Transylvania Natural Resources Council February 3, 2015 To: Transylvania County Board of Commissioners From: Transylvania Natural Resources Council Subject: Transmittal of Water Conference Report In 2014 the Transylvania Natural Resources Council (TNRC) organized a public conference entitled “Whose Water Is It Anyway?” The purpose of the conference was to facilitate and expand public dialog and promote informed decision-making about water-related issues in Transylvania County. The conference, which was co-sponsored by the County and Brevard College, and benefitted from significant support from the City of Brevard and various non- government entities in the community, was held at Brevard College Porter Center on November 15, 2014. Please find attached to this letter an assessment report on conference implementation and participant feedback to date. This report has been prepared by Peter Chaveas, who chaired the conference working group, members of TNRC and numerous other representatives of the community who served on the conference committees. Additional information about the conference is also included for your review. We look forward to presenting this report and responding to any questions you might have at the Transylvania County Commissioners meeting on February 9, 2015. Thank you for your support of the conference and for your service to Transylvania County. Respectfully, Susan S. Brown Chair, Transylvania Natural Resources Council Attachments: Conference Report to Commissioners Conference Program Financial Resources Available for the Conference Evaluation Questionnaire for Participants TNRC Hosted by the Transylvania County Cooperative Extension Center 98 E. Morgan St. Brevard, NC 28712 828.884.3109 Transylvania Natural Resources Council Whose Water Is It Anyway? November 15, 2014 Report to the Transylvania County Board of Commissioners from The Transylvania Natural Resources Council BACKGROUND In July 2013, the Transylvania Natural Resources Council reported to the Board of Commissioners regarding its meetings from October 2012 to May 2013 with representatives of wide range of economic activities linked to our County’s rich natural resources. That report concluded that following consultations with Commission Chair Hawkins and Brevard College President Joyce, the TNRC would lead the organization of a public conference for April 2014. The conference, to be co-hosted by the County and the College, would have two principal objectives: “further expand the participation of the entire interested Transylvania County community in the conversation and determine a future action plan to continue to engage citizens in addressing concrete challenges to our natural resources and the economic future of our County.” ORGANIZING THE CONFERENCE The TNRC proceeded to organize a working group headed by Peter Chaveas and Mark Tooley. The working group was composed of TNRC members and others from across the community who either expressed interest or who were recruited because of their specific talents or experiences. The membership evolved and grew as the organizational process proceeded. A major change in plans for the conference developed when in the late summer of 2013, the Conservation Fund offered its experience and organizational and financial resources to conduct a three day workshop in Brevard in March 2014 focused on “Balancing Nature and Commerce in Transylvania County.” It was concluded that the offer should be embraced and that the TNRC-organized conference would be postponed to November. TNRC Hosted by the Transylvania County Cooperative Extension Center 98 E. Morgan St. Brevard, NC 28712 828.884.3109 A large majority of the participants in the Balancing Nature and Commerce workshop found it very valuable and it further energized the organizers of the November Conference. While the workshop generated valuable discussions, it was by invitation only and therefore did not engage all interested citizens. On the other hand, it did convince the conference organizers that a one day public conference was more likely to be successful if it narrowed its focus to one of a myriad of issues identified during both its work of the preceding year and during the workshop. It was unanimously concluded that the focus should be on water resources. Having agreed to focus on water, the working group chose the intentionally provocative title “Whose Water Is It Anyway?” for the conference and proceeded to focus on recruiting high quality speakers and panelists, soliciting financial support, and organizing a range of public relations efforts to make the conference as widely known as possible throughout the County. The full program for the conference, including biographies of the speakers/panelists and a listing of the financial resources made available for the conference are attached. In seeking speakers/panelists the organizers made every effort to identify individuals who had a direct knowledge of the County. In the end it was not always possible to identify individuals who had appropriate expertise or experience and were willing to speak but all speakers were from North Carolina, all had at least some direct knowledge of Transylvania County and all were highly knowledgeable in their respective fields. Efforts to make the conference known across the County included presentations to service clubs, community centers and the Rosman Board of Aldermen as well as participation in the HalloweenFest in Brevard and Rosman Heritage Day. Information was disseminated by WSQL, WGCR, Comporium Cable and the Co-Ed Cinema. The Transylvania Times provided extensive coverage through press articles, both before and after the conference, guest columns and paid advertising. The Mountain Voice published conference press releases. The web sites of the NC Cooperative Extension Service, the County, City of Brevard and Brevard College provided information, including a page on the Extension Service web site that permitted individuals to register their interest. The latter contributed to several e-mail lists that permitted the organizers to keep all interested parties regularly informed in advance of the conference. Included were all local elected officials. Finally, posters, handouts and banners were distributed extensively throughout the County. The entire conference was recorded on video along with a shorter set of interviews of the speakers/panelists immediately after the conference. Links to the videos are available on the web pages of the NC Cooperative Extension Service, the County, College and the City of Brevard. They also can be accessed on YouTube by searching for “Whose Water Is It Anyway Conference” and “Whose Water Is It Anyway Interviews”. THE CONFERENCE AND PARTICIPANT ASSESSMENT On November 15, 2014, the conference was held at the Brevard College Porter Center. 177 attendees registered but a number did not and the organizers believe that participation exceeded 200. The participants were a more diverse group of County citizens than is often the case for such gatherings. In addition to the formal program, a “Share Fair’ with 14 participating organizations (see conference program) was conducted in the Center Lobby providing opportunities both before the conference and during break periods for many one-on-one and small group discussions. The degree to which the conference was a success is probably best judged by feedback from participants. Each participant was provided with a “Conference Evaluation” (copy attached) and asked to rate the conference on a 1-5 scale (with 5 indicating “Highly Successful”) in terms of its achievement of its two principal objectives: 1. Individual speakers and panelists offered their expertise and practical experience to present evidence-based information about water issues of concern to our community. 2. The conference was organized in such a way as to encourage and expand dialogue among participating citizens about our water resources. Approximately 15% of participants returned their evaluation, an exceptionally high level of response. With one exception, all respondents rated the conference achievement of objective one as a 4 or 5. Further comments indicated that the presentations by keynote speaker Ryke Longest and by Keith Webb of McGill Associates stood out as particularly valuable but all of the speakers made noteworthy contributions. Responses indicated that the conference was somewhat less effective in achieving objective two. However, with two exceptions, no one rated the success level lower than 3 and again most gave ratings of 4 and 5. CONCLUSIONS The Conference Evaluation asked participants several open ended questions about conference highlights, areas for improvement and next steps for addressing water and other natural resource issues in as inclusive a manner as possible. Drawing on those responses as well as on numerous conversations with participants both before and after the conference and on the observations of the organizers and other TNRC members, the TNRC offers the following conclusions: - The Conference was highly successful in providing new, relevant information. There is a demand for more information and significant interest in the community in further such gatherings (periodic conferences or workshops), both to explore water issues in more detail and to consider other subjects. In particular, there is interest in having both more and more specific information about how individual land owners would be impacted by various options for drawing water from the French Broad or other sources. Interest was also expressed in learning more about wells, springs and reservoirs as sources, about threats to water quality and about land use planning. - Citizens are anxious to hear from their elected officials and policy makers about timely steps being taken to address the community’s water related challenges and they want evidence those officials are working in a manner that involves close collaboration among county and municipal entities. - The possible challenge posed to the County’s water resources by future demands for inter-basin transfers and downstream transfers, and the planning and measures required to protect County interests were new subjects to many participants. They need more attention both for their substance and as a motivator for concerted community engagement. - The role played by the Transylvania Times in publicizing the conference, in providing opportunities to explore specific issues, and in reporting the conference was frequently and favorably cited. There is a clear interest in the community in hearing more as county and municipal plans advance. Other media can also play a role. The organizers were not as successful in utilizing the tools of social media as desirable. - There is a clear demand within the community for more of this kind of activity. This conference was organized almost exclusively by volunteers. It worked well but if this is to become a regular, periodic activity, continuing reliance on an all-volunteer force would be ill-advised. Future events should be led by county personnel or contractors with relevant expertise. The TNRC should play a central role in identifying issues. Volunteers should still be looked to as a valuable resource but in a support capacity. - Attendance at the conference was both fairly large and diverse. We should strive to do better. Two hundred people cannot be fully representative of our community and there appeared to be resistance from some segments of the community to being involved at all. The reasons for this need further investigation to determine how we can be even more inclusive. - Participants in the conference were not as engaged as desired and some felt that the format was not as conducive to questions, answers and comments as desirable. More time and other new approaches are needed to facilitate greater engagement at future events. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The development and execution of the conference was an outstanding team effort. Those who contributed are too numerous to list here but at the risk of overlooking some deserving individual, the following are worthy of special mention: Susan Brown, Eric Caldwell, Nancy Coleman, Don Surrette, MaryAnn Mickewicz, Bart Renner, Jennifer Frick-Ruppert, Mac Morrow, Jay Johnston, and LeAnn McCraw. Peter Chaveas led the conference working group throughout. Mark Tooley co-chaired the effort until other commitments caused him to step aside but he continued to be a key contributor. The organizers are indebted to Mike Hawkins and David Joyce for their interest, support and guidance. We particularly appreciate the effort by elected officials Mike Hawkins, Ann Hollingsworth, Page Lemel, Charlie Landreth, Larry Chapman, Mac Morrow and Jimmy Harris for taking the time from their demanding schedules to contribute to and participate in the conference. Financial Resources Available for the Whose Water is it Anyway? Conference Transylvania County $4000 City of Brevard $1500 Non-Government sources Can’d Aid (Oskar Blues) $1500 Sierra Club $1000 Comporium $ 500 Proceeds from Bench Raffle $ 167.64 Printing services were provided at cost by UPS and on-screen publicity at the Co-Ed cinema was provided at no cost. WHOSE WATER IS IT ANYWAY? Learn more, have your say. November 15, 2014 Paul Porter Center Brevard College Whose Water Is It Anyway? Learn More/Have Your Say Moderator: Eric Caldwell, Western District Extension Director, NC Cooperative Extension Service 8:00am Registration Light breakfast refreshments available Share Fair Opens 9:00am Welcoming Remarks: Vice President Scott Sheffield, Brevard College Chair Mike Hawkins, Transylvania County Board of Commissioners 9:15am Keynote: Ryke Longest, Director, Environmental Law and Policy Clinic and Clinical Professor, Duke University Law School “Whose Water Is It Anyway?” How Water Governs Us Panel Presentations and Discussions with Q & A 10:15am Panel 1 Local Water Needs: What is the range of requirements we can foresee for water over the near and long term: drinking, business and industry, recreation, etc., and what can we say with confidence about the quantity and infrastructure we will need? What are the related costs? Panel Members are Keith Webb, Consulting Engineer, Vice President, McGill Associates, Asheville David Whitmire, Headwaters Outfitters David Morris, Oskar Blues 11:45am Break Light refreshments available Share Fair Continues 12:15pm Panel 2 Water Sources and Watershed Management and Concerns for Our Supply: How do we utilize and protect our resources and property rights? What Should We Be Concerned About: Drought, Inaction, Neighboring Jurisdictions, etc? Panel Members are Bill Dowbiggin, Consulting Engineer, Vice President, CDM Smith, Raleigh Mitch Peele, Senior Director for Public Policy, North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation Jaime Laughter, Transylvania County Manager, former Town Manager, Mills River 1:45pm Closing Remarks Mac Morrow, President Elect, Transylvania County Historical Society SHARE FAIR PARTICIPANTS Brevard College – Voice of the Rivers Historical Society City of Brevard Natural Resource Conservation Service CMLC NC Youth Camp Association Forest Service Oskar Blues French Broad Stewards Riverlink Friends of Ecusta Soil Conservation Headwaters Outfitters TIME Transylvania County OUR SPEAKERS Ryke Longest Clinical Professor of Law Director, Environmental Law and Policy Clinic Duke University School of Law Ryke Longest teaches Water Resources Law at University Duke School of Law. He also directs the Environmental Law and Policy Clinic, which teaches students how to represent nonprofit environmental organizations as part of a public interest law firm. Before he became a professor, Ryke was a Special Deputy Attorney General working for the North Carolina Department of Justice. During his career at NCDOJ, Ryke represented state agencies charged with protecting North Carolina’s environment. Ryke’s practice has included client counseling, trial representation and appellate work at all levels. His research interests and specialties include: water resources, water quality, air quality, fisheries, oil and gas law, administrative procedure and environmental justice. He has spoken and is published widely on these subjects. He is a graduate of UNC/Chapel Hill and of UNC School of Law. He was North Carolina Water Conservationist of the Year in 2013. Ryke is the seventh generation of his family to live in North Carolina, with the first six living in what is now Duplin County along Rockfish Creek, where his fourth great grandfather, Lt. Daniel Teachey, fought in the Duplin Militia. Teachey was descended from German refugees from the Palatine who came to Carolina colony by way of England where they anglicized their German names. Keith Webb Vice President, McGill Associates Keith Webb is a Vice President with McGill Associates and serves as the principal of Asheville office. McGill Associates is a consulting engineering firm started in Asheville and provided water resources, wastewater collection and treatment, civil/site, electrical engineering and landscape architecture services. The firm is celebrating 30 years of services and now has offices in Asheville, Hickory, Pinehurst, Boone and Cary, North Carolina and Sevierville and Knoxville, Tennessee. Keith is a native of Buncombe County in Western North Carolina and has a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Clemson University. He has worked with McGill Associates for more than 28 years and has more than 34 years of engineering experience related to water resources, water supply and treatment, wastewater treatment and storm water projects for a large number of North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee communities. He has worked with a number of Western North Carolina communities with the development of new water supplies and the design and construction of new treatment plants to provide safe drinking water to their customers. David Whitmire Headwaters Outfitters David Whitmire was born Transylvania County and resides in the Quebec Community where his family has had a presence since 1824. David graduated from Rosman High School 1982 and married Debi Whitmire in 1985. Together, they have two daughters. David was a founder and owner of Sapphire Landscaping (1984), and a founder and an owner of Headwaters Outfitters (1992). Because of his interest in the outdoor lifestyle, including canoeing, bow hunting, and Conservation, he serves in a volunteer capacity as the Program Chairman with the North Carolina Bow Hunters Association, as Co- Chairman of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Council, and as a member of the French Broad River Stewards and River Link. He also served on the Board of Directors of the French Broad River Foundation from 1990-1992, and as President of the NC Professional Paddle sports Association from 1995-1997. David has won several awards for his accomplishments, including: Friend of the River Award 1992 from the French Broad River Foundation for river clean-up efforts and work against building of headwaters dams; Presidential Award in 2010 for service to NC Bow Hunters Association; and a Life Service Award in 2012 from the NC Bow Hunters Association. David has a long history of water-related recreation on and in the water of Transylvania County, fishing and camping along streams throughout the county, but mainly in its southwestern waters, since childhood. He started paddling the French Broad with his family in the early to mid-1970’s, and flushed thru his first strainer in a Canoe in 1977 on the West Fork of the French Broad. He began whitewater canoeing in 1985; paddled the North Fork Gorge for the first time in 1990; has visited a large number of the waterfalls in the county; been a guide on helicopter tours of the gorges sections of the Toxaway, Horse pasture, Thompson, and Whitewater Rivers, and worked as a river/safety boater for several photo and movie shoots on the rivers in Transylvania County. David Morris Lab Manager, Oskar Blues Brewery Born on the coastal waters of South Carolina David Morris received his BS in Biology and Psychology from the College of Charleston in 2006. After a stint abroad he attended Clemson University graduating in 2013 with a MS in Bio systems Engineering with emphasis in wastewater treatment and biofuel production. He currently lives in Brevard, NC and is the QA/QC Lab Manager at Oskar Blues Brewery.