Sunday, December 27, 2009
Citizens Opposed to Boone Water Intake Prep Comments for USDA Public Has Until January 4 To Submit Comments on Environmental Assessment
New High Country Press article about Boone's proposed water intake plant on the New River. Article brings out opposing arguments to the plant, details how public can respond to the newly released Environmental Assessment by Jan. 4. Click on headline about to view article.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Winston Salem Journal Report on newly released Environmental Assessment Report for New River Intake Plant
Winston Salem Journal's newest December 15 report on Environmental Assessment Report. Click on headline above to view.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Watauga Democrat: Environmental Assessment report on New River water intake plant released
Watauga Democrat's December 4, 2009 article about release of Envrionmental Assessment Report for Town of Boone's proposed water intake plant on the New River. Click on title above to view.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Environmental Assessment
The Envrionmental Assessment report for Boone's proposed water intake plant on the New River is now available online at the Town of Boone's website posted here. It can be reviewed and is available for public comment. Responses should be in writing--letters, not emails--addressed to Sandra Lawrence, USDA Rural Development Office, 134 Government Circle, Suite 201, Jefferson NC 28640, to be received by January 4, 2010. According to Sandra Lawrence, USDA Rural Development State Director Randall Gore will make the final decision about the proposed plant after reviewing the public comments. He is is newly appointed, Oct. 6, 2009, by the Obama Administration. All who are interested are encouraged to respond. Click on the title "Environmental Assessment" above to download the pdf file. It's a long file that takes a while to download.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Water Fight in Boone
| National Public Radio WFAE 90.7 Charlotte NC Reports on New River Water Intake Controversy Julie Rose Monday June 29, 2009 |
Read
ListenClick links above for audio report and website article.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Residents, Town Battle over Future of New River
Channel 14 report. First aired 6/28/09 on 5:45 news in Triad area. Channel (Time Warner) reaches 2 million statewide.Click Headline above to view
Friday, June 26, 2009
New River Water Rights Debated
June 23, West Jefferson, NC
The Boone Town Council and Ashe County Commissioners met with a packed auditorium at Westwood Elementary School to discuss Boone's proposed water intake facility. The plant would remove up to 4 million gallons of water a day from the New River on the Ashe County-Watauga County line, replacing it with Boone's treated waste water.
The Town Hall style meeting was very lively, lasting over four hours. Many in the audience spoke and were virtually unanimously opposed to the plant. Boone's need for an additional 4 mgd intake was questioned, based on facts provided by governmental review agencies. See here. Other issues raised were the historic nature of the ancient New River, an American Heritage River, and the economic impact on Ashe County which relies on the river for tourism. Boone's future growth plans, alternative options and waste pharmaceuticals which would be returned to the river untreated, an emerging national issue, were also discussed. In response to many questions, Boone town officials said the environmental review process was still underway and not all data was available yet.
Many questions focused on the transparency of the process and lack of representation by stakeholders. This was the first public meeting for Ashe County residents to express their views, the first public meeting of Boone and Ashe County officials on the issue and the first time the Ashe County Commissioners have been publicly involved.
The meeting was covered by media, including statewide Channel 14 (Time Warner), WSOC TV Charlotte , the Winston Salem Journal and local newspapers.
Although the Boone Mayor and Town Council strongly support the plan, the Ashe County Commissioners reserved judgment awaiting the release of the environmental review documents. For many audience members, however, the need for such a plant did not appear to be established. Many suggested Boone consider alternative options such as sharing water supplies with Appalachian State University, more stringent conservation measures and ensuring Boone's future growth was "smart."
The Boone Town Council and Ashe County Commissioners met with a packed auditorium at Westwood Elementary School to discuss Boone's proposed water intake facility. The plant would remove up to 4 million gallons of water a day from the New River on the Ashe County-Watauga County line, replacing it with Boone's treated waste water.
The Town Hall style meeting was very lively, lasting over four hours. Many in the audience spoke and were virtually unanimously opposed to the plant. Boone's need for an additional 4 mgd intake was questioned, based on facts provided by governmental review agencies. See here. Other issues raised were the historic nature of the ancient New River, an American Heritage River, and the economic impact on Ashe County which relies on the river for tourism. Boone's future growth plans, alternative options and waste pharmaceuticals which would be returned to the river untreated, an emerging national issue, were also discussed. In response to many questions, Boone town officials said the environmental review process was still underway and not all data was available yet.
Many questions focused on the transparency of the process and lack of representation by stakeholders. This was the first public meeting for Ashe County residents to express their views, the first public meeting of Boone and Ashe County officials on the issue and the first time the Ashe County Commissioners have been publicly involved.
The meeting was covered by media, including statewide Channel 14 (Time Warner), WSOC TV Charlotte , the Winston Salem Journal and local newspapers.
Although the Boone Mayor and Town Council strongly support the plan, the Ashe County Commissioners reserved judgment awaiting the release of the environmental review documents. For many audience members, however, the need for such a plant did not appear to be established. Many suggested Boone consider alternative options such as sharing water supplies with Appalachian State University, more stringent conservation measures and ensuring Boone's future growth was "smart."
New River Position Papers
The Town of Boone NC is proposing to build a water intake on the South Fork of the New River on the Ashe County/Watauga County line that would drain up to 4+ million gallons of water a day (mgd) from the New River, replacing it their treated waste water. This proposal is attracting swift opposition. Residents in Ashe County and elsewhere, including VA, have signed petitions opposing the plan. Position Papers have been drafted detailing 12 areas of concern, ranging from the historic nature of the New River, a designated American Heritage River, to untreated waste pharmaceuticals which would be returned to the river.
Summary of Position Papers:
http://sites.google.com/site/newrpp2/newrpp2
Position Papers (Full Set):
http://sites.google.com/site/newrpp2/new-river-position-papers
Summary of Position Papers:
http://sites.google.com/site/newrpp2/newrpp2
Position Papers (Full Set):
http://sites.google.com/site/newrpp2/new-river-position-papers
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
