s “Modernization” plan and tell elected officials and utility regulators that we oppose this plan. Get up to speed on the latest developments and know all your options for making your voice heard!

Want to help? Sign up to volunteer or donate to help make this event great!

Fall Scenery Hike with Bob Gale

10/6: Fall Scenery Hike with Bob Gale

Join MountainTrue Ecologist & Public Lands Director Bob Gale for a Fall Scenery Hike to remember. We’ll be doing a light trek on the Pilot Cove Loop up to a rock face with a beautiful vista. If we’re lucky, we’ll get to see some migrating monarch butterflies surfing the warm thermal wind over the outcrop. Though monarch populations have suffered in recent years, we’ve seen a few more this year. So, keep your fingers crossed. Bob will discuss the challenges to their incredible migrating journey, and will also interpret the flora and fauna along the way.

Click here to register for the event.

This is a 3-3/4 mile round-trip loop, which begins along a creek, goes through old growth and other forest communities, and offers distant views. Bob will discuss forestry practices and guide you on walk through a beaver-altered habitat.

Hiking (and resting time): approximately 4 hours. Involves an initial short if somewhat steep climb and a couple of short uphill climbs along a ridge before descending for the second half of the trip.

Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Meet at Earthfare in the Westgate Shopping Center, 66 Westgate Pkwy, Asheville
Cost: Free
Registration Deadline: Monday, October 5th at NOON

Click here to register for the event.

Cane Creek Clean Up

Last time Hartwell and Anna went out on Cane Creek they saw over 100 tires in the water. We want to get them out of the creek while the weather is still good and the water levels are low. Come out for a tire-pullin’ on Wednesday, October 14. We will be meeting at Fletcher Community Park at 12:30pm. Boats will be provided, and we have a few waders if anyone wants/needs some.

Sign up to volunteer!

Faithful Gather in Asheville to Discuss Pope’s Call for Action

Asheville, NC — People of faith will gather for a special event in Asheville at St. Eugene’s Catholic Church on Thursday, September 24 to watch Pope Francis’ address to congress and discuss what his message means to the world and how we can better care for God’s Creation.

What: Caring for Our Common Home: An Interfaith Gathering to Respond to the Pope’s Call for Action
Where: St. Eugene’s Catholic Church, 72 Culvern St., Asheville
When: Thursday, September 24 at 6:00 PM
Who: Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina

On location media contact: Rev. Dr. Steve Runholt, Pastor of Warren Wilson Presbyterian. Cell: (828) 712-7803
*** 100+ attendees anticipated. Interview opportunities. Strong visuals ***

On September 24, Pope Francis will make a historic address to the United States Congress, and in his message, he is expected to reiterate his vigorous call for swift action to address climate change and care for the natural environment. In response, over 100 attendees are expected to gather at St. Eugene’s to enjoy food and fellowship, watch Pope Francis’ address (previously recorded) to Congress, and discuss what his message means to the world.

This interfaith gathering is hosted by the Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina, a program of MountainTrue.

About The Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina
The Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina (CCAWNC) is a network of people of faith and congregations who have united around a moral and spiritual call to preserve the integrity, beauty and health of God’s creation. We work to bring practical and hopeful solutions to our congregations and broader secular communities by engaging hearts and minds through inspiration, education, service and advocacy. Our work is an expression of our love of God and God’s love for the earth and all life.

10/20: Plant Trees at Hominy Creek Greenway

10/20 Tree Planting at Hominy Creek

On Tuesday, Oct 20, help beautify and plant trees on the beach near the Hominy Creek Greenway. These trees will become a live-staking cultivation site. We’ll be able to cut branches from them in the future to use as live stakes, which will help stabilize river banks and keep sediment pollution from entering the river.

Come out and get your hands dirty for the river! Sign up here.

9/17: Mt. Hardy – Wolf Mountain Day Hike

Join MountainTrue, the Asheville History Center and NC Botanical Society founder Dan Pittillo on this day hike along the Bartram Trail to discover the natural world as William Bartram might have done: through identification of plants and observation. You’ll learn more about Bartram himself and the impact of early Naturalists on contemporary ecology. The trip departs from Asheville History Center, 283 Victoria Road at 9 a.m. and will return at 5 p.m.

$35 members; $50 non-members – Transportation, snacks and water provided; participants should pack a lunch.

Reservations are required. To save your spot, email smh@wnchistory.org or call 828-253-9231.

*Please note: Moderate walking of one mile or less on uneven surfaces is a requirement of this trip.

Carolina Land Coalition unites to challenge Duke’s power plans

Action Expired

HENDERSONVILLE – Communities, neighbors and grassroots organizations across Western Carolina have joined forces to oppose Duke Energy’s Western Carolina expansion plans, including a network of power transmission lines, a large-scale gas-fired power plant near Asheville and substation at Campobello, SC.

The Carolina Land Coalition brings together regional partners, in both Western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina, who would be especially impacted by the planned transmission lines between the power plant at Lake Julian and the new substation in Campobello, SC.
Ever since Duke Energy released maps showing potential routes for those lines, communities and residents in the region have been vocal in their opposition. The Carolina Land Coalition combines resources and perspectives to speak as a unified voice in opposition to Duke’s expansion plans.

“We know that the only way to form a strong defense is to form a unified offense.” said Garnet Fisher, a member of Carolina Land Coalition. “We’ve partnered with our neighbors because we want Duke to know we aren’t interested in their ‘not in my backyard’ game. These mountains are our entire community’s backyard and we will all work together to protect our land and to defend the public interest.”

The Carolina Land Coalition emerged as a joint campaign between community groups and the regional environmental advocacy organization MountainTrue, which also serves to support the Coalition. So far, 15 member groups and 306 individual members have signed on in support.
“We plan to challenge this ‘Modernization’ plan with every resource available,” said MountainTrue co-Director Julie Mayfield. “While the detriment to the property owners is clear, there has been no such consideration for the visitors, businesses that rely on tourism, neighbors or residents whose access to pristine natural beauty will be impacted by these lines.”

“We didn’t want this fight,” says Mills River resident and Carolina Land Coalition supporter Phillip Brown. “All my family and I want to do is what we’ve always done for nearly eight generations here in Western North Carolina: work our family farm, raise our babies and be left alone, leaving others be in their turn. But if anyone comes in here wanting to take our land to enrich themselves, land that my dad work hard for his whole life so it would stay in the family, we have to fight, and we will. We’re all in it for the duration.”

Visit the CarolinaLandCoalition.org website to find regular updates on the Duke’s plans and to join the Coalition in opposing Duke Energy’s plans.

10/8: Annual Members’ meeting

10/8: Annual Gathering for Members and Supporters

Please join us on October 8 for our Annual Gathering and enjoy food from Saffron Fine Foods by Homegrown restaurant, complimentary beer from Hi-Wire Brewing and live music. At 6 PM, we will speak briefly about the state of the organization, what we’ve accomplished this year and where we’re heading in the future! We’ll also be handing out awards and thanking some of our most inspiring supporters!

Thursday, October 8, 2015

5:00- 8:00 PM

$10 Suggested Donation

Hi-Wire Brewing

2 Huntsman Place
Asheville, NC 28803

A Note about Directions:

This is Hi-Wire Brewing’s brand new Biltmore Village production facility and taproom located directly behind Appalachian Vintner. Please enter the exact address of 2 Huntsman Place into your GPS for driving directions or click the map below. The event IS NOT taking placing at the ‘South Slope’ location.

“Greenways and Bikeways” panel discussion

10/7: “Greenways and Bikeways” panel discussion

The Sierra Club, Green Drinks and MountainTrue will present “Greenways and Bikeways,” a panel moderated by Asheville Vice-Mayor Marc Hunt, on Asheville-Buncombe’s efforts to create a county-wide network of greenways and bikeways.

Wednesday, October 7 at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place (corner of Charlotte and Edwin) For more information, contact Judy Mattox at judymattox@sbcglobal.net.