Stay Informed Archives – Page 2 of 101

Resilient Forests E-News: May ’25

Events Roundup

May25 wildflower walk + garlic mustard pull pic

We had an incredible small group of volunteers join us this month for our annual wildflower walk and garlic mustard pull! Four volunteers worked with Resilient Forests Director Josh Kelly to pull 89 pounds of invasive garlic mustard, then hiked two miles back to the parking area with their very full trash bags. Thank you to these amazing volunteers!

Get Involved

Ongoing: Sign up to document landslides on public lands in Western NC. We have already had over 50 people sign up – thank you! Check out our documentation progress here. Having trouble using the app? Fill out this form.

Wednesday, May 28th: Join us TOMORROW for Conservation Conversations in Asheville! We’ll be at RAD Brewing from 5:30-7pm, hearing from organizations working to recover the places we love following Helene. MountainTrue will be joined by Asheville Greenworks, Hemlock Restoration Initiative, and Carolina Mountain Club. RSVP here!

Friday, May 30th: Join MountainTrue and Carolina Mountain Club for a day of trail maintenance near Asheville! The work location will be decided closer to the date, and we’ll communicate that to you the week of the workday. Sign up here!

Saturday, June 21st: Come on out for MountainTrue’s annual BioBlitz! Help MountainTrue document biodiversity at Hickory Nut Gap Farm near Asheville. Volunteer with us in the afternoon, then celebrate a job well done at the evening barn dance! Sign up here!

Federal Policy Updates Affecting Public Lands & Forests

House passes budget bill including “pay to pollute” provisions, removes public lands transfers: The House passed a megabill late on 5/21, advancing it to the Senate. While a previous version of the bill included language allowing for sales of public lands to states, this language was removed from the version that passed. Another provision in the bill allows companies to pay a fee to expedite environmental permitting processes for projects, essentially a “pay to pollute” scheme. The bill still includes major funding cuts for the National Park Service.

Trump Administration proposes eliminating habitat protections in Endangered Species Act: A proposed rule threatens to substantially weaken the Endangered Species Act by eliminating habitat protections for threatened and endangered species. The rule seeks to rescind the regulatory definition of “harm” under the ESA, which currently prevents habitat destruction for endangered species. Stripping the definition of harm to leave out habitat destruction would open the floodgates to developers, loggers, miners, oil and gas drillers, and others to destroy endangered species habitat, driving species to extinction in the process.

Contact Your Legislators

Please consider reaching out to your legislators and urging them to (1) remove NPS funding reductions and NEPA changes from the “big, beautiful bill,” and (2) oppose changes to the ESA. Follow this link to submit a letter to your Senators and Representative. Your home address will determine which elected officials your message is sent to.

Press Release: MountainTrue, Plastic-Free WNC Release Scorecard of Local Grocery Stores & Their Plastic Use

Click here to read the press release on the Plastic-Free WNC website.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Western North Carolina – MountainTrue and Plastic Free WNC have released a comprehensive scorecard evaluating local grocery stores based on their efforts to reduce single-use plastic waste. This scorecard highlights which grocers are leading the way in sustainability and which ones are falling behind, urging businesses and consumers to take action against plastic pollution.

The Grocery Store Plastic Scorecard assesses regional and national grocery stores throughout WNC local grocery stores using key criteria related to their plastic use and reduction strategies. Stores were graded based on seven categories:

Eliminating plastic bags at checkout (10 points)
Incentives for reusable bags (up to 8 points)
Displays and signage encouraging reusable bags (up to 4 points)
Offering reusable bags for purchase (up to 4 points)
Providing paper bags, boxes, or other alternatives (up to 4 points)
Additional plastic reduction efforts (up to 5 points)
Setting goals to reduce plastic pollution (up to 10 points)

MountainTrue x PFWNC Grocery Store Plastic Scorecard (1)

The highest-scoring grocers, including Whole Foods (36 points), ALDI (34 points), and Earth Fare (33 points), have taken significant steps to curb single-use plastic waste. These companies have eliminated plastic bags at checkout, promoted reusable alternatives, and set measurable goals for reducing their plastic footprint. In contrast, retailers such as Walmart, Food Lion, Ingles, and Publix received failing grades (F) with scores as low as 7 points, indicating a lack of substantial commitment to plastic reduction efforts.

“This scorecard highlights to both the consumer and business community which businesses are doing the right thing by moving away from single-use plastics. It will be a valuable resource to environmentally-conscious shoppers and will hopefully serve as a wake-up call to the businesses that are lagging behind,” says Jane Laping, a member of Plastic-Free WNC.

Methods: Scorecard Creation

The Plastic-Free WNC coalition tracked the following criteria to create the scorecard: (1) if grocery stores gave out plastic bags, (2) if they charged for paper, and (3) if they incentivized customers to bring reusable shopping bags. Plastic-Free WNC volunteers went to each grocery store to document these policies and assess whether they were being followed. The stores included in the scorecard are essentially the big-box stores around Buncombe County, but the grades can be extrapolated across WNC.

About the Issue

Single-use plastics pose a severe threat to our environment, harming wildlife, polluting waterways, and contributing to climate change. Plastic pollution accumulates in the rivers and forests of Western North Carolina, endangering local ecosystems and communities. Despite increasing public awareness, the vast majority of plastics are not recycled, instead ending up in landfills or breaking down into microplastics that contaminate our soil and water.

MountainTrue conducted extensive microplastic sampling in 2022, and testing showed that microplastics are present throughout the Broad, French Broad, Green, Hiwassee, Little Tennessee, New, and Watauga River Basins. MountainTrue’s study was one of the first to look at microplastic levels across Western North Carolina in order to gain a general understanding of the prevalence of microplastics in our water. MountainTrue also partnered with the Waterkeeper Alliance on a state-wide study for all of North Carolina. Released in 2023, the study found microplastics were present in all surface water samples taken from fifteen different watersheds across North Carolina.

A Brief Policy History

In 2023, Durham was on the cusp of passing a 10-cent fee on disposable plastic and paper bags. In Western North Carolina, Buncombe County, the City of Asheville, and the towns of Black Mountain, Weaverville, and Woodfin were moving toward enacting local ordinances that would ban single-use plastic shopping bags at the checkout aisle and styrofoam takeout containers.

As those local laws moved forward, Senate Leaders conspired with the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association to insert language into the state budget blocking local governments from enacting any regulations on “the use, disposition, or sale of an auxiliary container (153A-145.11)”, including styrofoam containers and single-use plastic bags. The omnibus budget containing these new limits on local governments was released to the public and to the House and Senate for an up-or-down vote without opportunity for debate or amendment. Then-Governor Roy Cooper later allowed it to become law without his signature.

Environmental and public health advocates around the state regrouped and are now focusing their efforts on building support for and passing a state-wide ban on single-use plastic bags and takeout containers.

Urging Action from Businesses and Consumers

Consumers can play a crucial role by supporting businesses that prioritize sustainability and advocating for policies that hold corporations accountable. MountainTrue and the Plastic-Free WNC coalition encourage Western North Carolina residents to use the Grocery Store Plastic Scorecard as a resource for making informed choices and to urge their favorite grocery stores to step up their sustainability efforts.

“Plastic pollution is a growing crisis, but solutions exist. Our scorecard empowers consumers with the information they need to make environmentally responsible shopping choices while pushing businesses to do better,” says Anna Alsobrook, French Broad Riverkeeper at MountainTrue. “We need less single-use plastic in our everyday lives, and the way we shop matters. Businesses can and should be agents for change by reducing the use of unnecessary plastics like single-use bags.”

About Plastic-Free WNC

Plastic-Free WNC is a coalition of environmental organizations, advocates, and citizens dedicated to reducing plastic pollution in our environment. Members include MountainTrue, Sierra Club of WNC, Environmental Action Community of Western North Carolina, Riverlink, Creation Care Alliance of WNC, Beloved Asheville, Asheville En Espanol, NRDC, NCPIRG, and the North Carolina Plastics Coalition. Learn more at plasticfreewnc.com.

About MountainTrue

MountainTrue champions resilient forests, clean waters, and healthy communities. We are committed to keeping our mountain region a beautiful place to live, work, and play. Our members protect our forests, clean up our rivers, plan vibrant and livable communities, and advocate for a sound and sustainable future for all. MountainTrue is active in the Broad, French Broad, Green, Hiwassee, Little Tennessee, New, and Watauga watersheds and is home to the Broad Riverkeeper, French Broad Riverkeeper, Green Riverkeeper, and Watauga Riverkeeper.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, MountainTrue is committed to leading the recovery of our region with a vision to rebuild stronger, safer, and better prepared for the impacts of climate change. mountaintrue.org

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MountainTrue’s May E-Newsletter

2024 was a year of challenges, opportunities, and growth.

Our litigation against the Southside Project successfully protected the Whitewater Special Interest Area. The Healthy Communities team helped secure new regulations protecting Madison County communities from large biomass facilities and crypto-mining operations. We removed the Shulls Mill Dam on the Watauga River, cleared an invasive plant that posed a serious threat to Lake Chatuge, and coordinated over $400,000 in septic repairs for homeowners who were financially unable to repair or maintain their systems, resulting in immediate water quality improvements.

Click here to read MountainTrue’s 2024 impact report, which includes valuable information about our accomplishments, immediate Helene response, and financial health.

As we move into 2025, we remain committed to protecting our rivers and forests, advocating for better housing and planning, and building more resilient communities. But we can’t do it without you. Your support makes this vital work possible!

Thank you,

Bob Wagner,

Executive Director

Contribute to the MountainStrong Recovery & Resilience Fund

Take Action

Take action to protect threatened & endangered species

Take Action: A proposed rule threatens to substantially weaken the Endangered Species Act by eliminating habitat protections for threatened and endangered species. The rule seeks to rescind the regulatory definition of “harm” under the ESA, which currently prevents habitat destruction for endangered species. Stripping the definition of harm to leave out habitat destruction would open the floodgates to developers, loggers, miners, oil and gas drillers, and others to destroy endangered species habitat, driving species to extinction in the process. Please tell USFWS that you strongly oppose this proposed rule. Comments are due May 19.

Merch

New MountainStrong merch has launched

Hurricane Helene may have shaken our beloved mountains, but she didn’t shake our spirit. Over the past few months, we’ve been pouring our hearts into something special — a way to celebrate what it really means to be MountainStrong. We’re so excited to finally share the new MountainStrong merch with you! This collection comes from the heart and honors the strength, resilience, and recovery of the places we all love and call home. Check it out now! Our popular Hellbender merch has also been restocked. All proceeds from merch sales fund the work of MountainTrue.

Clean Waters Program Updates

Swim Guide returns this month

Swim Guide season is almost here, and MountainTrue and our four Riverkeepers are grateful to the volunteers who’ve signed up to sample our sites throughout the summer months! First sampling dates kick off May 21 — you can see the results on swimguide.org every Friday from Memorial Day to Labor Day! Use these links to check results for your favorite spots:

💧Broad Riverkeeper – Broad & First Broad rivers

💧French Broad Riverkeeper – French Broad & Pigeon rivers

💧Green Riverkeeper – Green & Big Hungry rivers

💧Watauga Riverkeeper – Watauga, New, & Elk rivers

💧MountainTrue West – Little Tennessee & Hiwassee rivers

Broad Riverkeeper – David Caldwell

Paddlers on the section of the Broad River from Hwy 221 to Hwy 221A.

Best paddling locations

Many folks are asking where it’s safe to paddle right now. In the Broad River Watershed, we have two rivers to paddle: the Broad in Rutherford and Cleveland Counties, and the First Broad in Cleveland County.

Right now, contractors are working in both rivers in Cleveland County. The First Broad River is narrow, and big equipment could present a dangerous obstacle, so we’re advising folks not to paddle the First Broad at this time. The contractors will update us as they complete work in various sections of the rivers, and we’ll inform the public as to when they’ll be safe to paddle. The Broad River near Boiling Springs is much wider, so getting around the contractor’s equipment should not be a problem.

The Broad River in Rutherford County has two good options for paddling. The best option and easiest for all skill levels is Hwy 221 to Hwy 221A. These are brand-new NC Wildlife Resource Commission access sites. Another option for more experienced paddlers is Grays Road to Coxe Road. We’re working with Rutherford Outdoor Coalition to remove strainers/obstacles in other sections of the river and will keep the public posted as we make progress.

French Broad Riverkeeper – Anna Alsobrook

Join us for the 2025 Riverkeeper Beer Series🍻
We’re kicking off another summer of great beer for a great cause with the Riverkeeper Beer Series! Come out to clean up our rivers and celebrate with us at these awesome breweries:

🍻June 7 – New Belgium (Asheville)

🍻June 8 – Big Pillow (Hot Springs)

🍻June 21 – Wicked Weed (Asheville)

🍻June 28 – Oskar Blues (Brevard)

🍻August 9 – Wedge (Asheville)

🍻August 23 – Hi-Wire (Asheville)

This year’s series is especially important as we rally our community to help restore our waterways in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Proceeds support our ongoing cleanup efforts and the vital work of your local Riverkeepers. Come raise a glass and make a difference at an upcoming Beer Series volunteer cleanup! Learn more here. Shout out to our Riverkeeper Beer Series sponsors: ENO, Recover, and Dewey Property Associates.

Green Riverkeeper – Erica Shanks

MountainTrue volunteers with Green Riverkeeper Erica Shanks at our May 3 cleanup at the confluence of the Green & Big Hungry rivers.

Volunteer cleanups in the Green River Watershed have begun!

On Saturday, May 3, we had 30+ volunteers join us at the Big Hungry cleanup where the Big Hungry River meets the Green. Volunteers pulled out over 3,200 lbs of trash and housing debris! Thanks to our partnership with NC Wildlife Resource Commission for giving us trail access so we could help make a dent in the removal process. Make sure to visit the events page on our website to sign up for volunteer opportunities to clean the Lower Green this summer! More dates are being added regularly, so check back often!

Our cleanup crews are now working in the Lower Green

Thanks to a grant from the Polk County Community Foundation, we now have a small crew of hired contract workers in the Lower Green walking the river bed and banks to remove trash for safer use of the river this summer. After just one week of working on the river, they’ve successfully removed over 4,800 lbs of trash. This amazing crew has pulled out sheet metal, RV parts, car doors, wiring, TVs, HVAC units, washing machine parts, and more!

Watauga Riverkeeper – Andy Hill

Cranberry Creek dam removal in progress in the New River Watershed.

More dam removal news

American Rivers, Conservation Trust for North Carolina, MountainTrue, Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, and the National Park Service (NPS) came together to remove an earthen dam from Cranberry Creek Preserve in the New River watershed this May. We’re proud to be part of these efforts to reconnect a key tributary, improve riparian habitat, improve recreational safety, and provide upgrades to the North Carolina Mountains-to-Sea Trail. This dam removal was important among conservation partners because of the larger goal of transferring the land to NPS for permanent protection as part of the Blue Ridge Parkway!

Don’t miss the Wild Edible & Non-Native Plant Themed Dinner benefiting the Watauga Riverkeeper on Friday, May 30!

Support the Watauga Riverkeeper Swim Guide program by enjoying a delicious “forest-to-table” style dinner, highlighting the non-native and wild edible plants we commonly think of as invasive or unpalatable. With an Italian theme, guests will be treated to a delicious multi-course meal at the beautiful, women-owned and operated Springhouse Farm.

Dinner will be prepared and harvested by Wild Blessings‘ Holly Drake, local herbalist, forager, and chef. This plant-based culinary experience will also be an educational workshop, with wild edible identification tips, how to cook and use non-native plants, and plant harvesting techniques explained throughout the meal. By the end of the dinner, you’ll certainly have a new appreciation for the bounty of the High Country growing seasons and a full belly. Harvest dinners are BYOB. Wine openers and ice buckets are provided. There will be a complimentary farm tour and short plant ID walk with Amy and Holly starting at 5:30 p.m., with dinner to follow. Check out the menu, learn more + purchase tickets here.

Resilient Forests Program Updates

Do you want to receive the latest news and updates about our forests, threats to public lands, and upcoming events and volunteer opportunities? Sign up for our new Resilient Forests e-newsletter to get important info + updates on our National Forests and MountainTrue’s upcoming volunteer opportunities and programmatic events like these:

🍻May 28: Conservation Conversations @ RAD Brewing in Asheville – 5:30-7 p.m.

🌿June 21: MountainTrue BioBlitz @ Hickory Nut Gap Farm in Fairview – 12:30-5 p.m.

Healthy Communities Program Updates

Strive Not to Drive May 16-24

Want free tickets to see the Asheville Tourists? Or free Downtown Hendersonville Dollars? MountainTrue is a proud partner of this year’s annual Strive Not to Drive series of events across WNC, which includes chances to win great prizes just by participating. Events include free transit days, a Bike-In Cinema night, group rides, walk audits, and more! Learn more and register to participate here.

ADC volunteers needed!

If you’re a designer interested in volunteering and ready to pledge some hours, or if your community needs design assistance, sign up here. To make this initiative a success, we need volunteers from a variety of design disciplines, including:

✔️Architects

✔️Engineers (structural & civil)

✔️Landscape Architects

✔️Environmental Consultants

✔️Land Planners

✔️Surveyors

✔️Soil Scientists

Volunteer Spotlight: Dezirae Britton from Boone, NC

About Dezirae: Dezirae (pictured above) is a recent graduate of Appalachian State University with a degree in Sustainable Development and a minor in Geography. She’s lived in Boone for the past four years. Originally from Arizona, Dezirae fell in love with the Appalachian mountains and the Boone community, where she’s “learned so much about what it means to care for the environment and how to take care of a community.” In her free time, Dezirae enjoys walking at the Greenway, gardening, hiking, and crafting.

Volunteering: Dezirae began volunteering with MountainTrue during her sophomore year of college, hosting volunteer organization days of service through her campus organization.

What Dezirae says about MountainTrue: “I’ve learned so much from MountainTrue about the geography of the region, environmental stewardship practices, and the ecology of the Watauga River. MountainTrue creates an engaging and welcoming environment in which to learn, and my love for the earth has continued to grow because of it. I’ve also met so many community members whose passion for protecting their home is awe-inspiring. In my career, I hope to inspire others’ love for the earth and continue to give back in the ways that MountainTrue does. I believe the respect I have for the organization and everyone who contributes to its success should speak volumes as to why we should continue to support the MountainTrue community and stewardship work.”

Please join us in thanking Dezirae for her support and the good work we know she will carry on wherever her next path may lead her! Interested in volunteering with MountainTrue? Check out our upcoming workdays!

Bryce Adams Wins Top 2025 Carson Conservation Scholarship Award

Bryce Adams of Robbinsville High is the 2025 top winner of the Glenn F. Carson, II Memorial Conservation Scholarship. He plans to attend Central Piedmont Community College and major in Geography, with an environmental, planning, or mapping emphasis and Geomatics, which is the branch of science that deals with the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data relating to the earth’s surface. “Geomatics offers a powerful way to monitor and manage natural resources, and I truly believe it can help address some of the most urgent environmental challenges we face. I’m excited about the possibility of using this field to create solutions that not only preserve our planet but also ensure a healthier, more sustainable future for generations to come,” Bryce wrote in his application. His scholarship is $2,000 and is renewable at $1,000 per year for up to three additional years, based on continued eligibility.

Hayesville High senior Tate Roberts was awarded a $500 Carson Scholarship. Tate will pursue a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering online through Liberty University. “One of the main ways civil engineering relates to natural resource conservation is through the design with the movement of water in mind… including minimizing the contamination of water and the effort to limit erosion.”

Originally established in 2014 by the Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition (now MountainTrue’s Western Regional Office), the Carson Conservation Scholarship is a memorial to the late Glenn F. Carson, II. At the time of his death, Glenn was the District Conservationist for Cherokee, Clay, and Graham counties with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and was an important leader in the WNC conservation community. He was a graduate of Western Carolina University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resource Management with a water quality emphasis.

The Carson Conservation Scholarship assists young people from Cherokee, Clay, and Graham counties who want to pursue higher education in natural resource conservation fields such as agriculture, forestry, environmental science, health or engineering, and wildlife management. To date, $30,710 in scholarship funds have been awarded to 18 students.

To support more students through the Carson Conservation Scholarship fund, make a donation at mountaintrue.org/join and mark your donation as “In Memory of Glenn F. Carson, II.”

Take Action for Lake Chatuge’s Communities

Tell TVA that our communities are worth the money

It’s been a rocky two weeks here in the Lake Chatuge watershed since the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) published its official public notice about the Chatuge Dam Safety Modifications on April 21, with high levels of fear and anxiety on the part of local residents and business owners. Since MountainTrue’s last Lake Chatuge action alert on April 18, TVA has answered the question about why this project is slated to take so long: the risk to people’s lives downstream is very low. It is up to us now to tell TVA that the risk to people’s livelihoods, both upstream and downstream, is very high! This project must be expedited, and no expense spared to ensure that the level of summertime drawdown is minimized.

Take Action

Lake Chatuge is unique among the 47 reservoirs TVA owns and manages. In fact, Lake Chatuge is very different from the other five reservoirs in the Southern Blue Ridge in that it’s the lifeblood of Towns County, Georgia. Towns County’s county seat — the City of Hiawassee — is literally “on the lake,” bounded by miles of shoreline on its western side. Also, unlike other mountain reservoirs like Hiwassee, Apalachia, and Fontana, the vast majority of Lake Chatuge’s 132-mile shoreline is privately owned, with many campgrounds, marinas, and tourist lodging. For better or worse, our communities’ economies on both sides of the state line are critically tied to having a relatively full lake during the summer months.

The alternatives that TVA initially proposed all involve deep year-round drawdowns that could last four to six years. The proposed very deep drawdown — up to 10 feet lower in winter and up to 20 feet in summer — could jeopardize the City of Hiawassee’s public drinking water supply system by reducing the volume of water available for use. These levels would also leave marinas and docks on dry ground. And the length of the drawdowns would decimate our tourist economy.

Subsequent discussions with TVA by Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw and Towns County’s U.S. Representative, Andrew Clyde, have revealed another alternative that should be added to the Environmental Impact Study (EIS). It involves modifying Alternative E to include building a cofferdam around the spillway repair area. A cofferdam is an enclosure built within a body of water to create a dry working environment so that the work can be carried out safely. TVA would still build a new gate-controlled concrete chute spillway and rehabilitate the existing spillway. While this proposal will no doubt be the most expensive alternative, MountainTrue believes that the cost to our communities far exceeds the project cost. TVA must consider this action to sustain reasonable summer lake levels!

Even if you have already submitted comments on this project, you can submit more if you have new and different substantive concerns or suggestions to express. You are also encouraged to participate in one of the public meetings being held in early May. Click here for the most updated information about when and where these will be held.

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that TVA also consider social and economic impacts, not just impacts to the lake itself. Tell TVA that the currently proposed alternatives will cost our communities too much and ask that a modified Alternative E be analyzed in the EIS.

Take Action

Resources: links & diagrams

a) Map/links to all TVA reservoirs: https://lakeinfo.tva.com/web/sites/sites_ie2_map_only.htm

b) Guidelines for writing substantive comments: Citizens’ Guide to NEPA

c) TVA’s Project page: https://www.tva.com/newsroom/regional-mountain-dams-safety-initiative/chatuge-dam-safety-modifications

d) TVA project NEPA timeline:

e) Modified Alternative E:

Public Open House Opportunities

Virtual Meeting on May 6, 2025, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. ET

Format: Dam Safety and NEPA presenters with a Q&A session. Register here.

May 8, 2025, in Clay County, North Carolina, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. ET

Location: Clay County Schools Cafeteria (Behind Hayesville Middle School Gym/adjacent to Hayesville High School) – 205 Yellow Jacket Drive, Hayesville, NC 28904

Format: Informational booths and materials. Access to subject matter experts. No formal presentation.

May 13, 2025, in Towns County, Georgia, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. ET

Location: Towns County Recreation Center, 150 Foster Park Rd. Young Harris, GA 30582.

Format: Informational booths and materials. Access to subject matter experts. No formal presentation.

Virtual Meeting on May 15, 2025, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. ET

Format: Dam Safety and NEPA presenters with a Q&A session. Register here.

Sample comments:

We welcome you to copy and paste the text below as a basis for your comments, but we also encourage you to personalize your comments to make them unique to you. You can do this by adding a paragraph about why Lake Chatuge is important to you.

Dear TVA,

Lake Chatuge is unique among the many reservoirs your organization operates, even when compared to other mountain reservoirs. It is the lifeblood of Towns County, Georgia. Hiawassee, Georgia, is literally “on the lake,” bounded by miles of shoreline on its western side. Also, the vast majority of Lake Chatuge’s 132-mile shoreline is privately owned, with many campgrounds, marinas, and tourist lodging. Our communities’ economies on both sides of the state line are critically tied to having a relatively full lake during the summer months. While I understand that these repairs are needed, I am concerned that we cannot survive a years-long deep drawdown.

Please consider a modified Alternative E that includes building a cofferdam around the spillway repair area to keep workers safe while allowing for more reasonable summer water levels. While this proposal will no doubt be the most expensive alternative, I believe that the cost to our communities without it justifies the expense.

Other concerns that I have about an extended deep drawdown include:

Impacts to the City of Hiawassee’s drinking water supply, which not only serves Hiawassee residents and businesses, but a majority of businesses in the Hwy 76 corridor and some around other parts of the lake, as well.
Impacts to water quality and aquatic life in the lake.
Impacts to wildlife, including wading birds and waterfowl, as well as threatened and endangered species like bald eagles, bog turtles & green pitcher plants, the latter two of which are found in marshy shallows that could be negatively impacted by an extensive drawdown.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Take Action: Submit Your Comment

Resources & more info

Links, diagrams & public open house dates + locations

Click here

Take Action

Resilient Forests E-News: April ’25

Events Roundup

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our volunteer workdays this past month! We had a great time partnering with Carolina Mountain Club and Friends of Hominy Creek Greenway on trail maintenance and invasive plant removal. Folks showed up and showed out, completing some excellent work on the Mountains to Sea Trail even with wildfire smoke in the air. Our invasive plant removal work along Hominy Creek Greenway was also a huge success, with 25 participants cutting and removing invasive plants and applying herbicide to ensure our native species can flourish in that area.

Get Involved

Ongoing – Landslide Documentation Project: Sign up to document landslides on public lands in Western NC! We have already had 49 people sign up and multiple data entries input already – thank you to everyone who is helping with this project! Sign up here! If you’re having any trouble using the Survey123 app or would like additional assistance, please fill out this survey.

Saturday, May 3 – Wildflower Walk and Garlic Mustard Pull: Join MountainTrue as we enjoy spring wildflowers and pull invasive garlic mustard on the Appalachian Trail near Max Patch. Read more and sign up here!

Friday, May 9 – Nature Yoga: In partnership with Highlands-Cashier Land Trust, join MountainTrue for a rejuvenating experience of nature yoga and forest bathing in Highlands, NC. Read more and sign up here!

Wednesday, May 28 – Conservation Conversations: Come meet some of the organizations in your community working to recover and conserve the places we love and share at Conservation Conversations. We’ll be at RAD Brewing and joined by Asheville Greenworks, Hemlock Restoration Initiative, and Carolina Mountain Club. Confirm your attendance here!

Friday, May 30 – Trail Workday: Join MountainTrue and Carolina Mountain Club for a day of trail maintenance near Asheville! The work location will be decided closer to the date, and we’ll communicate that to you the week of the workday. Sign up here!

Saturday, June 21 – BioBlitz: Help MountainTrue document biodiversity at Hickory Nut Gap Farm near Asheville. Volunteer with us in the afternoon, then celebrate a job well done at the evening barn dance! Sign up here!

In the News

After more than a decade of public engagement, partnerships, and planning, the U.S. Forest Service had the opportunity to get it right. Instead, on March 20, 2023, they finalized a Forest Management Plan for the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests that takes us backward — threatening some of the most beloved and biologically diverse landscapes in Western North Carolina. That’s why MountainTrue is taking legal action. We’re joining with our partners to sue the Forest Service over its deeply flawed Forest Plan — a plan that undermines public trust, sacrifices rare species habitat and existing old-growth forests, and sets a dangerous precedent for forest management across the Southern Appalachians. Read more.

Records show flaws in data used to back logging in Pisgah, Nantahala: Resilient Forests Director Josh Kelly is quoted in this piece from the Asheville Watchdog. The 2023 Management Plan for the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests increases logging six times over the previous plan. The models used to justify the expansion fail to account for natural disturbances like storms and wildfires, and are based on what the forests looked like prior to European colonization. Environmental groups like MountainTrue worry over where logging will occur, rather than how much – with particular concern over the potential for logging in rare old-growth areas. Hiking through an area of Brushy Mountain logged last summer, Josh Kelly encountered a felled tree aged 171 years old: “My emotional response is, gosh, I hope someone does something to honor this really exceptional, venerable tree,” he said. “I hope it was worth it. And my anger is, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t.”

Volunteer Spotlight

MountainTrue volunteer Andy Widenhouse has been hard at work documenting landslides for our landslide survey citizen science project! Andy has paid particular attention to the impacts of Hurricane Helene on Brook Trout streams, creating a map that shows how degradation of these streams has reduced Brook Trout populations post-Helene. Thanks for all your hard work, Andy!

Federal Policy Updates Affecting Public Lands & Forests

Advisory Committee on Reconciliation in Place Names Eliminated by Trump Administration: The ACRPN was terminated in early March. Established by previous Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, the ACRPN existed to identify and replace derogatory place names. During her tenure, Secretary Haaland replaced 650 place names containing a slur for Indigenous women with names chosen by local communities and Tribal Nations. The ACRPN identified an additional 1500 derogatory place names.

National forests face the hatchet as Trump administration boosts logging: On April 3rd, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins released a memo designating an emergency situation on National Forest lands. The designation inappropriately rolls back environmental protections and encourages logging on an additional 60% of forest lands. The move comes in response to an Executive Order signed last month.

Trump considering plan to change how the country fights wildfires: The Trump Administration is considering creating a new federal agency focused on extinguishing fires quickly after they start. State and federal officials worry that this plan could erode safety standards and place too much emphasis on simply putting out fires, rather than focusing holistically on land management that reduces wildfire risk.

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