Press release here:
Hartwell Carson, the French Broad Riverkeeper, paddled in with his position’s past, present and future today as the Western North Carolina Alliance (WNCA) announced that the Waterkeeper Alliance has placed the Riverkeeper’s license with the 28-year-old grassroots environmental advocacy group.
As the WNCA made its announcement at the Asheville Outdoor Center, Carson paddled to the event in his new canoe, joined by Donna Lisenby, the Upper Watauga Riverkeeper and member of the Waterkeeper Alliance board of directors. They joined Phillip Gibson, chairman of the WNCA, who served as the original French Broad Riverkeeper from 2001 to 2006 before being succeeded by Carson.
“I am really excited to bring the French Broad Riverkeeper into the Western North Carolina Alliance,” Gibson said. “The French Broad River is important to so much of this area for drinking water and recreation – and the Riverkeeper role has a special place in my heart. I served as the first French Broad Riverkeeper from 2001 to 2006 and still get great satisfaction from all the Riverkeeper contributes to the river’s improvement.”
Bringing the French Broad Riverkeeper under its umbrella will enable WNCA to add a robust water-quality program and water expertise and activities to its existing land-use planning and public lands programs.
“The Waterkeeper Alliance believes WNCA’s grassroots network and advocacy focus are the perfect match for the French Broad Riverkeeper, Lisenby said. “The Riverkeeper will be able to continue its educational efforts and focus on sediment pollution, and it will be able to expand its scope of work to address the full range of critical issues that face the French Broad River watershed. Despite the success of the Clean Water Act, our waterways remain threatened, and Waterkeepers, such as Hartwell Carson, are vital to protecting and defending our rivers.”
Tying that to WNCA’s mission, Julie Mayfield, WNCA executive director, said, “Hartwell as the Riverkeeper will continue to educate the public about the threats to the river, but will take on an expanded role to monitor and address other pollution sources, including coal ash, hazardous waste sites, bacteria pollution from sewage and animal waste, industrial point sources and pharmaceutical waste from improperly disposed of pills and medicines. We are just getting this work off the ground and are excited about the opportunities to improve rivers and streams throughout the watershed.”