20191577 Ver 1_Public Comments with Attachment_20200420

Strickland, Bev
From: Brown, Danielle <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2020 10:07 PM
To: SVC_DENR.publiccomments
Subject: [External] Biltmore Farms, LLC
Attachments: Ward Watershed (2).pdf
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Substantive Comment
This past summer I worked at an adventure counselor for YMCA camp Greenville, and one week I had the
opportunity to go on a canoeing trip down the French Broad River. The river was so serene, and during our total
of 35 miles covered, we only passed under three small two lane bridges. Because of the low impact of the small
bridges, my campers and I were able to enjoy our journey down the French Broad, without fear of water
pollutants or other disturbances. The proposed plan to build a bridge across the French Broad River will only
bring more pollution to not only the environment, but also to the river and the aquatic life that lives in it.
There are countless negative impacts to rivers and bodies of water when bridges are built as is outlined in a
document titled "Scoping the environmental impacts of bridges and culverts" published by the EPA. The main
areas it would impact is the water environment, land, air and climate, human environment, and ecology. To
begin with, "surface water hydrology can be affected during all phases of bridge and culvert activities" (EPA,
2002). This can result in the soil being compacted and even a rise in watertight or slowly watertight surfaces,
which increases surface runoff and then flooding. Another big impact is the alteration of the rivers "water
velocity, depth, depositional patters, and channel morphology" (EPA, 2002). The French Broad is also a high
tourist area, with companies such as the French Broad Adventures and the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC)
bringing in revenue during the summer months. The local breweries that can be found all along the French
Broad River also depend on clean water to produce the quality drinks that have established Asheville's tourism
industry so well. Refer to Figure one to see a map that a classmate of mine made of all of the Breweries in
Asheville that benefit from the French Broad Rivers clean water quality. The ecology of the French Broad is
also heavily dependent on the clean water, and putting in a bridge, especially the size that is proposed, will
cause irreversible damage and loss of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Another detrimental impact is to the air
quality surrounding the French Broad. An increase in vehicle traffic will not only create noise pollution, but will
damage the air quality which can cause harm to the fish that live in the river.
An article was published by the Asheville Citizen Times in 2019 that discusses the already polluted state of the
water quality of the French Broad, where "the water is always brown" (Chavez, 2019). There have been numerous
oil and chemical spills into the French Broad, and in 2018 alone there was around 30 sanitary sewer overflows, which is
defined as any sewage that spills into a creek, any spill onto ground, or in excess of 1,000 gallons (Chavez, 2019).
Building this bridge would only add to that pollution of the French Broad.
Because of the water, land, air, ecology, and human environment that will be impacted by this bridge, it is not
worth destroying such a beautiful area and River for the sake of the Economic Industry.

Sources:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2002
Chavez, Karen. "Nearly 50 Years since Passage of the Clean Water Act; Has It Helped the French Broad
River?" Citizen Times, The Citizen -Times, 18 Apr. 2019, www.citizen-
times. com/story/news/local/2019/04/ 18/earth-day-asheville-french-broad-river-clean-water-act-clean-
safe-drinking-water-epa/3413971002/ [citizen-times.com].
Penter, Caitlyn. `Biltmore Farms Plans 750,000-Square-Foot Manufacturing Facility in Buncombe
County." WLOS, WLOS, 19 Feb. 2020, wlos.com/news/local/biltmore-farms-plans-750000-square-foot-
manufacturin -fly-in-buncombe-county_[wloscom].

Breweries In Asheville Due to Great Water Quality
By Brittany Ward
September 25, 2019
Legend
French Broad N
Major Rivers
Watershed Outline
0 10 20 40 60 80
Miles
Blue Mountain Pizza and Brew Pub
Asheville Pizza and Brewing - North
\ Lexington Avenue Brewing
ll` Wor a Brewing
Altamont Brewing Co V'Burial Beer Co
Hi -Wire wing
Oyste House Brewing Co Highland Brewing
• French BrOd Brewing Company
Cedric's Tavern
0-
Thirsty Monk South
C1
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