RIVERKEEPER®, the early years...

By Heather Jacobs Deck, PTRF RIVERKEEPER®

 Endemic Species

By Quent Lipton, PTRF Volunteer

We all know that the Pamlico/Tar River and its watershed is special.  What you may be less familiar with is the uniqueness of this river system.  Our local watershed is home to at least a couple of rare, endemic species.  An endemic species is a species that occurs in one relatively small area and nowhere else on the planet.  Endemics are of particular interest to conservation biologist because their small range makes them more vulnerable to extinction.  The Pamlico-Tar has a couple; I don't claim to know all the species that are out there, but two come to mind.  One is a mollusk, the Tar River Spiny Mussel; and the other is an amphibian, the Neuse River Waterdog (and give this guy a break, I'm sure he'd much rather be called the Pamlico Waterdog).  

The Tar River Spiny Mussel is one of the more aptly named critters on the planet.  It is endemic to the Pamlico/Tar watershed, it is a mussel, and it has spines.  These spines are actually pretty rare for a freshwater clam.  And, being a clam, it does clam things - it cleans the water.  More specifically, it filters organic matter from the water, part of an ancient system helping to keep nutrient levels within natural ranges.  The Neuse River Waterdog is found within the Pamlico/Tar and Neuse river watersheds.  It is a fairly large aquatic salamander, and it does what salamanders do - it goes around and eats things.  Its prey are mostly invertebrates (worms, insects, etc) and maybe some other smaller vertebrates. Waterdogs in general are interesting amphibians, as they defy the characteristic of their class - they do not leave the water after their tadpole stage.  Both species are special, and have a role in our landscape.

  If you are reading this, you may be a bit of an endemic species as well; you have some tie to the Pamlico/Tar watershed.  You won't, and your species certainly won't, become extinct if we lose habitat and water quality in our waters and local forests; but, that possible environmental deterioration probably doesn't sit well with you.    You'd be affected if the waters became more polluted.  You'd lose something if the shorelines were logged and developed in an unsustainable, irresponsible way.  You may spend less time on the water, less time in your boat, less time fishing, less time birdwatching, less time being a part of your local watershed.  You might just pack up and leave.  But at least you have that choice; the clam and the salamander do not.  What we do to maintain this river system maintains, or doesn't maintain, these species' existence. 

They are rare critters, and hard to find. However, I like the idea that they are out there, and nowhere else.  We should recognize that they were here before us, maintaining these waters.  Before us, they were the stewards of these waters - charter members of the Pamilco Tar River Foundation.  Let's do what we can to keep their membership active.   

RIVERKEEPER ® Update

By Heather Deck, PTRF RIVERKEEPER ®

Proposed Creedmoor Wastewater Treatment Plant

 The City of Creedmoor on May 31, 2013 purchased the land necessary to build a new wastewater treatment plant and discharge point on the Tar River. The City has also continued to seek funds from the US Department of Agriculture for the construction of the new wastewater treatment plant and discharge to the upper Tar River in Granville County. This comes one month after the Mayor spoke out against the move to build a new plant. The City publically states they are continuing to negotiate a long-term contract with their existing wastewater and water provider, the South Granville Water and Sewer Authority (SGWASA) that discharges to the Neuse River basin, where the town is located.  However, their most recent actions are a cause for concern.

A draft environmental assessment regarding the new wastewater treatment plant and discharge to the Tar River was released in December and PTRF provided detailed comments.  It is PTRF's official position that we will not support a new direct discharge to the upper Tar River. This region of the River, where the wastewater discharge is proposed, is considered a high valued resource by state and federal resource agencies. Several endangered and threatened species of mussels, plants and other animals reside in this region of the Tar River. This is also the source water for hundreds of thousands of citizen's drinking water.

Numerous stakeholders living in Granville County have spoken out against a new wastewater discharge to the Tar River. PTRF will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure that a long-term sustainable solution for the region's wastewater needs is consistent with the need for river protection.

Martin Marietta Proposed Mine

The NC Division of Water Quality approved the 401 Water Quality Certification for Martin Marietta Materials, Inc, to build a marine limestone mine in the Upper Blounts Creek watershed and discharge an average of 12 million gallons per day of ground and stormwater to Blounts Creek.  The certification was issued on May 15th and permits the direct impacts of the mine on wetlands and waters.  The NPDES wastewater discharge permit and water use permit from the NC Division of Water Resources are still pending. PTRF has advocated for a public hearing to be held by the Division of Water Resources prior to issuance of any permit.

On May 23rd, PTRF received a copy of EPA's comments to NC DWQ stating that the draft permit does not protect Blounts Creek. The comment letter included the following:

• EPA has determined that the draft permit does not ensure compliance with water quality standards.
• Federal regulations require a "reasonable potential analysis" to determine if the receiving waters, in this case Blounts Creek, would be able to handle the discharge without violating water quality standards (in other words, without causing harm to the stream system, determined by a set of numeric and narrative standards).
• EPA has asked DWQ to go back and analyze the discharge again, especially for iron, turbidity (water clarity or muddiness of the water) and pH.
• Recommends that effluent limitations (what the company can legally discharge-example: levels of iron, sediment, or pH range) are as stringent as necessary to meet the water quality standards.
• EPA would like the permit to include whole effluent toxicity limits. Testing for this replicates the actual environmental exposure of aquatic life to toxic pollutants in a wastewater effluent.
• EPA should re-evaluate the draft limit for pH and may need to revise the limit (to more closely reflect the natural, acidic characteristics of the stream).
• EPA has also requested an additional 15 days of review of any revised draft permit as well as DWQ's response to EPA's comments.

For up-to-date information, please visit our website at: http://www.ptrf.org/proposedmine.php or you may choose to join our email list-serve for immediate updates on this issue as they become available. To join the mine email list-serve, please contact Kelly Jochim at kelly@ptrf.org.

Rose Acre Farm Contested Case

The NC Superior Court issued a positive ruling that the NC Division of Water Quality has the authority to require Rose Acre Farms to be regulated under the federal Clean Water Act because of pollutants released from ventilation fans in the henhouses.   After examining the entire record, the court found that the State had presented evidence that Rose Acre Farms pollutes nearby waters.

 The Court noted that data shows that water around the Rose Acre facility had significantly higher levels of fecal coliform, ammonia nitrogen, total inorganic nitrogen, and total phosphorus after the facility began operating.  The Court further noted evidence in the record that pollutant levels in the nearby Pocosin Lakes Wildlife Refuge increased as a result of Rose Acre's operations.  It therefore sent the case back to the administrative courts for a hearing to determine whether the evidence sufficiently establishes the need for a Clean Water Act permit. 

Rose Acre Farms did no appeal the decision and a full hearing is anticipated unless a settlement is reached. PTRF, along with Friends of Pocosin Lakes and Waterkeeper Alliance intervened in the case.

Harmful Legislation Making its way Through the General Assembly

There are numerous bills currently being considered by the NC General Assembly that seek to undermine local protections of our natural resources and roll-back other important protections for our river. Below is a list of the bills we are tracking closely. Please note that the summaries provided below are current to the time of the newsletters publication and some details may have changed in the interim.

Senate Bill 76

This bill would allow injection of wastewater loaded with chemicals from future natural gas fracking into our coastal plain drinking water aquifers.  It also opens up the possibility that coastal North Carolina could be the recipient of out of state fracking waste as well as the injection of other industrial or municipal wastes not currently allowed under a long-standing law that prohibits such action.  This is a critical risk to our eastern NC communities' drinking water supplies as well as the threat of toxic waste leaking from the injection wells and contaminating our rivers. Our communities depend on a clean and available water supply. The House removed this provision and at publication time the fate of injection of wastewater is unknown.

Senate Bill 328

Senate Bill 328 (Solid Waste Management Reform of 2013), an industry sponsored bill, will allow for the creation of mega dumps of imported trash in North Carolina, especially eastern North Carolina. The dumps would be allowed to be up to 300 feet tall! The  bill undoes  a number of environmental standards adopted in a  2007 rewrite of the state's landfill laws, weakening protections for  parks, wildlife refuges, wetlands,  endangered species habitat and sensitive or high quality surface waters. It goes even further than repealing the 2007 legislation by eliminating public health, environmental justice and water quality protections that have existed for decades.

H1011

Among other things, the Bill would eliminate all sitting members of the Environmental Management Commission (EMC) and make substantial changes to the Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) and the Coastal Resources Advisory Commission.

S112

The bill started out in the Senate as an "Amend Environmental Laws" but was changed to the House to "Create Jobs Through Regulatory Reform" and has become an anti-environmental monster. Included in the bill is a requirement for agencies to review and potentially re-adopt all rules at least once every 10 years. Rule-making is a burdensome process that typically takes at least 2 years and if agencies daily to meet the deadline,  a rule will automatically expire. This bill make any North Carolina rule that helps to protect our water, air, and public health in jeopardy. The bill also prohibits any local environmental ordinances that are more stringent than state or federal statues or regulations including ordinances  already on the books. 

H321

The Senate passed this bill after amending it to eliminate the requirement for a particular landfill operator to obtain a local franchise agreement. Unionville (located near Charlotte in Union County) denied Griffin Farm and Landfill's renewal request in 2009 because they had stopped accepting waste rather than comply with new state landfill standards, and had a history of state violations. Griffin sued the town and lost the case in court. This action set a very dangerous precedent by allowing a state license without a local franchise license which allows communities to manage landfills in their jurisdiction. 

In Memory of a Great Pamlico-Tar River Foundation Board Member: John Clifford Anema Jr

 John Clifford Anema Jr. passed away on Sunday, April 28, 2013, after a hard fought battle with cancer. A memorial service will be held on Thursday at 4 p.m. at Wilkerson Funeral Home.   

John was born in Passaic, N.J. on August 31, 1947. He grew up in Point Pleasant, N.J. where his love of the outdoors began. John loved fishing, kayaking, canoeing, camping and he experienced spirituality through nature. He gave many years of service to the Sierra Club, the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation and other environmental causes and received numerous awards for his volunteerism and his environmental work. His professional accomplishments include receiving the Pitt County Young Professional of the Year award and the ECU Distinguished Service Award. He was a former president of the Pitt County chapter of the Pirate Club Alumni Association. John was employed with The Pitt County Mental Health Center for 25 years where he formed lasting friendships and positively impacted many lives. After retirement, he opened a private counseling practice and continued helping others cope with life's daily challenges.

His work with the Eastern Carolina Vocational Center was so meaningful to him and he loved the many people he came to know over the years he worked there as an EAP counselor. John was very proud to have accomplished a lifelong goal of completing his Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Studies at ECU in 2011, while battling cancer. An avid tennis player, John won many tournaments including the Greenville City Men's doubles championship, the 2011 Senior Games Mixed Doubles State Championship, the 2012 Senior Games Men's Doubles State Championship and was on the team that won the 2011 USTA men's doubles state championship. He was most proud of the relationships he formed with the many wonderful people in his life. He touched many lives with his positive energy and ever present smile. John's philosophy was to do something fun everyday and he imparted this wisdom to benefit those who knew him. A truly good man, John will be sorely missed, and his memory cherished by many.   

John is survived by his wife Karen; stepchildren, Alyssa Ventimiglia and Tony Ventimiglia; sister, MaryAnne Norman and husband, Wayne; sister-in-law, Denise Adkins; and brother-in-law, Lee Adkins; aunt, Ruth Casseles; and uncle, Bob Anema and wife, Linda. He is also survived by his beloved dogs, Macie and Frazier, and his parrot Tiki, as well as his many, many wonderful friends.   

Published in The Daily Reflector on May 1, 2013

Chris B. Smith Joins the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation Board of Directors

The Pamlico-Tar River Foundation is pleased to announce that Chris B. Smith was elected to the Foundation's board of directors. Chris was elected to fill the seat vacated by Dr. Lisa Clough who left East Carolina University and the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation (PTRF) to assume responsibilities for overseeing the National Science Foundation's Antarctica Project.  "We are very pleased that Chris is willing to serve on the board and expect his business and capital management experience will be a tremendous asset as PTRF moves forward" stated Jerry Eatman, PTRF board president. The following provides a brief introduction to Chris.

Before joining Grady-White Boats, Chris spent a year as a member of the New York Yacht Club's team that challenged for the America's Cup in Fremantle, Australia in 1986. Chris Smith joined Grady-White Boats shortly after graduating from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1987 with a degree in Industrial Relations. He spent seven years learning the boat business from his father, Eddie Smith. Chris took a break from the boat company in 1994 to pursue his passion for racing in triathlons and bicycle racing by starting his own company, Chain Reaction Cycling, which he sold in 2002.  After that, he returned to work with the family and spent the last twelve years leading the development and management of Safe Harbor Family Capital. Today he is the President of Safe Harbor Family Capital, an investment management company that oversees ownership of the family's assets.

Mr. Smith is a board member of the Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Family Foundation. He also serves on the boards of the UNC Children's Hospital, UNC Board of Visitors, Board of the Carolina Clinic Executive Wellness Center, and is a member of the Carolina Family Office Forum. Additionally, he is a member of the Virginia Episcopal School Investment Committee and Capital Campaign, former member of the UNC Educational Foundation and the Virginia Episcopal School Board of Directors. He is a Life Member of NRA, CCA and is an avid hunter.

Welcome our new Environmental Projects Manager!

By Matt Butler

Hello everyone!  My name is Matt Butler.  I am happy to introduce myself as the new Environmental Projects Manager for PTRF.  I am truly excited to begin my time in this position and wanted to give some background on who I am.  Originally born and raised in Louisiana, I have spent time in the woods, on lakes, and in rivers since I can remember.  I attended high school in Sanford, NC before I attended East Carolina University for my undergraduate studies.  It was during my time at ECU that I found my love for fish, coastal, and marine environments.

I was fortunate to spend a summer abroad in Belize working on constructing a food web for a small island off of the coast.  This is when I began SCUBA diving and shifted my undergraduate focus to a Marine Biology path.  I worked with professors at ECU on research projects involving blue crabs, striped bass, and coastal recreational fisheries.  After graduation with a double major in Biology and Chemistry, I moved to Lewes, DE to begin work on a research project involving artificial bait development for eel and conch commercial fisheries.  I worked for the University of Delaware and partnered with DuPont Chemical Company to isolate the chemo-attractants in the long used bait, horseshoe crabs.  Once this project was finished, I was hired as a commercial fisheries observer in the Northern Mid-Atlantic commercial fishery.  I was tasked with observing all kept and discarded catches from the bottom trawl, scallop dredge, and gill-net fisheries ranging from North Carolina to Maine.

In 2010, I returned to East Carolina University to pursue a Master's degree.  My project was focused on the Chowan River and its tributaries to evaluate the growth and nutritional health of river herring larvae.  I investigated water quality on tributaries and the main stem of the Chowan.  The project focused on abundant assessments of river herring larvae along with nutritional assessments of those larvae found.  Results from this project were promising for the Chowan River.

As Environmental Projects Manager, my initial primary focus will be to continue the building of Tar-Pamlico River Camping Platforms.  I will also work with Edgecombe Community College on storm water runoff management.  In addition, I will work diligently to find new projects and grants to keep up with the goals and principles of the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation.

NOMINEES FOR THE PTRF BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013 (ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Lawrence Behr

Lawrence Behr is CEO of LBA Group, Inc., of Greenville, North Carolina. He has over 45 years of experience in broadcast and wireless communications engineering, and in major aspects of management and marketing of telecommunications businesses. His business has been named three times to the top ranks of North Carolina minority businesses and twice named an INC5000 growth business. He has contributed his expertise to both the private and public sectors, as well as to the United States military establishment. Known as a leader in the industry in the United States and abroad, Lawrence has served as an expert witness in matters relating to telecommunications infrastructure, regulation and allocations. He has testified before the Federal Communications Commission, state and Federal Courts, and other regulatory bodies.  Recognized as a pioneer in wireless and broadcast technologies, he has been an invited presenter in Europe, Latin America and the United States at conferences and seminars sponsored by the Society for Broadcast Engineers, the National Association of Broadcasters, IEEE, CIRT, and other industry groups. He is a past Commissioner of the North Carolina Agency for Public Telecommunications and panel member of the University of Southern California, Center for Futures Research. He is the recipient of honors and awards that include the Free Kuwait Medal for his efforts in restoring communications installations after the Gulf War. He recently was the recipient of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce & Pitt Community College Small Business Center "Small Businessman of the Year for 2012" award.

A longtime riverside resident of Washington, NC, he is married to stained glass artist Libby Behr, and they have five grown children. He is an avid outdoorsman, pilot, amateur radio operator, and history buff.

"Having nearly completed my second term on the PTRF Board, and served this year on the Executive Committee as Treasurer, I cannot say enough about the enthusiasm and dedication of the PTRF staff and my fellow Board members. PTFR is an effective steward of the River, and I am proud to be part of this organization. A hiker, paddler, camper, and general outdoorsman since I was a kid, I feel a closeness to our River and environment. During my terms, I have supported the expansion of the PTRF mission to serve the entire Tar-Pamlico watershed, to outreach to environmental concerns of minorities, and to adopt sound business and governance policies to serve the continuing growth of PTRF.

Should the membership see fit to return me to the Board for another term, I will serve with enthusiasm, and continue to dedicate to the PTRF my business and professional experience as well as a love of the environment and the Tar-Pamlico River."

Alex K Manda

Completing his first term, Alex has brought his background in water resources and diverse international experience to his work with PTRF. He currently serves as Assistant Professor in Water Resources, Department of Geological Sciences and Institute for Coastal Science and Policy at East Carolina University. Alex was born in Zambia (Central Africa), attended college in Wales (UK), and graduate school in Florida and Massachusetts (USA). From his early days as an undergraduate student at Cardiff University, Alex always wanted to embark on a career that would be of practical benefit to society. He decided to focus on water resources with a specific emphasis on hydrogeology for his graduate studies because water is such an important commodity to man's survival and development.  Alex's decision to serve a second term on the PTRF Board of Directors is derived from his desire to develop a 'global perspective' and local experience to the issues surrounding managing water resources in the Tar-Pamlico Watershed. 

He wants to use his background and expertise to gain an understanding of the challenges and solutions related to the availability and distribution of potable water. In addition, he hopes to build networks with professionals and volunteers that will establish collaborations and will facilitate the exchange of ideas about how to deal with the influence of climate change, contamination, and population growth on vital water resources. To this end, Alex plans to play a key role in establishing a regional Center for Water Resources at East Carolina University that will be responsible for educating and assisting the general public, policy makers, and other stake holders in water management and policy issues.

PTRF is currently looking for nominees to our Board of Directors. If you or someone you know would be interested in volunteering on a vibrant and energetic board working on constantly changing, important issues affecting your river, community and health, please contact us at 252-946-7211 or email info@ptrf.org with the subject line "Nomination". Thanks!

Spring Events

By Kelly Jochim, Development & Outreach Coordinator

What NC Needs to Know About Fracking

On Tuesday, March 26th Elaine Choisso, RIVERKEEPER® and Executive Director of the Haw River Assembly in Bynam, NC made a presentation, in partnership with PTRF and the Cypress Group of the Sierra Club, on fracking and what it could mean for NC's environment, including here in eastern NC. She showed the well-known documentary "A Message From The Marcellus", a 20-minute short film created by Todd Tinkham and Molly Matlock to help stop fracking from becoming legal in North Carolina. The filmmakers traveled to PA and NY and LA interviewing people from all walks of life about the impacts of natural gas fracking on their communities. The filmmakers now travel all over North Carolina screening their film for free and sharing what they learned with others.

The film was followed up by a very informative presentation on fracking and the future of NC's environment by Elaine. It focused on fracking: what it is, what it does, why we need to stop it. For anyone interested in a copy of her presentation, please email kelly@ptrf.org.

RIVERKEEPER® Cup Cleanup Challenge

April 6th at 8 AM, the Cities of Louisburg, Rocky Mount, Greenville and Washington dispersed on the Tar-Pamlico River and surrounding land for our annual spring cleanup. With over 150 volunteers across the watershed, the total cleaned came to over 3,400 lbs with Louisburg taking first place for the third year in a row! Thanks to all of volunteers and our partners that day: Novozymes, Keep America Beautiful, Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial, Rum Runners and the ECU Adventure Program!

River Jam 2013

River Jam 2013 this year was held on Saturday, April 20th at the Greenville Town Common with the usual line up of our increasingly popular free kayak rides, community partner vendors, Greenway biking and walking tours thanks to FROGGS, and food served by the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greenville. For the first time, we introduced two new sections, "River Kids" with a bounce house and children's games and working the City of Greenville's Bike Commission, had short bike races and a challenge court for prizes. Live bands Downtown Funk opened the evening's music, followed by The Donald Thompson Band, Caroline Dare and closing out the evening, The Librarians. The lighted flotilla drew people to the riverfront as the lighted kayaks floated by. Thank you so much to Grady-White Boats for sponsoring the event and to Acculink for the great posters!

Race for the River Kayakalon

Cooler temperatures and strong winds made for tough going at the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation's seventh annual Race for the River Kayakalon on Saturday. More than 90 people turned out to Goose Creek State Park for the triathalon that includes a 1.5-mile kayak paddle on the Pamlico River, a 15-mile bike ride and a 3-mile run in the state park.

The competitors were tougher. While the wind slowed the times down a bit in comparison to previous years, the first male to cross the finish line was Matthew Jordan of Pantego, with a time of 1:28:24; the first female finish was by Lisa Mischley of Raleigh, with a time of 1:38:23; and the winning relay team was father-daughter duo Patrick and Leigh Harris from Greenville, with a time of 1:39:46.

The first Race for the River was organized by Washington outdoor-fun retailers Inner Banks Outfitters with PTRF as the recipient of the funds raised. Six years later, PTRF continues to host the triathalon, fair weather or foul.