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One subject which continues to inspire grassroots community organization in Tennessee in water quality. Tennessee wants fishable and swimmable waterways. People in Tennessee recognize that clean water is imperative to our health, the environment and to our way of life.
The CWEET organization in Cocke County has been working to protect the Pigeon River and waterways in neighboring communities for many years. The Pigeon has endured a century of pollution from a paper mill on the North Carolina side of the Tennessee/North Carolina border. This has been the subject of much controversy and litigation over many decades. Now that the paper plant is closed, the river is slowly recovering and a new economic vitality has emerged in that otherwise distressed area. River based recreation industry had made a huge economic contribution.
Today we talk with Community Organizer Spring Duckett about the CWEET organization. We discuss their current activities to continuously monitor the health of the river and their various program activities which enrich that community. CWEET is constantly working to assure that developmental activities do not degrade the natural beauty of the area.