“Our position is they have overlooked the general public.”

— Jackson County Manager Ken Westmoreland

Duke Power has made several substantial, good-faith proposals to satisfy recreational and environmental concerns in its permit application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, but we’d like the company to go one step further: commit to the construction of a 12-mile greenway from Cullowhee to Dillsboro along the shores of the Tuckasegee River.

Earlier this month Duke Power, which owns what used to be Nantahala Power and Light, finalized its relicensing application for its Western North Carolina dams and hydroelectric plants. Utilities like Duke that use public resources — in this case, the Tuckasegee River — to make a profit are required by the federal government to make concessions to the general public. In recent years, public recreation and habitat rehabilitation have become an increasingly important part of the relicensing process.

Duke has taken many steps to satisfy paddlers, anglers and environmentalists. It is proposing many more days of whitewater for paddlers and will provide water flows that improve fish habitat. It also proposes to decrease lake level fluctuations and will spend up to $80,000 on trout and sickle-fin sucker research. River access points along the Tuckaseegee and some trail work is proposed.

But Jackson County Manager Ken Westmoreland’s point is worth considering. While many paddlers and fisherman stand to gain immensely from the proposals, members of the public who don’t participate in these activities won’t see a lot of benefits. With that in mind, Jackson County wants Duke to help it construct a greenway for walkers, joggers and bikers that has been a dream project for county leaders for years.

A greenway from Cullowhee to Dillsboro would be an immense undertaking, one that would require the purchase of many miles of easements. The legal fees, along with the actual cost of the land, make this project one that is almost out of reach for local government.

But not for an entity like Duke Power. In its relicensing proposal, Duke has proposed $800,000 for water quality improvements and river conservation along the Tuck. If this amount was increased and its use directed specifically for the greenway, there is a good chance the project would take off. A greenway commission is already established and working in Jackson County, so the groundwork is in place.

Imagine hopping on a mountain bike in Dillsboro or at another designated parking area and pedaling to Cullowhee for a football game or a children’s program on Saturday at the Mountain Heritage Museum. It’s a dream Duke could make happen, one we hope the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will consider as it looks over the utility company’s application.