NC0084620_Comments_20190502

LL CO
1861 G
MITCHELL COUNTY 3 ��
26 CRIMSON LAUREL CIRCLE, Suite 2
BAKERSVILLE, NC 28705 RTx C,
Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone]
May 2, 2019
To Whom It May Concern:
Quartz Corporation is an invaluable asset to the citizens of Mitchell County. They provide jobs
where the safety of employees and clean water are part of their mission statement and their
number one priority.
Quartz Corporation uses water from the Toe River in their mining process. The Quartz
Corporation have several holding ponds for the water they use. The holding ponds allow the
impurities to settle out and allow the neutralization of acids before it is put back in to the river.
These ponds are monitored twenty-four hours a day and in the event there is an overflow, it is
contained as quickly as possible.
Quartz Corporation employees use the Toe River for recreational activities with their families so
they want to have as clean water as possible for their personal use. They participate in river clean
up days to help ensure the cleanliness of our streams in Mitchell County,
Quartz Corporation is a very community oriented organization. They provide financial support
for Foster Care Children in Mitchell County. They dedicate workdays for their employees to
provide community service in Mitchell County. Last year they built an outdoor classroom at one
of the schools, provided landscaping, painted rooms etc. at our other schools. They are a huge
supporter of the Mineral and Gem Festival held to promote tourism in Mitchell County. Quartz
Corporation has donated land to be used for the creation of trails for the citizens to use.
These are just a few of the things that Quartz Corporation does to maintain the environment and
the communities of Mitchell County. They portray a "Neighbor helping Neighbor "attitude in
Mitchell County.
We are very fortunate to have The Quartz Corporation in Mitchell County and appreciate their
willingness to help promote our County.
Slnc,
er ly,
ichard Canipe, Chairmaarr
Mitchell County Economic Development Commission

��Ijr� Cyr
MITCHELL COUNTY
26 CRIMSON LAUREL CIRCLE, Suite 2 tip "
BAKERSVILLE, NC 28705 *?r .;�Q`>
Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone]
May 2, 2019
To Whom It May Concern:
Sibelco Corporation is an invaluable asset to-the citizens of Mitchell County. They provide jobs
where the safety of employees and clean water are part of their mission statement and their
number one priority.
Sibelco Corporation uses water from the Toe River in their mining process. The Quartz
Corporation have several holding ponds for the water they use. The holding ponds allow the
impurities to settle out and allow the neutralization of acids before it is put back in to the river.
These ponds are monitored twenty-four hours a day and in the event there is an overflow, it is
contained as quickly as possible.
Sibelco Corporation participate in river clean up days to help ensure the cleanliness of our streams
in Mitchell County,
Sibelco Corporation is a very community oriented organization. Sibelco Corporation has donated
land to be used for the creation of trails for the citizens to use.
We are very fortunate to have The Sibelco Corporation in Mitchell County and appreciate their
willingness to help promote our County.
Sincerely,
Richard Canipe, Chairman
Mitchell County Economic Development Commission

of SPRV��,q'y�
Town of Spruce Pine, North Carolina
y�RTH GP���`
May 2, 2019
To Whom It May Concern:
Quartz Corporation is an invaluable asset to the citizens of Mitchell County. They provide jobs
where the safety of employees and clean water are part of their mission statement and their
number one priority.
Quartz Corporation uses water from the Toe River in their mining process. The Quartz
Corporation have several holding ponds for the water they use. The holding ponds allow the
impurities to settle out and allow the neutralization of acids before it is put back in to the river.
These ponds are monitored twenty-four hours a day and in the event there is an overflow, it is
contained as quickly as possible.
Quartz Corporation employees use the Toe River for recreational activities with their families so
they want to have as clean water as possible for their personal use. They participate in river clean
up days to help ensure the cleanliness of our streams in Mitchell County,
Quartz Corporation is a very community oriented organization. They provide financial support
for Foster Care Children in Mitchell County. They dedicate workdays for their employees to
provide community service in Mitchell County. Last year they built an outdoor classroom at one
of the schools, provided landscaping, painted rooms etc. at our other schools. They are a huge
supporter of the Mineral and Gem Festival held to promote tourism in Mitchell County. Quartz
Corporation has donated land to be used for the creation of trails for the citizens to use.
These are just a few of the things that Quartz Corporation does to maintain the environment and
the communities of Mitchell County. They portray a "Neighbor helping Neighbor "attitude in
Mitchell County.
We are very fortunate to have The Quartz Corporation in Mitchell County and appreciate their
6
willingness to help promote our County.
Za
rely,,P. a , Mayor
Town of Spruce Pine
Post Office Box 189, Spruce Pine, North Carolina 28777-0189
Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Website: www.sprucepine-nc.gov

of SPRUC�,A'y�
Town of Spruce Pine, North Carolina
y�RTH cP���`
May 2, 2019
To Whom It May Concern:
Sibelco Corporation is an invaluable asset to the citizens of Mitchell County. They provide jobs
where the safety of employees and clean water are part of their mission statement and their
number one priority.
Sibelco Corporation uses water from the Toe River in their mining process. The Quartz
Corporation have several holding ponds for the water they use. The holding ponds allow the
impurities to settle out and allow the neutralization of acids before it is put back in to the river.
These ponds are monitored twenty-four hours a day and in the event there is an overflow, it is
contained as quickly as possible.
Sibelco Corporation participate in river clean up days to help ensure the cleanliness of our streams
in Mitchell County,
Sibelco Corporation is a very community oriented organization. Sibelco Corporation has donated
land to be used for the creation of trails for the citizens to use.
We are very fortunate to have The Sibelco Corporation in Mitchell County and appreciate their
willingness to help promote our County.
TS' ely,
arla P. Hard' ayor
Town of Spruce Pine
Post Office Box 189,Spruce Pine, North Carolina 28777-0189
Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Website: www.sprucepine-nc.gov

My name is Starli Phillips McDowell and I am a native of Mitchell County. I
remember when the river through downtown Spruce Pine ran white all the time
and we swam and fished in it anyway, it was just how our river was I thought. My
husband and I have boated on rivers all over the east coast and have paddled
the Toe River from above Spruce Pine to the Nolichucky River all the way
Greenville TN. There is no prettier or more rural river than the Toe River. About
12 years ago I co-founded Toe River Valley Watch a local environmental group
serving Mitchell and Yancey counties. We pulled the collapsed train trestle out of
the river after someone burned it, we removed the abandoned dam below Spruce
Pine where a paddler lost his life, opening the river to boating. We built river
accesses working with the NCWRC and created the Toe River Canoe Trail map.
We performed water quality testing through VWIN in the watershed and I will
submit that four-year report for your review.
Over the years we have seen many instances in which I called DENR to
complain or inquire about a discharge into the Toe River. Some were permitted
and some were not. About 8 years ago my husband and I took photos of a white
river on a storm free day that got me in trouble as I accidentally sent the photos
and complaint from my work email when it should have been sent from my
personal email. Those photos also got the mines in trouble, which led to a
meeting where both mines gave me their environmental officers card and told me
to contact them with any issues or concerns and pledged to be a good partner in
our watershed and community. I am not saying that there have been no
additional problems but as a local attendee of a meeting recently put it, "The
River used to run about the color of that table back when I was a boy." And
another local added, "and you could walk across it without getting your ankles
wet!" We have come a long, long way.
I have built a relationship with both mining companies through local projects and
initiatives and they know that folks are watching the river very closely now and
will not allow the river's water quality to go backwards. Three years ago both
mining companies funded the Toe-Cane Watershed Coordinator position and just
signed up to fund that position for two more years. That program is hosted by the
Blue Ridge Resource Conservation and Development Council, which I serve as
the Vice President. Both mines are working with us on the Overmountain Victory
National Historic Trail allowing a trail easement across their respective
properties, the exact route to be determined in the Master Planning process.
Mitchell County is also involved in an ARC grant to develop a regional approach
to expanding outdoor recreation opportunities in the rural counties of WNC and
kicked off the event in Mitchell County because our county has "A Phenomenal
Canvas"for outdoor recreation with the river center stage. You can read about
the Watershed Coordinator position and the outdoor recreation initiative in the
paper and I also included the Spruce Pine to Lake James Master Plan for the
Trail to connect Spruce Pine to the Blue Ridge Parkway. I am submitting these
so that you understand what is going on in our community now and what has
gone on in the past.