MountainTrue, a conservation organization in western North Carolina, has partnered with the NC Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) to launch a River Debris Cleanup Program. This initiative aims to address the impacts of Tropical Storm Helene using $10 million in state funding provided through the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management.
The program will complement existing federal debris removal efforts by targeting smaller streams and tributaries that pose risks to local tourism and recreation industries. MountainTrue plans to deploy cleanup crews across western North Carolina for 18 months. Since Hurricane Helene, they have removed nearly 3 million pounds of debris from affected areas.
“We’re committed to helping western North Carolina recover and rebuild, and this investment will help clean up debris still left in our rivers,” said Reid Wilson, Secretary of the NC Department of Environmental Quality. “This initiative represents a critical opportunity to restore our waterways, protect our communities and support local economies dependent on outdoor recreation and tourism.”
“This is more than a cleanup—it’s a recovery effort that puts people back to work and brings communities together to restore the rivers we all depend on,” said Hartwell Carson, Clean Waters Director with MountainTrue.
The targeted counties include Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes Yancey and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
MountainTrue will manage site selection for cleanup efforts along with crew training and volunteer coordination. For further details or participation information visit https://mountaintrue.org/cleanup-crew/. More about NCDEQ can be found at www.deq.nc.gov.
