News

MountainTrue adds Green River protection to portfolio

Gray Jernigan of MountainTrue shows off some of the trash haul from a Green River cleanup day on April 8.

By Bill Moss, Published: April 12, 2017

MountainTrue’s southern regional director is now also the new Green Riverkeeper and will serve as a fundamental protector of the Green River watershed, MountainTrue and the Waterkeeper Alliance announced Wednesday.

Gray Jernigan, MountainTrue’s Hendersonville-based regional director, has extensive experience in environmental law, policy and advocacy and has worked on land and water conservation issues across the state. He adds his Green Riverkeeper responsibilities to his ongoing role as the nonprofit's director serving Henderson, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania counties. Gray received undergraduate degrees from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned a master’s degree and a law degree from Vermont Law School.

MountainTrue is one of the few organizations in the nation with four Waterkeeper Alliance programs, which include the French Broad Riverkeeper, the Watauga Riverkeeper and the Broad River Alliance.

Waterkeeper Alliance is a global movement uniting more than 300 Waterkeeper Organizations and Affiliates around the world, focusing citizen advocacy on issues that affect our waterways, from pollution to climate change. Waterkeepers patrol and protect over 2.5 million square miles of rivers, streams and coastlines in the Americas, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Africa. For more information please visit: www.waterkeeper.org

“Waterkeeper Alliance is thrilled to have Gray Jernigan to be the eyes, ears, and voice for this vital watershed and community," Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., president of Waterkeeper Alliance, said in a news release. "Every community deserves to have swimmable, drinkable and fishable water, and Gray is the right leader to fight for clean water in the region.”

The Green Riverkeeper got a head start on April 8 by partnering with the Green River paddling community on a clean-up effort covering the Upper, Narrows and Lower Green sections. More than 50 people turned out to clear trash and debris from the river and its banks. Car tires, a home water heater, and assorted trash and litter were enough to overflow a dumpster, not including recyclables that were separated.

Gray will be present to meet the community at the 11th Annual Spring Green River Bash at Green River Adventures in Saluda on Saturday, May 6. Fifty percent of the ticket price for river, zipline and rappelling trips booked for the day of the festival will be donated by Green River Adventures and The Gorge to help fund the work of the Green Riverkeeper. Book your trip for May 6 at greenriveradventures.com with the code: GREENRIVERKEEPER.

The 11th annual Spring Green Bash will be held from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Green River Adventures, 111 E. Main Street, Saluda. Presented by Green River Adventures, the event is sponsored by Oskar Blues Brewery, Prestige Subaru, WNCW and Liquidlogic Kayaks. Music is by the Honeycutters.