Madison County action alert: tell county officials to protect mountain ridges
On November 21, the Madison County Planning Board will be considering a drastic change to their Mountain Ridge Protection Ordinance that would threaten the natural beauty and environmental integrity of the county. They will then make their recommendation to the County Commission, which could consider the rule change in December. The county has received an application from a private citizen to amend the county’s Mountain Ridge Protection Ordinance and do away with a 50’ setback requirement, a key provision that protects mountain ridges from development. Take action by:
Join the MountainTrue team: Healthy Communities Spring 2024 internship
The Healthy Communities intern will work with Healthy Communities Program Director Chris Joyell to research issues involving housing, transportation, land use controls and health, and assist in engaging communities in designing their future. Our work is rooted in the principles of Smart Growth, and we encourage prospective interns to familiarize themselves with these principles prior to engaging with us. A background in design and/or planning is preferred, but students studying health, environmental management, geography/GIS, and economics have also found their niche in our program. This position offers flexible start and end dates and will be based out of our Asheville or Hendersonville offices (though much of the work can be done remotely). Click here to learn more + apply by November 30, 2023!
Holiday gifts that protect our environment
Looking for the perfect gift for the nature lover in your life this holiday season? Gift your loved ones or friends some MountainTrue Hellbender swag! Proceeds fund MountainTrue’s work to protect the places we share in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Act now before they’re gone! *No items will be mailed between December 22, 2023 and January 2, 2024 – please plan accordingly.
Septic system repair grants available for qualifying property owners
MountainTrue has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and local health departments to provide septic system repair grants to qualifying property owners in Buncombe, Cherokee, Haywood, Henderson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Transylvania, and Yancey counties, as well as several other counties across WNC. Residents of rural areas outside of town are highly likely to have onsite septic systems. Problems with septic systems usually arise as systems age or when maintenance is neglected. Property owners: click here to review eligibility requirements and apply for the repair program.
New gov’t program offers renewable energy tax credits for low-income communities
The Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program is now accepting applications. The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) established the program under section 48(e), which was added to the Internal Revenue Code by the Inflation Reduction Act, to promote cost-saving clean energy investments in low-income communities, on Indian land, as part of affordable housing developments, and benefitting low-income households. The program prioritizes:
- Increased adoption of and access to renewable energy facilities in underserved and environmental justice communities.
- Encouraging new market participants.
- Providing substantial benefits to underserved communities and individuals who have been historically marginalized from economic opportunities and overburdened by environmental impacts.
Click here to learn more about the program, access helpful resources, and apply.
Envisioning a new Patton Avenue
This past summer, the City of Asheville hired a consultant to conduct a corridor and feasibility study of Patton Avenue between the Jeff Bowen Bridge and Pack Square. With the redesign of the I-26 Connector, we have an opportunity to reimagine how Patton Avenue can extend to the Bowen Bridge, creating an extension of our downtown with a dense, urban corridor. On Wednesday, November 29, the project will conduct a public open house event to kick off the project. This free meeting will be held in the Banquet Hall of Harrah’s Cherokee Center located at 87 Haywood St, Asheville, NC 28801 from 5-7 p.m.
Registration is open for the 2024 CCA Retreat & Symposium
MountainTrue’s faith-based program, the Creation Care Alliance (CCA) is happy to announce its 2024 Winter Retreat & Symposium, Sacred Symbiosis: Relationships for Eco-Justice! Hosted at Montreat Conference Center in Black Mountain, the symposium will begin on Friday, February 2, and will run through Saturday, February 3. The presentations, workshops, and conversations will explore the relationships needed to build and nurture justice for all. We can’t wait to dive in and learn together, and we’re particularly excited to hear from this year’s keynote speaker, Mary Crow, of Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN). Learn more + register here. Early-bird pricing (available until December 4), group and student discounts, and scholarships are available.