Don't Let Railroad Rebuild Destroy the Nolichucky Gorge

One of North Carolina and Tennessee's best whitewater rivers is facing a man-made disaster rivaling Hurricane Helene in the storm's aftermath. Located on the Tennessee-North Carolina state line near the hurricane-impacted town of Erwin, TN and Poplar, NC, the Nolichucky Gorge is an economically vital source of river-based tourism and an amenity that attracts and retains residents. In addition to being a haven for river recreation and the outdoor recreation economy, this is also an important river for training regional swiftwater rescue personnel.

Right now, CSX is mining the riverbed without benefit of the required state and federal permits and oversight. Dozens of excavators and dump trucks are pushing their way ever-deeper into the Nolichucky River Gorge, removing massive amounts of rock and soil from the river's bed and banks in an unregulated rush to rebuild the railroad without required oversight. The disaster of riverbed mining and destruction could erase the river's value in a matter of days or weeks, and it is utterly avoidable. If rapids and riverbanks continue to be mined the river will widen and be simpler and shallower. This would likely make the river less navigable in summer months when flows drop and recreation demand is high, and could make the rapids less fun, less natural, and more dangerous. It doesn't have to be that way, we can have a restored rail line and a high quality Nolichucky River Gorge. We need to use the existing permitting and oversight process to make sure we are protecting the river for the future.

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The massive flooding from the Hurricane wreaked havoc on these communities and rearranged the riverbed significantly. However in a silver lining, a delightful series of rapids with deep enough channels to support year-round rafting were formed in the still awe-inspiringly beautiful Gorge. When rafting companies rebuild and access areas reopen, the Nolichucky stands to be an even bigger economic powerhouse for the region than it was before the hurricane – and to provide those benefits for many generations to come, but this avoidable disaster of riverbed mining and destruction could erase the river's value in a matter of days or weeks if it's not stopped.

Additionally, the pace of CSX's railroad reconstruction project is getting people hurt.There have been two dump truck accidents with one resulting in a fatality, and now two more serious injuries needing life flights.

Please ask your elected officials to intervene. Ask them to request CSX pause this work immediately until they receive required permits and a plan and process is in place to protect the river while rebuilding the rail line, and to request that the US Army Corps of Engineers, US Forest Service, and US Fish and Wildlife Service as well as state agencies in Tennessee and North Carolina immediately document what the gorge looks like now, and work with CSX to ensure the river is protected, and provide regular oversight and accountability for the work.

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Don't Let Railroad Rebuild Destroy the Nolichucky Gorge

Dear [elected official],

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I am writing to urge elected officials to help protect the Nolichucky River from the fast-tracked rebuilding of the railroad alongside it that is causing shortsighted and unnecessary destruction. CSX is mining vast amounts of rock from the riverbed causing generational impacts to the river and its future enjoyment and economic benefits. It is our understanding that CSX has been advised by state officials that work should "not commence until the applicant has received the federal section 404 permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers, a section 26a permit from the Tennessee Valley Authority or authorization under a Tennessee NPDES Storm Water Construction Permit where necessary." CSX is still operating without these required permits, several weeks after construction has begun.

CSX work is entering the whitewater gorge that spans North Carolina and Tennessee and is home to the river recreation economy that is a critical economic driver for nearby communities already devastated by the impacts of Hurricane Helene. Immediate action is needed to stop this man-made disaster that is progressing each day.

Additionally, the pace of CSX's railroad reconstruction project is getting people hurt. There have been two dump truck accidents with one resulting in a fatality, and now two more serious injuries needing life flights.

I am requesting intervention to have CSX pause their work immediately until a plan and process are in place to protect the river while rebuilding the rail line, and to request that Tennessee and North Carolina authorities immediately document what the gorge looks like now, work with CSX and the public on a plan to ensure the rock mining stops and impacts are minimized, and provide regular oversight and accountability for the work.

Thank you for considering this request and acting as soon as possible to stop the destruction of the Nolichucky Gorge.

Sincerely, [Your information here]