Stand Up, Speak Out Against Asphalt Plant Proposed For East Flat Rock!

Action Expired

PLANNING BOARD MEETING THURSDAY, JUNE 18 at 5:30 PM

By Gray Jernigan, Green Riverkeeper and Southern Regional Director for MountainTrue

We are very concerned about a proposal that quietly appeared on the Henderson County Planning agenda: A developer has applied for conditional rezoning requesting that the County conditionally rezone 6.5 acres located at the intersection of Spartanburg Highway (US-176) and US-25 to a conditional district to construct a new asphalt plant. The property is currently zoned Community Commercial (CC) and is surrounded by residential zoning.

A virtual Neighborhood Compatibility Meeting was held via Zoom on Monday, June 8. You can watch the entire four hour meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvf2wGfhtBA

The big takeaway from the Neighborhood Compatibility Meeting was that there is absolutely no way that this project is appropriate for the location and that the rezoning request should be denied. Thank you to the 115 community members that tuned in, to the over 160 community members that submitted questions in advance, and to more than 50 people that asked questions live during the meeting, none of which we believe were sufficiently answered by the developer.

While we appreciate everything that the County Planning staff did to make this meeting accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people were still unable to join. This is because not everyone has access to a computer, internet access, an internet connection strong enough to support streaming services, or access to the Zoom streaming service. Others were able to attend but not able to comment because they used an older version of Zoom, had technical difficulties or did not have a computer microphone to speak, or tuned in via YouTube and were not able to ask questions. For all of these reasons, we believe meetings of this nature are inappropriate during this time, and the decision making timeline should be postponed or extended to accommodate public participation.

We have a number of environmental and community concerns about the proposed plant, and we will be asking Henderson County officials to deny the rezoning request. Here are some of our concerns:

Air Pollution – Asphalt fumes are known toxins and contain pollutants such as formaldehyde, hexane, phenol, polycyclic organic matter, and toluene. Exposure to these air toxics may cause cancer, central nervous system problems, liver damage, respiratory problems, and skin irritation.
Water Pollution – Runoff of pollutants from the site would impact Laurel Creek, which flows to the Green River.
Public Lands – The site is dangerously close to the Green River Game Lands, which would be on the receiving end of air and water pollution.
Community Health – A study by the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) showed 45% of residents living within a half mile of a new asphalt plant reported a deterioration of their health, which began after the plant opened.
Environmental Justice – The site is near a low-income community that would bear the brunt of air and water pollution, dust, noise, truck traffic, and exposure to harmful toxins. Low income communities are disproportionately impacted by industrial facilities across the nation, and that’s not right.

Here’s what we need you to do:

- Educate yourself about the project by reading resources on the Henderson County website here: https://www.hendersoncountync.gov/planning/page/neighborhood-compatibility-meeting-se-asphalt-plant
- Stay informed by following the local community organizing group Friends of East Flat Rock:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/251151092979467/about/
- Website: https://friendsofeastflatrock.org/
- Attend these upcoming meetings, and submit public comments:

- - Technical Review Committee on Tuesday, June 16 at 2:00 PMAccess here: https://www.hendersoncountync.gov/planning/page/technical-review-committee-meeting-229
  - Planning Board on Thursday, June 18 at 5:30 PM.Access here: https://www.hendersoncountync.gov/planning/page/planning-board-17Submit comments here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HCPB_SEAsphalt

Now is the time to stand up, speak out, and put a stop to this pollution factory before it even gets started! Join us in the fight!

Trump Uses Crises to Attack The Environment — Take Action!

Action Expired

Our country is in the midst of two historic crises, the COVID-19 pandemic and a watershed moment in the fight against racist policing and the murder of George Floyd and other people of color. Instead of trying to bring people together, President Trump is exploiting a disease that has already killed more than 100,000 Americans and a moment of national grief to pursue his radical pro-pollution environmental agenda.

Stand up to Donald Trump’s abuse of power.

On June 4, Trump signed an executive order that uses the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to allow federal agencies to ignore regulations like the National Environmental Policy Act on projects like pipelines, new highways and mines during the crisis. At the same time, Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a new rule that would circumvent the Clean Air Act by letting the agency undervalue public health in their cost-benefit analyses.

Trump cited “emergency authorities” to sign his executive order but his radical anti-environmental agenda benefits corporate polluters at the expense of the public, especially poor people and communities of color. When communities are displaced by highway projects or a new pipeline is constructed, it’s almost always the homes of poor people that are destroyed and communities of color that are negatively impacted.

Similarly, Trump’s EPA is trying to change the rules so that they can ignore the wider health benefits of keeping our air clean of mercury and asthma and lung disease-causing pollutants such as PM 2.5 — this despite a recent nationwide study linking long-term exposure to PM 2.5 to higher death rates from COVID-19.

It’s time for our members of Congress to denounce Trump’s authoritarian abuses and his radical anti-environmental agenda. Tell Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis and your member of the House that it’s time to stand up to Donald Trump.

MT Raleigh Report: Legislators Discuss How to Hold Safe Elections and State Budget

May 20, 2020

The North Carolina General Assembly restarted its 2020 session this week, so it’s a good time for a quick update about what’s going on in Raleigh.

After much back and forth about how the session should proceed, the House and Senate Republican leadership decided to open the session this week and work continuously through the beginning of July, when they hope to adjourn. Previously, there had been some talk of meeting briefly this month, then recessing until late June.

The to-do list of lawmakers is likely to be fairly modest. The early weeks of the session will include debates about policy changes and appropriations necessary to hold the November elections safely. Local election officials say they need more money, and that voters need more education about absentee ballots to vote safely. Voting rights organizations have also asked lawmakers to loosen voting restrictions in order to increase access to the ballot and protect public health. Local bills, as well as bills in conference leftover from the 2019 session, may also move.

But the major work of the session will be the FY2020-21 budget – prospects for which could not be murkier. Budget forecasters are predicting a shortfall of several billion dollars as a result of the pandemic. Look for the House, the Senate and the Governor’s offices to agree on a “consensus forecast” for the state’s FY21 revenues late this week or early next. Lawmakers use this forecast as the basis of their budget decisions, and most budget watchers expect it to include a shortfall of $1–$4 billion for the coming fiscal year. In a budget totaling $24 billion, making up a shortfall that large could mean steep budget cuts.

However, how much of that shortfall lawmakers will have to cut their way out of is still very unclear. For starters, the state has more than a billion in reserves that can be used to address the shortfall. Lawmakers have also reserved $2 billion of federal COVID relief dollars, in hopes that Congress will give states the ability to use it to address their budget deficits – an option favored by many Republicans in the US Senate. In the US House, the bill approved last week and backed by Democrats could bring as much as $16 billion to North Carolina. If and when Congress acts on any or all of these proposals will have a significant impact on North Carolina’s budget.

Then there’s the politics of the North Carolina budget, which must be signed into law by Governor Cooper. Last year, the Governor and Republican lawmakers were unable to reach a deal on the budget. Whether the two sides will be able to reach a deal this year – just a few months before an election – remains an open question.

That’s where things stand in Raleigh right now – and of course, it’s all subject to change at any moment. Keep an eye out for future updates about the legislative session and what it means for Western North Carolina.

Join Us For A Madison County-wide Bioblitz, June 6-20

From June 6 to June 20 naturalists, kids, students, hunters, fishers, scholars and area residents are invited to log their observation in a new county project

Madison County, NC — Madison Natural Heritage, a natural history program of the Madison County Public Library System, and local conservation organization, MountainTrue are hosting a virtual Madison County Bioblitz — an ambitious two-week long biological inventory of the organisms living in Madison County that will take place from June 6-20. To register, visit: https://madisonnaturalheritage.org/2020-bioblitz/

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, all participants are urged to practice safe social distancing by surveying alone or with family members or other people with whom they have been in isolation. People should comply with all remaining public lands and trail closures.

“This is a perfect time to do something good, be together while apart, get outside and into your own backyards and nearby natural areas and start taking stock of this incredible place where we live. Madison County is one of the most unique counties in the state.” explains Pete Dixon, a Madison County Public Library Trustee. “With digital technology and the citizen-science movement, it is easy for anyone to get involved and make meaningful contributions to the body of scientific knowledge. And it’s a perfect chance to get kids off of their screens and out into nature.”

“MountainTrue has organized a bioblitz every year since 2016,” said MountainTrue Biologist and Madison County native Josh Kelly. “Bioblitzes are great opportunities for regular people and experts alike to learn more about the natural world. We are thrilled to support and partner with Madison Natural Heritage on this project to document and celebrate the natural diversity of Madison County. Now, more than ever, people need fun, safe ways to get outdoors, and this event is perfect for that.”

Over the two week period from June 6-20, naturalists, kids, students, hunters, fishers, scholars and all area residents are invited to explore their neighborhoods, nearby forests and open public lands and document the species they find using the iNaturalist smartphone app and website (https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/madison-county-2020-bioblitz) and to post their discoveries to social media using the hashtag #madcobioblitz. To learn more and register for the Blitz, visit: (click here)

A spined soldier bug identified at MountainTrue’s 2019 Bioblitz in Nantahala Gorge. Photo by Rhys Burns, courtesy of MountainTrue.

“Madison County’s biological diversity is extreme,” says Dixon. “Biologists have been attempting to document the great number of plants and animals living here for generations, yet more discoveries turn up all the time. A recent example is the discovery of a Variegated Meadowhawk Dragonfly [picture and caption included in the media kit] in the Murray Branch area. The Meadowhawk is common in the Mississippi Valley, but had never before been documented in the North Carolina mountains.”

Madison Natural Heritage is a public library project that is intended to engage students, scholars and citizens and to collect and archive data about our rich and cherished natural world in Madison County. More than that, this project will preserve the natural history of Madison County as an interactive digital natural history museum.

Peggy Goforth, the library administrative manager, who was instrumental in starting the project has said, “Because Madison County is so special and unique, it is critical that we instill in our children the knowledge to preserve and maintain this beautiful place that we love and call home.”

MountainTrue is a regional conservation nonprofit that champions resilient forests, clean waters and healthy communities. The organization’s members and volunteers work to 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. More info at mountaintrue.org.

Protect Our Rivers By Supporting Sustainable Farms

Action Expired: Update Coming Soon

We have compiled this map of farms in our region that feed us without threatening rivers, lakes and streams. The inventory at these farms varies, but they all have one thing in common: They’re going the extra mile to do things the right way.

Farms are color-coded by watershed. Click the pinpoints on the map to view a description of each farm.
To see the farms listed by watershed, click the icon on the top left of the map or scroll below.

Many small farms in Western North Carolina have lost business due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, large-scale meat operations in North Carolina are one of the leading contributors to water pollution in the state. Buying from sustainable local farms now is a way to not only feed your family but to protect our fragile environment.

Many farmers are still happy to have people come out to their farms. Check their websites or Facebook pages, because these small farms may request that you order over the phone or online to arrange pick-up. If you aren’t able to buy directly from a farmer, be sure to look for their products at farmer’s markets and grocery stores in your neighborhood, as many supply to local distributors. We have not included farms that are currently closed to the public.

Sustainable Farms List

Broad Watershed

Belflower Farm
Beam Family Farms
Colfax Creek Farm
Greene Family Farm
Hardscrabble Hollow Farm
Martins’ Charolais Farm
Piedmont Homestead
Proffitt Family Cattle Company
A Way of Life Farm

French Broad Watershed

Cold Mountain Angus Beef
Creekside Farm at Walnut Cove
Farmhouse Beed
Frog Holler Organiks
Gaining Ground Farm
Hickory Nut Gap Farm
Hominy Valley Farms
Leatherwood Family Farm
Lenoir’s Creek Beef and Bakery
Sunburst Trout Farms®
Shady Brook Farm
Smoky Mountain Mangalista
Sunburst Beef LLC
Ten Acre Garden

Green River Watershed

Looking Glass Creamery
Once Upon a Cow Micro Dairy
San Felipe Farm
Sunny Creek Farms
Bearded Birds Farm

Hiwassee River Watershed

7M Family Farms, LLC
Brothers on Farms
SMM Farms
Walnut Hollow Ranch – Premium Black Angus Beef

Upper Tennessee River Watershed

4 Corners Ranch

Little Tennessee River Watershed

Breedlove Family Farms
Carringer Farms
Darnell Farms
Deal Family Farm
Gnome Mountain Farm
J.W. Mitchell Farm
JAAR Farms
Pine Row Farm
Yellow Branch Pottery and Cheese

Watauga River Watershed

A Bushel and a Peck Farm
Against the Grain Farm
Beach Farm and Nursery
Creeksong Farm
Daffodil Spring Farm
Faith Mountain Farm
Fire from the Mountain
New Life Farm
North Fork Farm
Shipley Farms Signature Beef
Sunshine Cove
Heritage Homestead Farm

Yadkin Watershed

Asa Acres
Aunt Bessie’s Natural Farm

Protect the Waters of Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest

The Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are the headwaters of seven major river systems, providing drinking water for millions of people in four southeastern states and wildlife habitat for a bewildering array of native species.

Unfortunately, the current draft plan is inadequate in a few very important ways when it comes to water quality protections and we need you to speak up. The deadline for public comments is June 29 and this is our last significant chance to have our say. You can comment more than once.

The draft plan proposes less stream protection for the Nantahala-Pisgah than other Southern Appalachian National Forests such as the Chattahoochee, the Cherokee, and the Jefferson. While the 100-foot buffer on perennial streams is good, the draft plan only affords intermittent streams a 15-foot buffer, and provides no protection at all for ephemeral streams — the type of streams that make up the very beginning of the watershed networks we depend on.

Compare this to Cherokee National Forest, across the border in Tennessee, which has a default riparian buffer of 100 feet on perennial streams, 50 feet on intermittent streams and 25 feet on ephemeral streams. Cherokee National Forest also allows buffers to be increased to 264 feet in areas with steeper slopes.

These buffers prevent streams from being degraded, provide shade, and reduce sediment pollution and habitat damage due to timber harvesting, road building and other development. When these protective buffers are removed, water temperatures increase and sediment makes its way into streams and rivers suffocating aquatic habitats — reducing populations of species such as trout, freshwater mussels and hellbenders.

Learn More About Our Forest Waters

On April 28, MountainTrue’s Western Regional Director Callie Moore hosted a live webinar to explore water quality issues in the draft management plan.

Water quality protections for the Nantahala and Pisgah should meet or exceed the water quality protections given for other Southern Appalachian National Forests so that our forest streams are protected from road building, skid trails, log loading areas, waste disposal and other ground disturbing activities.

Additionally, watersheds classified by the state as Outstanding Resource Waters are determined to have excellent water quality and exceptional ecological or recreational significance. There are nine ORW watersheds within Nantahala-Pisgah National Forests and they should be named and protected in the plan.

This Forest Management Plan will set priorities and protections for the 1,200 miles of streams and rivers of Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests for the next 15-20 years, and this is our last significant chance to make our voices heard.

Please take action for clean water today.

Comment below or checkout our our Forest Plan Resource page for our full analysis of the entire Draft Forest Management Plan.

Submit Your Comment Today