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We love the Pigeon River video contest

UPDATE: THE PERMIT HEARING HAS MOVED TO APRIL, CONTEST NOW OPEN FOR ENTRIES UNTIL MARCH 1, 2021!


WINNERS ANNOUNCED MARCH 14, 2021 (INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION FOR RIVERS)


We all have a deep love and appreciation for the Pigeon River, and we know that you do too!


Now's your chance to share a little bit of your love for the Pigeon and enter to win cool prizes in the process!


The contest is open for entries until March 1, 2021. We REALLY need folks to speak up for the Pigeon River BEFORE the next renewal of the NPDES permit for Blue Ridge Paper in Canton, NC.


It's easy to help!! Just follow the two steps below:


1. Submit your public comments to publiccomments@ncdenr.gov asking for improved permit requirements prior to approval and a continuation of the use of color variance. (Please be sure to include Blue Ridge Paper Products, NC #0000272 in the email subject line). You can write your own comments, or here's an easy template for you to copy and paste for use:


Blue Ridge Paper Products, NC #0000272


THIS PERMIT IS UNACCEPTABLE

  • permit does not demonstrate the spirit of the Clean Water ACT NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permitting system in that it does not actually reduce pollution

  • permit proposes an increase in the amount of chloroform

  • permit calls for a 17% increase in water taken from the Pigeon

  • permit calls for no changes and no reductions in pollution

  • permit calls for removal of the color variance

As a concerned citizen and lover of the Pigeon River, I/we feel it is in the best interest of the public (including both people and publicly held lands), the residential and commercial users of the river, and the natural ecosystems found in the Pigeon River and surrounding watershed areas to have the following addressed concerning Blue Ridge Paper Products, NC #0000272:

  1. Keep the color variance until water quality standards are met, and the water is as clear downstream as it is upstream from the paper mill

  2. Make no increases to chloroform, a carcinogenic chemical

  3. Don't take more water for the paper mill without an environmental assessment

  4. Water quality improvements should be made in every 5 year permitting cycle


Send your comments to publiccomments@ncdenr.gov BEFORE MARCH 1, 2021 (and before you submit your video)!


2. Make a short original video telling us you why you love the Pigeon River, what you love to do on the Pigeon, and/or what your vision of a cleaner river looks like! Submit it to CWEET on facebook (post it on our page, or post it on your page and tag CWEET, or send it on messenger!), or send it to cweet4water@gmail.com , or find us on Hive ( @cweet4water ) or 3speak ( @cweet4water4life ).


Entries will be accepted until 11:59pm January 29, 2021. Winners will be announced on Valentine's Day on our website www.cweet.org and on Facebook.


Grand prize and first and second runner-up prizes have all been generously donated by local businesses and will include:


A catered meal for up to 25 from Gill's BBQ (Hartford, TN)

$100 gift certificate from Cosmic Ties(Cosby, TN)

Dinner for 1 (excluding alcohol) at Bean Trees (Hartford TN)

An overnight stay for 1 at Standing Bear Farm Hostel (Hartford TN)

A group whitewater trip down the Pigeon River (details TBA)



To learn more about the upcoming permit proposal concerning the waste being dumped into our beloved Pigeon River,





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