Clean Water News

As the new home of NCPIRG's environmental work, Environment North Carolina can be contacted with any questions regarding this news release. 

GREENVILLE—Citizen groups statewide are filing petitions to protect water quality, including one to preserve the quality of the Tar River, announced today by the North Carolina Public Interest Research Group (NCPIRG) and Pamlico-Tar River Foundation (PTRF).

The Pamlico-Tar River Foundation has filed a petition with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to reclassify two sections of the Tar River as Outstanding Resource Waters, which would give it the protection needed to preserve the river's excellent water quality and endangered species habitat.

"With the help of the North Carolina Public Interest Research Group, we have now petitioned for the reclassification of two sections of the Tar River itself near the City of Tarboro, in Edgecombe County. If water quality in this part of the river is not protected, it may quickly degrade due to future development, be it in the form of increased housing- and commercial development, or large infrastructure projects," explains Mary Alsentzer, Executive Director of the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation. "Degradation caused by any of these activities can mean the extinction of a species. PTRF hopes that the protection that an Outstanding Resource Waters classification would provide will not only insure the beauty of the river, but also the ecological role it provides," continues Alsentzer.

This local petition is part of the Carolina Rivers Project, a statewide movement headed by North Carolina Public Interest Research Group, to preserve unspoiled waterways throughout the state that currently lack adequate protection. North Carolina's unspoiled waters are increasingly threatened by the state's development, which has grown at twice the rate of the state's population over the last 20 years.

"Polluted runoff, a result of paved surfaces from development, is the number one threat to water quality in the state. The state the authority to protect our rivers and citizen are banning together to call on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to protect their pristine rivers before it is too late," stated Christine Wunsche, NCPIRG's Environmental Attorney. "Approximately 75 unspoiled rivers statewide do not have the protective classifications they need."

The purpose of the Carolina Rivers Project is to ensure that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources acts immediately to protect rivers such as the Tar from the devastating effects of encroaching development. In addition to the Tar River, petitions have been filed seeking protective reclassifications for the Eno River in Orange and Durham Counties, as well as the North Fork First Broad River in Rutherford County. The Pamlico-Tar River Foundation's petition and the continued efforts of the Carolina River Project are crucial to maintaining the health of North Carolina's waters.

"Citizens within the Tar River watershed, and especially those that live in and near Tarboro, should be extremely proud of the fact they are living on the banks of an exceptional river with respect to its level of water quality and the aquatic species present," says Heather Jacobs, Pamlico Tar River Foundation's Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper.

The petition filed to reclassify the Tar River is an example of how citizens can act to protect their local waterways. NCPIRG has received support from citizens across the state as they work to protect North Carolina's unspoiled rivers. Citizens are calling on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to protect their local pristine waters, to safeguard these waters from new sources of pollution, and to create a timeline for protecting all of the state's high quality waters.

"The petition filed by the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation is an important step towards preserving the quality and beauty of the Tar River for generations to come," said Wunsche. "We are excited about working with the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation and other groups across the state to protect our valuable rivers and streams."

NCPIRG is a statewide public interest advocacy group, working to protect the environment, stop consumer rip-offs, and improve our democracy. www.ncpirg.org

PTRF is a grassroots, environmental organization whose purpose is to protect and improve the environmental quality of the Tar-Pamlico River, its tributaries, and watershed through education, advocacy, and research. www.ptrf.org