News

Upper Neuse Riverkeeper Matthew Starr was interviewed recently by WRAL, speaking to them about how industrial swine facilities, affected by Hurricane Matthew flooding, impacted our waterways. Check out the video above.

According to American Rivers’ announcement on April 11th, two North Carolina rivers have made the “most endangered” list – the Neuse and Cape Fear. As stated by American Rivers, “The Neuse and Cape Fear rivers are the drinking water source for more than four million people and support a billion dollar commercial and recreational coastal economy… Right now, hundreds of millions of gallons of swine waste and hundreds of tons of poultry waste from these concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are held in open lagoons or enormous piles containing bacteria, pathogens, concentrated levels of nutrient pollution and residual antibiotics that if released into nearby rivers and streams would cause significant contamination. In 2016, the flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew overwhelmed numerous waste lagoons and piles, spilling into public waterways.”

Sound Rivers supports the Floodplain Buyout Program in NC, which successfully worked with farmers after Hurricane Floyd to move more than 100 waste lagoons out of the floodplains of our rivers. As the legislature considers funding Hurricane Matthew recovery, this program should be funded to help farmers protect our waterways.

Read more about what this means for the Neuse, and tell your legislators to take action on the Flood Buyout Program, on American Rivers’ website here.

Check out other articles:

http://www.indyweek.com/news/archives/2017/04/11/national-river-conservation-organization-says-the-neuse-is-one-of-the-countrys-most-endangered-rivers

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article143799039.html

http://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20170411/group-calls-for-farm-buyouts-to-protect-cape-fear-neuse-rivers

http://www.indyweek.com/news/archives/2017/04/11/national-river-conservation-organization-says-the-neuse-is-one-of-the-countrys-most-endangered-rivers