NCDEQ has denied the mining permit application from Horizon 30 LLC. Mitchell County residents voiced concerns about environmental damage caused by unpermitted mining along Nolichucky River. (Drone shots courtesy of Leo Sharp)
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) turned down a mining permit application on Wednesday from Horizon 30 LLC, citing the Mining Act of 1971.
Horizon 30 filed the application to DEQ’s Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources for a mining operation near the town of Poplar in Mitchell County, according to a public notice from July.
The division received a barrage of comments during its public hearing period in late July, with many residents urging them to deny the permit.
Emily Young of Spruce Pine said her family has lived and worked in the mountains of Mitchell County since the 1700s.
“The Nolichucky River and the surrounding watershed are not just scenic places. They support farms, forests, wildlife, and communities that depend on clean water and stable land,” Young said in her written remarks. “When a company skips permits and blasts without basic erosion control, it is not just cutting corners. It is showing a complete disregard for the people and places that make this region what it is.”
Sloan Hess of Mills River highlighted in a July 29th email that Horizon 30 had ignored three previous orders to cease operations, disregarding DEQ’s instructions.
“The devastation is evident and will be irreversible if it does not get regulated and controlled by others who have concern for their environment. This environmental loss effects rafting companies, tourist agencies, fishermen, recreational boaters and visitors from across the nation, who drive through the beautiful environment of the Pisgah and Cherokee National Forest,” Hess wrote in his appeal.
Adam Parr, deputy director of the Division, said during this meeting that the North Carolina Mining Program reviews all mining permit applications as they relate to the 1971 law.
By mining without a valid permit, Horizon 30 violated the act.
The company was previously operating without a valid permit on a site of approximately 50 acres. The mine excavation covered approximately 23 acres, according to a press release from DEQ.
“At no time has [the division] advised Horizon 30, LLC that they are allowed to operate without a mining permit,” Parr said.
On Aug. 13, a Watauga Superior Court judge determined Horizon 30 was operating an unpermitted mine, which violated the Mining Act, according to the release. The judge issued a preliminary injunction demanding the company stop mining immediately.
DEQ followed this action by denying the permit application.
Department staff will continue to closely monitor the location to ensure the company follows requisite steps to bring the site back into compliance, according to the release.
A court date of Sept. 23 has been set for Horizon 30 to provide an update on its reclamation plan of the area.
A drone shot shows unpermitted mining along the Nolichucky River in Mitchell County, North Carolina. NCDEQ has denied the mining permit application from Horizon 30 LLC. (Drone shots courtesy of Leo Sharp)
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