NEWPORT-A crowd of nearly 500 people gathered at Cocke County High School Monday for a public meeting on the Canton, N.C., paper mill's draft permit for wastewater discharge into the Pigeon River.

Hundreds of local residents joined local, state and federal representatives, along with members of local environmental groups, in addressing officials with the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Among the officials and groups were Newport City Council members, Cocke County Legislative Body members, the Cocke County Waterways Advisory Council, Cocke County Mayor Iliff McMahan Jr., state Rep. Eddie Yokley, state Sen. Steve Southerland, U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, EPA officials, members of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and TWRA. Representatives of U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, U.S. Lamar Alexander, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey were also on hand.

The purpose of the meeting was to offer all Tennessee citizens an opportunity to give the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources officials their comments regarding the proposed draft permit.

An overwhelming majority of those in attendance Monday concluded the draft permit is not strict enough and more needs to be done to clean up the river.

McMahan served as the host for the meeting and recognized Amelia Taylor for her efforts in organizing the event.

Roe set an early tone with his remarks.

"After reviewing the draft permit, we can do better than the permit issued by North Carolina," said Roe, who received a large round of applause.

"This permit would allow the paper mill to discharge more. The limit on color is ridiculously high. There are attainable and cost-effective ways to reduce color."

Roe said he understands North Carolina's concerns for maintaining jobs at the Canton mill. "I also care about the people this river impacts," he said.

"Unfortunately, the draft permit issued by North Carolina falls short. The waters still run brown. The impact does not stop at the North Carolina border. I urge North Carolina to strengthen this permit."

Yokely and Southerland supported Roe's assessment.

"These people here are sincere," said Yokely. "They just want clean water. Help us clean it. We've got to be good neighbors."

Yokely added, he doesn't think construction of a paper mill would be allowed today on a stream the size of the Pigeon River.

Southerland pointed out he and Yokely have worked with local and state officials to pass legislation to change the testing area on the river.

"The permit offered by North Carolina is not acceptable," said Southerland. "It's time to clean up the river. We can't continue to delay."

Lee Willis of the Cocke County Water Ways Advisory Council recalled the smell from the river he experienced as a child.

"I don't understand how civilized people could do this to their neighbors," he said. "The color is not consistent and the foam is worse. We will not stick our heads in the sand."

McMahan told the crowd of his days as a summer intern for former U.S. Sen. Howard Baker Jr., and how he saw Baker and former Sen. Edmund Muskey help develop the Clean Water Act of 1972.

"Water is our life's blood," said McMahan. "There is not a more important issue than seeing that our waters are clean. It represents a better quality of life for people in both states. I still have hope."

Amelia Taylor and Seth Smith of Clean Water Expected in East Tennessee (CWEET) also made comments that met with large applause.

Taylor called the discharge of color a "toxic mixture" and said the draft permit is "totally unacceptable. Progress needs to be made by North Carolina's Division of Water Quality. I have little faith in you. I want you to prove me wrong. If you don't live up to expectations, we will call on the EPA. Maybe instead of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources you should be called the North Carolina Division of Industry Protection. One hundred and one years is enough."

Smith said, "Think about the people who have fought for you who will never see a clean river. This has been going on a long time. If you don't take care of it, maybe you don't deserve the right to use it."

Dr. Sergei Chernikov made a power point presentation on the permit and Chuck Wakild of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources was on hand to answer questions from the more than two dozen local citizens who made comments and posed questions concerning the permit.

Cocke County, Newport and the Cocke County Health Council have all passed resolutions supporting more efforts to clean up the river.

Mike Cohen of Blue Ridge Paper Products and Evergreen Packaging presented comments defending the paper mill.

Cohen cited recent articles in the Plain Talk of how rafting numbers on the river have dramatically increased.

Cohen also contends, "The Canton mill is one of the cleanest run paper mills in the world...by almost any measurement. Material that was once discarded is now captured and reused. We generate nearly half of our power in part with material that was once just considered waste.

"In the last 20 years, more than 90 percent of the color discharged into the river has been eliminated. We have consistently met the goals spelled out in our permits."

North Carolina's draft permit is available for review online at http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/NPDES/documents/Blue_Ridge_Paper_Draft_Permit-2009.pdf <http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/NPDES/documents/Blue_Ridge_Paper_Draft_Permit-2009.pdf>; .

Another meeting is scheduled at 6 p.m. today in Waynesville, N.C. for residents to make comments on the permit.

Comments may be sent to the NC Division of Water Quality at DWQ/NPDES Unit, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699.