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Nolichucky River residents 'heartbroken' by CSX's Helene rebuild work; Army Corps responds
Hat tip, a listserv I’m on
Nolichucky River residents 'heartbroken' by CSX's Helene rebuild work; Army Corps responds
Johnny Casey
Asheville Citizen Times
A railroad bridge crosses the Nolichucky river near a flood damaged home on Unaka Springs Road in Erwin, Tenn. on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024.
ERWIN, Tenn. - Local residents and outdoor enthusiasts say they're "heartbroken" after alleging a railroad company is significantly harming the Nolichucky River with its post-Tropical Storm Helene cleanup efforts, but a recent development may give them reason to feel uplifted.
On Nov. 18, the Southern Environmental Law Center on the behalf of nonprofits American Whitewater and American Rivers filed a lawsuit against three federal agencies in the Western District of North Carolina: the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The lawsuit alleges the agencies have allowed a Florida-based railroad company, CSX Transportation, to mine and damage the river as the company works on repairs along a 2.5-mile stretch of the gorge that spans between Tennessee and North Carolina.
But shortly after the suit was filed, on Nov. 20, the Army Corps of Engineers Nashville office issued a letter to CSX, explaining that the Army Corps is reviewing whether CSX is in violation of federal laws, including the Clean Water Act and the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899.
{snip}
Johnny Casey
Asheville Citizen Times
A railroad bridge crosses the Nolichucky river near a flood damaged home on Unaka Springs Road in Erwin, Tenn. on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024.
ERWIN, Tenn. - Local residents and outdoor enthusiasts say they're "heartbroken" after alleging a railroad company is significantly harming the Nolichucky River with its post-Tropical Storm Helene cleanup efforts, but a recent development may give them reason to feel uplifted.
On Nov. 18, the Southern Environmental Law Center on the behalf of nonprofits American Whitewater and American Rivers filed a lawsuit against three federal agencies in the Western District of North Carolina: the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The lawsuit alleges the agencies have allowed a Florida-based railroad company, CSX Transportation, to mine and damage the river as the company works on repairs along a 2.5-mile stretch of the gorge that spans between Tennessee and North Carolina.
But shortly after the suit was filed, on Nov. 20, the Army Corps of Engineers Nashville office issued a letter to CSX, explaining that the Army Corps is reviewing whether CSX is in violation of federal laws, including the Clean Water Act and the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899.
{snip}