MountainTrue’s May 2023 E-Newsletter

MountainTrue’s

May 2023 E-Newsletter

May news from MountainTrue’s four regional offices:

Central Region News

A note from Bob Wagner, Executive Director:

Two weeks ago, I ran a marathon. I prepared for a year and a half. During my training, I was frequently reminded of my late grandfather when he said, “Bob, do hard things.” Because by doing hard things, we learn about ourselves, we break barriers, we build new relationships, and we achieve big things. Accomplishing anything significant is always hard.

Doing hard things is in MountainTrue’s DNA. In 1985, our Coordinator, David Liden, received a letter from Jesse Helms — one of the most powerful US Senators — stating that clearcutting practices in our National Forests would always be used. Seven years later, because of MountainTrue’s advocacy efforts, the US Forest Service changed its clearcutting practices. Similarly, MountainTrue successfully fought a nuclear waste dump from being placed in Haywood County. More recently, after almost 20 years of advocacy, we pressed DOT to change its design of I-26 to better protect local neighborhoods. And in another multi-year effort, we pressured Duke Energy to close its coal-fired power plant at Lake Julian and clean up the coal ash ponds polluting our rivers. These campaigns took years and are modern David and Goliath stories. MountainTrue will never shy away from a fight when our environment and communities are at stake.

Today, we’re in uphill battles, including reducing single-use plastics by seeking a plastics bag ban and fighting to protect old-growth forests. We’re in this for the long haul and we hope you’ll join us in doing hard things by donating, volunteering, and showing up.

Photo: Bob Gale poses against a tree in a WNC old-growth forest.

Raise a glass to Bob Gale’s retirement on June 13!

Save the date! Join MountainTrue as we bid farewell to our beloved Ecologist and Public Lands Director, Bob Gale, after 25 incredible years spent working to protect the places we share in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Come share in the memories, enjoy some cake, and raise a glass with friends on Tuesday, June 13, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Wedge Brewery at Foundation (5 Foundy St #10, Asheville, NC 28801).

Buncombe County Comprehensive Plan heads to final vote

After nearly a year of public engagement, Buncombe County’s 2043 Comprehensive Plan recently won unanimous approval from the county’s Planning Board. The plan now advances to the Board of Commissioners for a public hearing and final vote on May 16 at 5 p.m. The final draft addresses numerous issues facing the county, including housing, transportation, and land conservation. More information can be found on the county’s website.

Swim Guide season is almost here!

From May 24 to September 6, check the Swim Guide website to ensure your local swimming hole is safe to recreate in — weekly results are posted on Fridays. The French Broad Riverkeeper monitors E.coli levels in popular swimming sites throughout the French Broad Watershed as part of MountainTrue’s Swim Guide program. Our small mountain community is one of many contributing to an international effort to monitor bacteria levels at local “beaches” or, in our case, rivers, lakes, and streams.

Real-time E. coli estimates are live at Pearson Bridge in Asheville

Visit frenchbroadwaterquality.com to get real-time E. coli estimates for the French Broad River at Pearson Bridge in Asheville, NC! Last summer, MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality launched one of the first real-time E. coli estimators in the country — the reading is based on a correlation from the US Geological Survey turbidity meter at Pearson Bridge. This tool helps keep the public informed about water quality and allows folks to make decisions based on their desire for swimming or boating in Asheville’s River Arts District. Click here to learn more about this collaborative project and our methods.

2023 Craggy Mountain BioBlitz

Join MountainTrue for our 2023 Bioblitz from June 10-25 in the Craggy Mountains! MountainTrue and Friends of Big Ivy are partnering to hold an in-person Bioblitz event on June 10 in Barnardsville, NC — click here to register for this event. We’ve recruited over 15 experts to lead you, your friends, and your family to discover and photograph the natural diversity of the Craggy Mountains. What’s more, the information you collect will be crucial in documenting the special character of the area, helping the Forest Service to better protect it, and in demonstrating to Congress that it should be designated a permanently protected National Scenic Area. Click here to learn more about the Bioblitz and sign up to participate.

Put the FUN in FUNdraising: help MountainTrue while doing your favorite activities this summer!

Last year’s successful Hike-a-thon was a blast, so we decided to do it again in 2023! This summer, you can raise money for MountainTrue by enjoying your favorite outdoor activities: hiking, biking, and paddling. Mark your calendars for June 15 through August 31, and sign up to support a good cause and have fun outside! Click here for more info on the 2023 MountainTrue-a-thon.

French Broad River cleanup with Wicked Weed

TVs, shopping carts, plastic bags, and who knows what other kinds of river trash will all be up for grabs when MountainTrue and Wicked Weed host a beer series cleanup on Saturday, June 17! We’ll paddle the river to collect as much trash as possible — folks who pick up the weirdest trash will win some great prizes! More details coming soon. Click here to register.

Photo: MountainTrue’s new ‘Save the Hellbender’ tshirt, crewneck, hoodie, and hats are now available on the MountainTrue store!

Get your new MountainTrue Merch!

Current MountainTrue members will receive a 5% discount on merchandise (check your email inbox for your discount code). Your MountainTrue merchandise purchase supports our continued work and spreads the word about our mission to protect the places we share. Together, we can do more. Get your MountainTrue merch today!

Join us on a Guided Adventure this summer!

MountainTrue’s summer ‘23 Guided Adventures are officially open for registration! These adventures provide the opportunity to get outside in nature, enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains, and learn from experts along the way. MountainTrue’s staff of ecologists, naturalists, and riverkeepers will teach you to gain a new appreciation for the world around you. With limited spots available, these Guided Adventures will sell out quickly! Click here to sign up today!

Snorkel Trail pilot sites opening this summer

Plans are being made for snorkeling kick-off events this summer at several of the ten pilot sites for the new Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail. Save the date — Saturday, June 17 — for the first one to be held at the Canton Recreation Park Boat Ramp on the Pigeon River. Other western region locations with kickoff events in the works include: Mainspring’s Queen Branch Preserve on the Little Tennessee River and Bryson City’s Island Park. Watch the Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail website and our social media for details!

We need a volunteer to help us advocate against pollution

MountainTrue’s advocacy team needs help with some data-entry projects in support of our campaigns to pass a ban on single-use plastics in Buncombe County and to support policies to reduce water pollution at the state, county and city levels. If you’re a wiz at spreadsheets, contact Karim Olaechea at karim@mountaintrue.org.

MountainTrue in the news: Josh Kelly speaks about the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan

An opinion piece by MountainTrue’s Public Lands Field Biologist, Josh Kelly, was recently published in the Asheville Citizen Times. Josh elaborates on the newly-released Forest Plan — which was adopted by the US Forest Service in late March 2023 — and explains how it flies in the face of President Biden’s pledge to protect old-growth forests by putting over 12,000 acres of old growth on the chopping block. Click here to read the full piece.

Jam with Michael Franti, MountainTrue, and your French Broad Riverkeeper

Join us for the 2023 Michael Franti & Spearhead concert featuring Fortunate Youth at the Salvage Station on July 8 in Asheville, NC! All proceeds from the concert support the work of the French Broad Riverkeeper, a program of MountainTrue and the primary protector and defender of the French Broad River watershed. Get your tickets now! Doors open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7 p.m. There will be several food trucks and full bars open for you to enjoy! Please visit the Salvage Station’s event page for the most up-to-date information, tickets, parking information, and other FAQs.

High Country News

A note from Andy Hill, High Country Regional Director & Watauga Riverkeeper:

Spring is here and Swim Guide season is just around the corner. We’re enjoying more time on the water and gearing up for our lengthy lineup of summer events. Read on for an update on recent High Country happenings and opportunities to get involved.

Alair Homes and the Watauga Riverkeeper partner to support environmental stewardship

We’re so grateful to Alair Homes for their recent announcement of a five-year environmental stewardship commitment with the Watauga Riverkeeper. To celebrate the partnership, our High Country team worked with Alair team members to plant native trees and live stakes in the wetlands on the Middle Fork Greenway. Click here to read more.

Riverkeeper Float Fest returns June 24 in Todd, NC

It’s that time of year… Riverkeeper Float Fest is back and better than ever! Join MountainTrue’s Watauga Riverkeeper and High Country Water Team on Saturday, June 24, for a fun-filled, family-friendly event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at River & Earth Adventures’ New River Outpost in Todd, NC. Rain or shine, shuttles will be going all day from Peacock traffic circle in Boone to ensure safe transportation to and from the festival. Our friends at Appalachian Mountain Brewery will be providing the jams, good brews, and good food all day long. Spend your day chilling out, listening to music and snacking with friends, or tube down the New River and enjoy fly fishing demos from our buddies at Boone’s Fly Shop. MountainTrue staff will also have viewbuckets and snorkels for an ultimate underwater river viewing experience! Click here to purchase your tickets.

Swim Guide season is almost here!

From May 24 to September 6, check the Swim Guide website to ensure your High Country swimming hole is safe to recreate in — weekly results are posted on Fridays. The Watauga Riverkeeper monitors E.coli levels in popular swimming sites in the High Country as part of MountainTrue’s Swim Guide program. Our small mountain community is one of many contributing to an international effort to monitor bacteria levels at local “beaches” or, in our case, rivers, lakes, and streams. Want to become a Swim Guide sampling volunteer? Click here to sign up! Sampling sites are assigned to volunteers on a first come, first served basis (sampling typically requires a one to two-hour commitment, once per week).

Watauga River Reclassification update

Thank you to all of our community members who recently joined us in support of a proposed reclassification of 11 Watauga River tributaries. These reclassifications, including Outstanding Resource Water and Class B Recreation, will grant further protections to water quality and long-term ecosystem health. Public comments made in favor of these changes came from stakeholder groups, local water-based businesses, and community members.

Traveling NOAA climate panel exhibit at Watauga County Public Library

Join your Watauga Riverkeeper for a panel discussion on the local effects of climate change on Monday, June 12 (time tbd, check the library’s website for updates). This exhibit is designed to connect with communities across the country to share the science of climate change and the impact it’s having on people’s everyday lives. Using images, infographics, hands-on interactives, and personal stories, the traveling exhibit explains how scientists know the climate is changing, what that future may look like, and how these impacts are affecting people, from flooding and drought to sea level rise and severe weather. The exhibit also allows visitors to explore how their own choices make a difference.

Put the FUN in FUNdraising: help MountainTrue while doing your favorite activities this summer!

Join us on a Guided Adventure this summer!

Photo: MountainTrue’s new ‘Save the Hellbender’ tshirt, crewneck, hoodie, and hats are now available on the MountainTrue store!

Get your new MountainTrue Merch!

MountainTrue in the news: Josh Kelly speaks about the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan

Outreach and education with Blue Ridge Wild & Free

Our Watauga Riverkeeper team loves days spent on the water with the next generation. On April 19, our talented Watershed Coordinator and biologist, Hannah, took a group of homeschool students to Brookshire Park to learn more about our river ecosystems. The kids loved doing a mini trash cleanup along the river banks and enjoyed using the view buckets to check out darters, sculpins, and crayfish. The students were so inquisitive and thankful for the hands-on experience. We love taking time to showcase to local youth just how special the High Country really is. Nothing beats spring view bucket days on the river!

Thanks for a successful Fly Fishing Film Festival

A huge thank you to our friends at Boone’s Fly Shop and High Country Guide Service for hosting the Fly Fishing Film Festival at the App Theatre. It was wonderful to see the river family come together for an evening of great films and fellowship. We’re very grateful for the amazing contributions generated by the raffle in support of the Watauga Riverkeeper. We’re looking forward to continuing this great event next April in honor of Earth Day!

Earth Day festivities

In honor of Earth Day, the Town of Boone hosted an eventful Earth Weekend from April 21-22. Hannah and one of our volunteers joined the festivities at the Jones House to catch up with our local community and share our latest happenings. We brought the river to King Street for folks of all ages, safely displaying aquatic insects, fish, and crayfish in tanks to showcase some of the aquatic species that call the High Country home. We extend our thanks to the Town of Boone for hosting this event and uplifting local organizations dedicated to keeping the High Country beautiful.

Our High Country Intern, Emma, also involved the local Appalachian State University community in the Earth Day festivities. App State’s Office of Sustainability hosted an Earth Day Expo on April 20, right in the heart of campus on one of the most beautiful days of the year (so far)! MountainTrue represented the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Clean Water and Sanitation — we recruited over 50 students or faculty who were new to the Riverkeeper world and wanted to join the river fam! We had great conversations, soaked in the sunshine, and celebrated this awesome planet.

Southern Region News

A note from Nancy Díaz, Southern Regional Director:

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend Hendo Earth Fest last month and our Green River Bash just a few days ago! Thank you to our volunteers who make these opportunities possible for us. I’ve enjoyed being at these, and other, community events to meet and catch up with many of you, as well as introduce others to MountainTrue. I look forward to more opportunities this spring and summer to gather with you outside! Below you’ll find information about our MountainTrue-a-thon. I plan to spend as much time as I can on our shared trails, rivers, and greenways to fundraise for our mission — please reach out if you’d like to join me!

Come out for the Moss Lake Paddle Race on May 20!

All are invited to join us in this first-ever paddle race and fundraiser for the Broad Riverkeeper at Moss Lake in Kings Mountain, NC! Racers will meet at 10 a.m. and Broad Riverkeeper David Caldwell will explain the race course layout and race rules, and the race will start around 10:45 a.m. Racers will paddle up the lake approximately two miles, circle around an island, and race back down to the finish line in the boat landing area. Prizes will be given to the racers who come in first, second, and third place! Click here to learn more and register. Volunteer safety/observer boats will be anchored along the race course to help guide participants and assist anyone who might have trouble. Want to be a safety boat volunteer? Email david@mountaintrue.org. Big thanks to the event sponsors: City of Kings Mountain, Joy Pharr Realty – Ivester Jackson Blackstream, Christie’s International Real Estate, and Michael Cheng!

Swim Guide season is almost here!

From May 24 to September 6, check the Swim Guide website to ensure your local swimming hole is safe to recreate in — weekly results are posted on Fridays. The Broad and Green Riverkeepers monitor E.coli levels in popular swimming sites in Western NC as part of MountainTrue’s Swim Guide program. Our small mountain community is one of many contributing to an international effort to monitor bacteria levels at local “beaches” or, in our case, rivers, lakes, and streams.

Clean the Green River with us this summer

Join Green Riverkeeper Erica Shanks on Thursday, June 22, to kick off our Green Clean Series! This recurring event will happen from 5:30-8 p.m. on the 4th Thursday of each month from June-September, 2023. You don’t have to kayak to be a part of the monthly cleanups — roadside volunteers are also welcome! We’ll meet at Fishtop Access in Saluda, NC, at 5:30 p.m. on cleanup days to split into teams before heading out. Please bring water, snacks, appropriate water gear or roadside gear (gloves, closed-toed shoes, sunscreen, medical needs, etc). We’ll provide trash bags. If you need gear to get out on the water please contact us as we have a limited amount of duckies, helmets, and pfds for use. If you have any questions about the cleanups, please contact Erica at erica@mountaintrue.org. Click here to learn more and sign up!

Join us on a Guided Adventure this summer

Photo: Broad Riverkeeper David Caldwell (left) receives the Paul Harris Fellow award from Shelby Rotary Club, presented by District 7680 Area 4 Assistant Governor Peter Bagley (right).

Broad Riverkeeper named Paul Harris Fellow by Shelby Rotary Club

Broad Riverkeeper David Caldwell became Shelby Rotary Club’s (SRC) newest Paul Harris Fellow at the club’s meeting on April 21. Here’s what SRC had to say about David: “David is a man of many talents: engineer, woodcarver, educator, and environmentalist extraordinaire who is passionate about his role as the Broad Riverkeeper. As a child he developed a love for nature and as a man he has become a tireless advocate for protecting the natural world. For his commitment to making a difference in our community, Shelby Rotary Club is honored to bestow the Paul Harris Fellow award on this skilled and truly dedicated professional whose work is essential for the health of our river and its ecosystem.” Click here to read more.

Hendersonville’s new pedestrian plan – Walk Hendo

Do you live, work, or recreate in Hendersonville? Your feedback is requested as they wrap up Walk Hendo, the new plan to improve walking in the city. The purpose of this survey is to collect your thoughts about a proposed set of sidewalk and path projects that have been developed based on feedback received from the first round of community engagement activities. Fill out the Walk Hendo survey today!

Put the FUN in FUNdraising: help MountainTrue while doing your favorite activities this summer!

Photo: MountainTrue’s new ‘Save the Hellbender’ tshirt, crewneck, hoodie, and hats are now available on the MountainTrue store!

Get your new MountainTrue Merch!

MountainTrue in the news: Josh Kelly speaks about the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan

Western Region News

A note from Callie Moore, Western Regional Director:

Happy spring! I hope you’ve been able to find time to get outside over the past month to see all the wildflowers and other blooms adorning our mountains. We saw 53 different blooms on the Western Region wildflower hike on the John Muir National Recreation Trail last month, including the less frequently seen native pinkster azalea, which prefers stream corridors to woodlands! As you’re out hiking, biking, and paddling this summer, we hope you’ll take MountainTrue along with you and help raise a little money during our MountainTrue-a-thon FUNdraiser! Read more below and thank you for being MountainTrue.

We’re hiring: AmeriCorps Western Region Program Associate

This full-time position will work within MountainTrue’s Clean Waters and Resilient Forests program areas in Southwestern North Carolina. The position includes a combination of volunteer recruitment and coordination, water quality monitoring, on-the-ground stewardship of public and conserved lands, and public outreach and engagement. It involves a lot of time outdoors in all seasons and regular travel across several counties. Primary responsibilities are to (1) engage volunteers in all aspects of volunteer monitoring of water quality, aquatic communities and habitat; (2) coordinate and expand the region’s microplastics sampling program; (3) help control nonnative invasive plants and restore native plant communities in parks, along greenways, and on other public lands; and (4) coordinate public outreach and engagement activities in MountainTrue’s Western Region. This position will begin on September 5, 2023, and last until July 31, 2024. Click here to learn more and apply by Wednesday, May 31!

Congratulations to our 2023 Carson Conservation Scholarship winners!

We’re proud to announce that Will Johnson of Murphy High (pictured above) was selected as the top 2023 scholarship recipient. Will is headed to NC State University this fall to study Agriculture Education with a concentration in Animal Science. Abby Lancaster of Graham County, NC, received the second scholarship award. After graduating from Robbinsville High, Abby plans to attend Appalachian State University to study Agriculture. Click here to read more about our outstanding scholarship recipients.

Swim Guide season is almost here

From May 26 to September 1, check the Swim Guide website to ensure your favorite local swimming hole is safe to swim in — weekly results are posted on Fridays. Our Western Regional Office volunteers and staff monitor E.coli levels at popular swimming sites and canoe/kayak put-ins in Western NC and Northern GA every week as part of MountainTrue’s Swim Guide program. We’re excited to be adding locations in the Little Tennessee River basin this summer! Our small mountain community is one of many contributing to an international effort to monitor bacteria levels at local “beaches” or, in our case, rivers, lakes, and streams.

Snorkel Trail pilot sites opening this summer

Photo: A patch of still-dormant kudzu covering the forest floor in one part of Sylva’s Pinnacle Park will be an initial focus of control efforts.

Tackling invasive plants at Pinnacle Park

MountainTrue is partnering with the Pinnacle Park Foundation on a strategy for controlling nonnative invasive plants at the 1,100-acre park, which is owned by the Town of Sylva. Our Western Region Program Coordinator, Tony Ward, and AmeriCorps member, Darby Stipe, met with Foundation board members and others on April 29 to evaluate patches of kudzu, English ivy, and other invasives that are pushing out native plant species that would normally thrive there.

Put the FUN in FUNdraising: help MountainTrue while doing your favorite activities this summer!

Join us on a Guided Adventure this summer!

Photo: MountainTrue’s new ‘Save the Hellbender’ tshirt, crewneck, hoodie, and hats are now available on the MountainTrue store!

Get your new MountainTrue Merch!

MountainTrue in the news: Josh Kelly speaks about the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan

MountainTrue’s Statement on the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan

On March 20, after 10 years of public input and planning, the Forest Service will adopt its new management plan for the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forests — a disappointing document that is significantly worse than the current plan and contradicts an executive order issued by President Biden that would protect and expand our nation’s old growth forests.

The new plan does have a few bright spots: the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will have more influence over forest management, new recommendations for Wilderness and Wild and Scenic River designations are welcome, and the plan implements more prescribed fire and wildfire protection activities. On other key issues — like tackling our massive road maintenance backlog, developing a plan to maintain and expand our trail networks and recreation infrastructure to meet current user demand, and drafting a monitoring plan to evaluate their own management practices — the Forest Service has failed to deliver, instead putting these critical concerns on the back burner for at least the next three years.

However, for MountainTrue, the most egregious shortcoming is that the Forest Service has placed significant old-growth forests, rare species habitat, and roadless backcountry into zones that are open to commercial logging. The Forest Service has also relaxed rules to allow ground-based logging on steep, hard-to-reach slopes — where many of our old-growth forests remain.

To be clear, MountainTrue is not against commercial logging, and we’re not concerned about the amount of logging permitted by the new forest plan. It’s essentially the same amount allowed by the old plan. Regardless of how much logging occurs — whether it’s the modest 800 acres annually of today or the eyebrow-raising 3,200-acre annual maximum, what matters most is where logging occurs. MountainTrue has provided detailed maps of existing old-growth communities and filed formal objections, and despite our best efforts, the Forest Service chose to expand the footprint of where logging can occur to 600,000 acres, more than half of the land of the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest. This includes 100,000 acres of natural heritage areas, roadless areas, and sensitive habitats where we will vigorously oppose any future logging projects.

It doesn’t need to be this way. Logging is a critical part of Western North Carolina’s economy and can play an important role in establishing the kinds of wildlife habitat desired by local hunters. Half a million acres can provide more than enough timber harvests and early-successional habitat while still protecting our most treasured natural areas and recreational resources. A detailed blueprint for accomplishing this was provided to the Forest Service by the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Partnership, a coalition that brought together recreation, conservation, civic, and business interests — including timber and paper industry representatives.

Instead, the Forest Service devised a forest plan that seems designed to pit user-interest groups against each other by allowing logging in some of our most diverse forests and pristine backcountry areas. The agency also wants the right, as it is pushing through in the Southside Project, to cut existing old-growth forest, even though the Environmental Impact Statement for the planning process discloses that there is a minimum of a 300,000-acre deficit of old-growth on Forest Service Land alone, making it the most under-represented age class in the region compared to the average over the last few millennia.

To paper over this egregious management strategy, the Forest Service has devised its own “designated old-growth network” which fails to include existing and well-documented old-growth areas and can change significantly from plan to plan. This scheme allows the Forest Service to place relatively young trees in the old-growth network until they are old enough to log profitably decades from now. It also flies in the face of President Biden’s executive order 14072 of April 22, 2022, which, in part, seeks to “conserve America’s mature and old-growth forests on Federal lands” and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to “define, identify, and complete an inventory of old-growth and mature forests on federal lands […]” That inventory is due this April, and, if done correctly, will include tens of thousands of acres that this Forest Plan leaves open to logging.

According to executive order 14072, it is the policy of the Biden Administration to “manage forests on Federal lands, which include many mature and old-growth forests, to promote their continued health and resilience; retain and enhance carbon storage; conserve biodiversity; mitigate the risk of wildfires; enhance climate resilience; enable subsistence and cultural uses; provide outdoor recreational opportunities; and promote sustainable local economic development.” That’s a vision of forest management that we wholeheartedly support and that this Forest Plan quite simply fails to accomplish.

The Forest Service had the chance to unify the public behind a well-balanced Forest Plan. Instead, they sided with more narrowly aligned interests inside and outside the agency and, despite a 10-year planning process, kicked many difficult decisions down the road. But the fight for our forests is far from over. You can count on MountainTrue to continue working to protect the places we share.

For media inquiries, contact: Karim Olaechea, Deputy Director of Strategy & Communications
Phone: 828-400-0768 | Email: karim@mountaintrue.org

Make your voice heard: Duke Energy’s rate hikes are unfair!

The North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) recently approved the disappointing Carbon Plan, which gives Duke Energy the green light to pursue a combination of energy sources, including gas and nuclear, to achieve North Carolina’s carbon reduction goals. Now, before any concrete plan of action is presented, Duke Energy Progress is asking NCUC to approve rate hikes that will be imposed on customers for the next three consecutive years. This three-year rate structure was authorized as part of the legislation that also mandated the creation of the Carbon Plan.

You have a chance to make your voice heard! NCUC is hosting a series of public hearings across the state, and they kick off in the mountains on March 6 at 7 p.m. at the Haywood County Courthouse:

What: Duke Energy Progress Rate Hike Public Hearing

When: Monday, March 6, 2023, at 7:00 p.m.

Where: Haywood County Courthouse, 285 N. Main St, Courtroom 2-A, Waynesville, NC

Energy is getting more expensive, burdening everyone, especially low-income households. Last summer, customers experienced an average monthly energy bill increase of $10.58 due to rising gas prices. The following monthly increases are expected on the average residential electric bill if Duke Energy Progress gets its way:

$14.72 per month starting fall 2023, followed by
$5.62 per month in 2024, followed by
$5.21 per month in 2025

By 2026, the average annual residential electric bill will be $306.06 higher than it is today. To put this in perspective, workers making minimum wage will have to work an extra two and a half weeks per year to pay their energy bills if this rate hike is approved. Duke Energy Progress customers already spend an average of 19% more on their electric bills than Duke Energy Carolinas customers. Why should Progress customers’ rates go up even more? Check this map to find out if you’re a Duke Progress or Duke Carolinas customer.

Duke’s justification for the rate hikes is largely for new distribution and transmission grid upgrades. Making our grid more reliable is important, and we need to build out the power distribution grid to better accommodate new renewable energy development like wind and solar. But, in addition to building out a robust transmission grid, Duke needs to maximize investment in energy efficiency measures to help low-income customers offset rising energy costs. Duke now has the ability to use “performance-based ratemaking” mechanisms that incentivize clean energy investments to benefit both the utility and the public. Duke underutilized this opportunity in its rate hike application. NCUC should aggressively require that Duke’s profits be tied to achieving public policy goals such as low-income energy affordability, decarbonization, and investments in energy efficiency and distributed renewable energy resources.

We need to tell NCUC to minimize rate increases on customers, advance aggressive goals around energy efficiency, affordability, and renewable sources through performance-based ratemaking, and pursue other strategies to protect and support low-income customers from rising costs. Be there on March 6 to make your voice heard!

For more detailed talking points and pointers for how to engage in the hearing, click here. Thanks to our good partners at NC Sierra Club for pulling these together!

Septic System Facts & Tips

By Darby Stipe, AmeriCorps Western Region Water Quality and Habitat Restoration Associate

Here at MountainTrue, we’re all about taking practical steps to improve water quality and lower your environmental footprint at home. If you don’t live in close proximity to a city or town, chances are high that you have a septic system. Onsite septic systems treat wastewater on residential lots and usually include a concrete tank and a drain field.

When used correctly, septic systems have many benefits. Proper use reduces the risk of diseases and exposure to harmful pathogens by treating wastewater before it reaches surface drinking water sources or waters used for recreation. Decentralized waste systems also lower the infrastructure and energy costs communities would otherwise put towards collecting and treating wastewater.

How Septic Systems Work

Septic systems treat the wastewater going through your drains and slowly release wastewater into a drainage field to neutralize pathogens, pollutants, and other contaminants before the water transitions back into the natural water cycle. A typical system separates the solids and oils — the sludge — from the rest of the liquid waste — the effluent — which then exits the tank into the drain field through perforated pipes surrounded by gravel. The water percolates, filters, and purifies as it continues going down through the drainage field soil. Here’s a visual representation of a septic system in action.

Septic System Problems

Problems with septic systems usually arise as systems age or when maintenance is neglected. Septic tanks should be inspected and pumped every three to five years, depending on the household size. Because the sludge remains in the tank, it needs to be removed before it fills the tank and causes septic system failure. System failures can lead to costly repairs, hazardous waste overflows, and excess nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) infiltrating groundwater sources. If improperly treated sewage leaches into nearby drinking waters, it can cause severe illness to those who come in contact with the water.

Other potential issues can arise when improper waste products, such as harmful chemicals and grease/fats, are disposed of down the drain. Harmful chemicals can kill helpful bacteria and other organisms that break down the wastewater, and grease/fats can lead to clogged drains or pipes. Additionally, disposing of bulky food waste and slow decomposing materials down your drains can drastically increase the amount of waste buildup in your septic tank.

Microplastic dispersion into the environment is a little-known problem in which septic systems play a prominent role. Microplastics — pieces of plastic that continuously break down into smaller pieces over time — are usually too small to be filtered by gravel and sand. As a result, microplastics and their chemical additives often leach into surface water and groundwater.

While plastic waste and litter contribute to microplastic pollution, many folks are unaware that personal care items and laundry can also be a source of microplastic pollution. Clothing items made of polyester, nylon, rayon, or spandex shed microfibers when washed. And even though microbeads were banned from rinse-off cosmetics in 2015, they are still allowed to be used in makeup, deodorants, and lotions. Individual consumers can mitigate household microplastic pollution by:

Wearing clothes made from natural fibers and reducing consumption of clothing made from synthetic materials, when possible.
Installing a microfiber filter on the household washing machine.
Washing clothing made from synthetic materials in laundry bags and/or throwing microplastic collection balls into laundry loads.
Doing laundry less often with fuller loads.

How To Locate Your Septic Tank and Drain field

It’s important that you can identify the location of your septic tank on your property. The easiest way to find your septic tank is to obtain a copy of your septic system permit from the local health department. A septic system permit will indicate the approximate location of your tank, drain field, and potentially a secondary drainage area (only found if your home was built after the 1980s).

You can also locate your tank by following the pipes that extend from your home into your yard. First, you’ll need to locate the main sewer outlet pipe, which is usually four inches in diameter and typically found in the basement or crawl space. Note where the pipe exits the house and go outside to the same location. Using a thin metal stake, probe every two feet or so, following the pipeline underground as closely as possible. Septic tanks are normally located 10-25 feet away from the house and are no closer than three feet. As soon as your probe strikes a flat concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene surface, you’ll know you’ve found your tank.

A septic tank’s lid may be visible above ground in most newer housing developments. If the septic tank lid is underground (common for older homes), you may be able to locate it by using a metal detector. Another alternative is to use a flushable transmitter — once flushed, it can be tracked to the inlet area of the septic tank.

Action Steps For a Safe and Effective Septic System

Here are nine important practices to consider when maintaining your own septic system:

Do not overload your system with water. Conserve water by avoiding excessive use and fixing leaky pipes and dripping faucets.
Have solids pumped from your septic tank every three to five years. Maintenance schedules will depend on the tank size and the number of users.
Keep the soil over the drain field covered with grass or other shallow-rooted plants to prevent erosion. Deep roots can clog systems. Maintain a healthy stand of grass to prevent erosion and excessive infiltration of water or ponding.
Do not drive on or otherwise compact the soil above the drain field.
Flush only toilet tissue and human waste down the toilet. Septic systems are not designed to treat pet waste.
Do not use toilet cleaners that hang in the tank, as they can corrode your toilet’s inner workings.
When possible, refrain from using your garbage disposal. Do not dump coffee grounds, grease, oils, or fats down your drains.
Do not use harsh household cleaners or put other toxic chemicals like bleach, paint, solvents, or pesticides down the drain.
Learn the signs of a malfunctioning or failing system. Backed-up water in drains or toilets, abnormally green vegetation, soggy areas over the drain field, and a foul smell could all indicate system failure.

Septic systems are excellent residential waste treatment options if they are properly maintained. Learn more by checking out the EPA’s SepticSmart program, and stay tuned for our upcoming MountainTrue University session!

Is your septic system in need of some TLC? MountainTrue has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to provide septic repair funds to qualifying property owners in Buncombe, Cherokee, and Henderson counties! Click here to learn more and apply.

2023 Western North Carolina Conservation Legislative Priorities

Protect Public Health – and the Jobs and Businesses that Rely on Clean Water

A recent report conducted by economists at Western Carolina University commissioned by the French Broad River Partnership found the total economic impact of the French Broad River and its tributaries is $3.8 billion annually, and river-reliant businesses create or maintain 38,554 jobs each year. In 2015, more than 55,000 people used a commercial outfitter to enjoy the French Broad, and thousands more used the river without an outfitter.

Unfortunately, bacteria pollution threatens this economic engine by making the watershed unsafe for the thousands of people who play in it every year. Contaminated water poses health problems, including gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and infections.

Water quality testing in the heavily-used French Broad River watershed indicates the presence of E. coli and fecal coliform at levels that are unsafe for human exposure much of the time. One of the most popular areas for recreation, a 19-mile section of the French Broad River – from the Asheville Regional Airport, through the Biltmore Estate and the River Arts District in downtown Asheville – was added to NC’s list of impaired waterways in 2022.

To protect public health and the jobs and businesses that rely on safe recreational waters, MountainTrue supports the following initiatives to reduce bacterial pollution:

Increase local WNC funding to help farmers improve water quality. Agricultural waste is a significant source of E. coli and other bacterial pollution in WNC rivers and streams, especially the French Broad River which, as mentioned above, was recently listed as impaired for fecal coliform. Unfortunately, demand for state funding to help WNC farmers afford improvements that would reduce this pollution far outstrips the current budget. Expanding state funding for local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) to meet this demand is critical to improving recreational water quality in WNC. We would like to request a $2 million nonrecurring allocation to SWCDs in the French Broad Watershed, allocated through the existing Agricultural Cost-Share Program, specifically for livestock operation improvement projects.
Help property owners reduce stormwater pollution. The Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP) allows WNC’s SWCDs to help property owners reduce stormwater pollution in impaired waters. Like the cost share program for farmers, funding for CCAP assistance is insufficient to meet demand. Providing WNC SWCD’s with an additional $500,000 for the CCAP program will significantly reduce stormwater pollution in rivers and streams already impacted by bacterial pollution.

Other policy and funding initiatives that MountainTrue supports:

Abundant Housing Legislation – Opportunities for dense, energy-efficient housing located close to jobs reduce energy demand and transportation emissions. We support legislation to address housing availability and affordability.
Dam Removal Fund Implementation – The NCGA previously allocated $7.5 million to remove antiquated dams on waterways across WNC. MountainTrue is committed to advancing policies that give state agencies the support they need to advance dam removal projects efficiently.
Expand Transportation Funding – NC’s transportation funding relies on the gas tax, which is diminishing as people drive less and vehicles become more efficient. We support legislation that creates new sources of funding and expands the use to include stand-alone bike-ped projects.
Stormwater management reform for redevelopment projects – Recent amendments to G.S. 143‑214.7 deny local governments the option of requiring stormwater mitigation on redevelopment projects. We support legislation to repeal those changes.
Safe Passage Fund – As roadway construction creates new barriers to long-established wildlife corridors, inevitably, animals are increasingly encountering humans and their vehicles. We are joining a coalition of organizations seeking $10 million to support wildlife crossing projects.
Agency staffing needs and pay equity – State agencies across the board are struggling to hire and retain staff due to budget constraints and competition with the private sector. MountainTrue supports maximizing investments in state agency staff positions and salaries.

WNC Public Access and Recreation Investments:

Expand the Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail to include one publicly-accessible site in each WNC county, along with educational materials ($150,000 nonrecurring to Mainspring Conservation Trust).
Improve River Walk in downtown Murphy by building a boardwalk for Fisherman’s Loop, and extending the path to a housing development ($250,000 nonrecurring to the Town of Murphy).
Improve public access to the Watauga River Paddle Trail by purchasing an additional access point in Watauga County ($500,000 nonrecurring to Watauga County).
Expand access to the Green River and adjacent lands by developing a new access point at South Wilson Hill Road ($150,000 nonrecurring to Polk County Community Foundation).
Enhance Chestnut Mountain Nature Park by expanding paths and trails and improving the playground and creekside park ($450,000 nonrecurring to the Town of Canton).

Action Alert: Delivering on Goals Requires Stregthening Recommendations

MountainTrue has significant concerns about the latest draft of the 2045 Henderson County Comprehensive Plan. While much of the document and its goals reflect the priorities of our community, many plan recommendations are now undermined by weak or ambiguous language.

MountainTrue staff and volunteers have analyzed the current draft and prepared the following open letter — which has been shared with County Commissioners by MountainTrue’s Southern Regional Director, Nancy Díaz. MountainTrue urges Henderson County residents to urge County Commissioners to adopt stronger recommendations, fix critical flaws with the suitability maps, and formulate an implementation plan.

What you can do:

Write an email to the Commissioners about your concerns

David Hill – davidhill@hendersoncountync.gov
William Lapsley – wlapsley@hendersoncountync.gov
Rebecca McCall – rmccall@hendersoncountync.gov
Mike Edney – jmedney@hendersoncountync.gov
Daniel Andreotta – dandreotta@hendersoncountync.gov

Attend an upcoming County Commissioners meeting — click here to view the meeting calendar.

Submit a letter to the editor (LTE) of the Times News about your concerns.

LTE guidelines:
A 200-word count maximum.
The deadline for letters each week is noon on Wednesday.
The best email to send letters to is tnletters@blueridgenow.com.
Please include your address and phone number with your signature.

Dear Henderson County Commissioners:

On December 1, the Planning Board approved, with no opportunity for public input, a catalog of edits undermining and further weakening the County’s ability to meet its own goals. In addition, the current Suitability Maps are in conflict with the expressed goals of the plan. MountainTrue urges Henderson County Commissioners to revise the December draft — which doesn’t fully address the priorities of County residents as reflected in the County’s own public survey — by reverting to the earlier language of the 2045 Comprehensive Plan.

Through the County’s public survey, public input meetings, and hearings, Henderson County residents have made our priorities clear: protecting open spaces and forests, preserving farmland, and conserving unique natural areas. Residents also showed strong desires to expand access to broadband internet, improve water quality; reduce vulnerability to wildfires, flooding, and landslides; expand sidewalks, bike lanes, and greenways; and increase energy efficiency.

While the County deserves praise for passing a resolution to start conversations with the City of Hendersonville toward establishing a joint water and sewer commission, the Comprehensive Planning process itself has been less than ideal. Overall, the goals of the current plan are good, and the November draft of the Comprehensive Plan laid out sensible recommendations. However, the latest edits proposed by the Planning Board will make meeting the plan’s goals more difficult.

Weakening the Hand of the County
One of the most exciting ideas to come from the current planning process is the establishment of a preservation program to establish agricultural conservation easements. On page 62, under Goal 2 (Protect and Conserve Rural Character and Agriculture), the Planning Board revised a recommendation (Rec. 2.2.B) from “creating” to merely “consider the creation” of such a fund. The “consideration” of a farmland preservation fund was proposed in the last Comprehensive Plan. It’s time for the County to adopt more ambitious and committed wording.

On page 67, under Goal 3 (Improve Resiliency of the Natural and Built Environment), the Planning Board ignores safety concerns when it comes to limiting development above and below hazardous steep slopes, demoting a recommendation (Rec 3.3.A) from “encourage the preservation of open space and conservation areas in and around areas with a high potential for landslides” to just “consider encouraging.” The County Commissioners should “encourage” at the very least and would do better by establishing a strong steep slopes construction code.

On page 68, Rec. 3.4.D the Planning Board replaced “remove regulatory barriers […] for green infrastructure projects” with only the consideration of such regulatory barriers, which is too weak. Furthermore, a definition of Green Infrastructure is missing from the glossary. County Commissioners should adopt this definition: Green infrastructure is a network of natural and built green spaces that provide environmental, economic, and social benefits. It includes green spaces such as parks, trees, urban forests, streetscapes, green roofs and green walls, rain gardens, and more. These green spaces help to mitigate the effects of urbanization, protect ecosystems, reduce pollution, and improve public health.

On page 68, the imperative (Rec. 3.3.G) to “adopt” best practice design standards for new construction within the Wildland Urban Interface” was downgraded to an “encouragement.” On page 72, in the second paragraph for the description of Goal 4 (Connectivity), multimodal transportation funding is unnecessarily limited to the Utility Service Area. The County is promoting Greenways as alternative routes for transportation and to connect communities. This means building greenways not just within one Utility Service Area but also between them — such as Edneyville to Hendersonville. In each of these instances, County Commissioners should restore the more assertive language of the November draft and consider further strengthening the recommendations.

Turning a Blind Eye Toward Real-World Challenges
At their December 1 meeting, the Planning Board excised from the Comprehensive Plan the sole mention of climate change. The region is experiencing more frequent, extreme rain events — what used to be classified as “100-year floods” are now happening every five or ten years. At the other extreme, when droughts do occur, they are expected to be hotter and longer, increasing the risks of a repeat of the destructive wildfires of 2016 — which forced the evacuation of 1,000 people in the areas of Bat Cave, Chimney Rock, and Lake Lure.

Shifting climatic conditions put our farmers and their ability to grow food at risk, degrade our water quality, and negatively impact our tourism and outdoor recreation economy, yet, the Planning Board ignores these risks with the deletion of a sentence acknowledging these basic realities. The County should restore the language of the prior draft, which read, “As the frequency of extreme weather events increases, flooding, landslides, and drought-induced fires are likely to become a more regular occurrence.” Additionally, we suggest adding a sentence to this section clearly stating that “The County will develop policies and procedures that will improve the resiliency of the County to wildfires, flooding, and landslides.” (Coinciding with 29% of the respondents of the survey (p.144)

In some ways, the draft Comprehensive Plan is proactive when it comes to our changing climate realities. However, in critical areas, the changes made by the Planning Board unnecessarily limit the County’s ability to mitigate and adapt. For example, the Planning Board deleted a recommendation 2.2.D (page 62 in the November draft) that read, “Consider the introduction of Smart Solar programs throughout the County to encourage solar energy development and safeguard farmland” and recommendation 4.6.A-C (page 74 in the November draft) that read “Support the use of electric vehicles to reduce air pollution and dependency on fossil fuels.” Advancements to renewable energy, and more specifically solar panel and battery technology, have made green energy cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable than fossil fuels. To save on energy costs, the County should restore the recommendation to introduce Smart Solar programs, and in light of a recent projection (Bloomberg) that at least half of all passenger cars sold in the US will be electric vehicles by 2030, we would urge the Commissioners to restore the full text of these deleted sections.

Fixing Critical Flaws to the Suitability Maps
There are major flaws with the proposed Commercial and Industrial Suitability Maps found in the draft appendix of the Henderson Comprehensive Plan. These maps appear to conflict with the accompanying Plan Maps, as well as the Comp Plan’s stated goals and public input. Despite strong support for the preservation of open space and working farmlands, the designated suitable areas include sensitive natural areas, prime farmland, and key transition zones between protected lands and low-density residential areas. It appears that the map’s designers did not appropriately weigh for the following criteria: Biodiversity and Habitat Value, Agricultural Lands, Prime Farmland Soils, Wildfire Threat, Landslide Threat, or Flooding Threat.

While we understand that the Suitability Maps are not authoritative, they will certainly be cited by developers looking to build commercial or industrial projects within the areas highlighted as suitable. In addition, these maps will serve as guideposts for future Planning Board members and County Commissioners, which could influence land-use policy decisions. Therefore, it is important that these maps are accurate and reflect the goals and values stated within the Comprehensive Plan. The staff and their consultant should redraw the Industrial and Commercial Suitability maps and adjust the weighting to incorporate values expressed in the Comprehensive Plan’s own goals — namely, the preservation of farmlands and the protection of open space.

Furthermore, these flawed maps are granted an unwarranted level of importance by the Planning Board in its December revisions to the first Outcome on page 35. The plan’s outcomes are “established based on stakeholder and citizen feedback” (page 54) and are the bedrock upon which goals, recommendations, and actions were subsequently developed. All three outcomes were included without change in every version of the plan since the September 9, 2022 draft — until the Planning Board rewrote Outcome 1 in December.

The prior Outcome 1 reads, “Make intentional land use decisions that protect agriculture, rural character, and natural resources while strategically guiding development.” This was changed to “Make intentional land use decisions that preserve agriculture, rural character, and natural resources with the Future Land Use Map as a guide” (pages 35 and 56) This elevated the Future Land Use Map above the important policies articulated in the Comprehensive Plan and is in direct contradiction to the intent expressed in every draft (including the current one) that “the map and associated policies are meant to guide growth and development as well as land use regulations in the County planning jurisdiction …” (page 40, emphasis added). Rather than altering a high-level outcome so late in the planning process, we suggest that the language in prior drafts be restored.

Erasure & Exclusionary Language
In the “History of the County” section on page 12, the Planning Board has removed a reference to the Cherokee and Catawba and to the “forcible relocation” of Native Americans via the Trail of Tears. As a result, the Planning Board has taken an acknowledgment of a shameful chapter in our nation’s history and erased it completely. While intentions may not have been to hide, MountainTrue would not want the County to appear to be obscuring this part of our history. We encourage the County to reach out to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians and other representatives of Native American peoples to adopt language that is accurate and respectful to our shared history.

Further down on page 12, the Planning Board suggests new language stating that “To plan for the future, the County must acknowledge its past and current strengths, in order to plan for the best possible future development of the County for its citizens.” There is no reason to circumscribe the beneficiaries of this plan to County citizens. There are many people who have a vested interest in the future of the County, including part-time residents, visitors, commuting workers, medical patients, and tax-paying lawful permanent residents. MountainTrue recommends just ending the sentence with the word “County.”

Looking Ahead to Implementation
In summary, while many of these changes may seem minor, we believe that, in this case, the devil really is in the details. The 2045 Comprehensive Plan is meant to serve as a long-range vision for future growth and development for Henderson County. As such, it is the responsibility of the County Commissioners to ensure that the goals reflect the priorities and desires of the people who live and work in Henderson County and the voters who elected them to office.

Through extensive public outreach and the County’s own community survey, those priorities are clear and largely reflected in much of the narrative and goals laid down in the Comprehensive Plan. Unfortunately, the December edits proposed by the Planning Board seem specifically designed to remove any sense of urgency or accountability and make the plan harder to implement.

The Comprehensive Plan still lacks an Implementation Section, which the Planning Board has assured the public can be adopted even after the Plan is voted on and approved by the County Commission. Clearly identifying what is to be done, by whom, and by what time is critical to turning the hopes and aspirations of the County residents into reality in a transparent and effective way. While MountainTrue continues to advocate for the inclusion of a well-thought-through implementation process, the lack of an Implementation Section underscores the importance of getting the details and recommendations right now.

Sincerely,

Nancy Díaz
Southern Regional Director, MountainTrue

« Older Entries

Next Entries »