week of 4/3/02
 
 
 
  Macon group seeks stronger watershed protections
By Don Hendershot
George Sweet wants a county ordinance that will protect the Little Tennessee River from point-source discharges and stormwater runoff.

Sweet, a member of the Macon County Watershed Council, petitioned the Macon County Board of Commissioners at its April 1 meeting for permission to pursue modifications to their watershed ordinance. Commissioners gave him their unanimous approval to work with the county attorney to develop proposed changes.

According to Sweet, the council had been studying the issue since last August’s public hearing regarding a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for a proposed RV park along the Little Tennessee.

Nearly 200 people attended that Franklin hearing held by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Dozens of people presented public comments that evening but only one — Randy Russottii, owner-developer of the proposed Tennessee River RV Park — spoke in favor of the permit.

“This called to the attention of the Watershed Council the importance of protecting the integrity of that river,” Sweet said.

According to biologists and conservationists, the Little Tennessee is unique across the Southeast. It is the only river in the Blue Ridge that still retains representatives of all its native aquatic fauna. It is home to 19 aquatic species listed as imperiled by the state. It contains three federally listed species, the Appalachian elktoe mussel, little-wing pearly mussel and spotfin chub.

Sweet said the Watershed Council had been studying ways to protect the river. “The state is considering upgrading the river to Outstanding Resource Waters and could take action sometime between now and 2007. That’s too long to wait,” Sweet said.

The council wants to study the option of amending the county’s watershed ordinance, which currently applies only to Cartoogechaye Creek, Franklin’s drinking water source. According to Sweet, the two areas the council would study are density and point-source discharge. He said the council proposes a density limitation of two homes per acre for single-family dwellings, a 12 percent (of total area) limit on impervious surfaces for any development, and prohibition of point-source discharge.

Commissioner Alan Bryson pointed out that density limitations were not mentioned in the written proposal the watershed council had provided to commissioners. He wanted to know why it should be onsidered.

Sweet answered that the council felt density limitations and impervious surface restrictions were needed to protect from stormwater runoff.

Commissioner Janet Greene asked Sweet why the council chose to amend the watershed ordinance rather than creating a new ordinance.

Sweet replied that the council considered the watershed ordinance a “vehicle,” already in place, but if research by the council and county attorney showed it was not feasible to amend the watershed ordinance a new ordinance could be drafted.

The Watershed Council’s proposal refers to the section of the river from Lake Emory Dam to the Swain County line. Presently there are no point-source discharges below the dam. Russottii’s permit is still pending. County commissioners drafted a letter to DENR Secretary Bill Ross in January asking for a moratorium on point-source discharges below Lake Emory Dam. There are 14 point-source discharges above the dam.

“We on the council think this is a good option and in line with what commissioners have sought in regards to Needmore,” Sweet said.

Macon County commissioners passed a resolution in March 2000 calling for “a permanent conservation ownership and management solution ...” for Needmore, a 4,400-acre tract along the Little Tennessee in Macon and Swain counties that is in the hands of Duke Power’s land management subsidiary Crescent Resources.

“I think we owe it to the Watershed Council to let them pursue this plan,” Harold Corbin, Macon County chairman said.