Environmental News Script
Airs 10-8-00
Dean Whitworth

[ See the initial June e-news story on this. ]

Good news was announced last month for the Roan Highlands, as the
North Carolina Division of Land Resources made an unprecedented
decision to revoke the mining permit for an Avery County gravel
quarry.

The state was responding, both to local residents, and to
environmental activists, who made the case that the sights and
noise from the quarry would spoil an important section of the
Appalachian trail.

As Environmental News reported earlier this year, the State granted
an operator's permit to the quarry in March, without understanding
the sensitive nature of the quarry's location.  After a public
outcry, State officials admitted they made a mistake.  But legal
and political maneuvering put the permit revocation in question for
most of the summer.

In the meantime, the quarry had begun construction on the site, and
a prominent scar is now visible from the summit of Hump mountain,
on the Appalachian trail.

The state has given the quarry operator, Clark Stone company, six
months to restore the site to a natural state.  However, the
company has 30 days to appeal, and the appeal may stretch out over
months or even years.  So its too early to call for a victory
celebration yet.

Still, North Carolina's revocation of the permit is good news.  The
summit of Hump mountain provides one of the most spectacular 360
degree views in the entire Appalachian chain.  It's a glorious
spot, and environmental news is pleased at this chance for its
preservation.

For e-news this is . . .