MountainStrong Hurricane Recovery Fund

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, MountainTrue is dedicated to addressing the urgent needs of our community.

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Green Riverkeeper

The Green Riverkeeper is the key protector and watchdog of the Green River Watershed in MountainTrue’s Southern Region in Western North Carolina.
Volunteer

MountainTrue’s Green Riverkeeper fights for safe and healthy waterways for all communities in the Green River Watershed by bringing together and empowering local residents and communities to identify pollution sources, advocate for and enforce environmental laws, and participate in restoration projects. The Green Riverkeeper serves the Green River Watershed beginning at the river’s headwaters on the eastern slope of DuPont State Recreational Forest, which drain to the south and east into Henderson County before flowing across Polk County and eventually joining the Broad River on the border with Rutherford County.

The Green Riverkeeper is a program of MountainTrue’s Southern Regional Office and a proud member of the Waterkeeper Alliance

Meet Erica

Erica Shanks

Erica Shanks

Green Riverkeeper and Watershed Outreach Coordinator

A longtime MountainTrue Swim Guide volunteer, Green River enthusiast, and an all-around wonderful human, Erica now serves as the Green Riverkeeper and Watershed Outreach Coordinator in MountainTrue’s Southern Region. >>more

We have many regular volunteer opportunities throughout the warmer months. Please note that volunteer event dates and times are subject to change due to weather conditions with short notice. Follow the Green Riverkeeper Instagram and Facebook Page or email erica@mountaintrue.org to receive the most up-to-date information on event changes/cancellations.

Green Riverkeeper News

Asphalt plant victory: You made this happen!

Asphalt plant victory: You made this happen!

Defeating this proposal meant showing up to community meetings, writing public comments and sitting through hours of County Commission hearings – all because you believed in the power of community organizing. Beyond that, this was the second time our community put in so much time and energy to challenge this proposal, and during a pandemic that was already so stressful for all of us. Thank you for being part of this win.

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One Million Gallons of Sewage Overflowed into Western North Carolina Waterways during Six Month Period

One Million Gallons of Sewage Overflowed into Western North Carolina Waterways during Six Month Period

More than one million gallons of sewage overflowed from inadequate wastewater infrastructure into the French Broad River and other area waterways in Western North Carolina according to state data acquired and analyzed by MountainTrue. The data was collected from August 3, 2020 until March 4, 2021 by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Asheville Regional office and is the best available estimate of the amount of sewage that overflows from wastewater infrastructures such as pipes and manhole covers into area rivers and streams across 19 counties of western North Carolina.

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