News

Details on the public hearing scheduled for Blounts Creek were announced by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality this week.

“For 13 years, residents of Blounts Creek and others who just simply care about local waterways have dedicated their time and energy to protecting this beautiful creek,” said Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper Katey Zimmerman. “We’re counting on them and anyone else who cares about their waterways to show up and speak up.”

The hearing will be held at 6 p.m. on Nov. 19 in the Boyette Conference Center in Building 10 on Beaufort County Community College’s campus in Washington. Speaker registration is required. A sign-up sheet will be available starting at 5 p.m.

The written comment period has been extended to the following day and must be received by Nov. 20 at 5 p.m.

The public hearing came about through public input about a mining company’s application to renew a wastewater permit issued a decade ago. Martin Marietta Materials applied to renew the permit for a 649-acre limestone mine in Vanceboro, a permit that would potentially discharge up to 12 million gallons of fresh water per day into the brackish tributary of the Pamlico River in Beaufort County.

In 2011, Martin Marietta applied for the initial NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permit, and what followed was heated, standing-room-only public hearings, the rise of the Save Blounts Creek grassroots movement and, when NCDEQ issued the permit, a Sound Rivers lawsuit that bounced around the court system for more than a decade.

The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled last year that NCDEQ was correct to issue the permit, though the change in pH of the creek due to the wastewater could permanently alter the creek and its ability to support aquatic species.

Nearly 500 comments about the mine and its potential impacts were submitted to NCDEQ, via Sound Rivers’ Action Alert, a postcard-writing party held at Two Rivers Alehouse in Washington and by individuals, expressing “sufficient public interest” to require NCDEQ hold a public hearing about the permit renewal.

“It’s clear that people love Blounts Creek — its fishing, its recreation, the wildlife it attracts — and they don’t want to see it destroyed by mining practices,” Katey said.

Beaufort County Community College is located at 5337 U.S. Highway 264 East, Washington, NC 27889.

Want to comment about Martin Marietta Materials’ permit renewal application? Find out more and write your letter to NCDEQ using our Action Alert!

Like the work your Riverkeepers are doing? So do we! Support their work by donating today!