UTRR Southern Coalfields Watershed Support Project

Contact Information

OSM/VISTA:Jade Napier
Supervisor: Carol Doss
Sponsoring Organization: Upper Tennessee River Roundtable
Address: 289 W. Main St., Abingdon, VA 24210
Phone: 276.628.1600
E-Mail: jade.napier@uppertnriver.org (Jade); uppertnriver@yahoo.com (Carol)
Website: http://www.uppertnriver.org
U.S. Congressional Districts: 9th
County: Washington

The Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, Inc., is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization whoâs goal is to achieve clean water throughout the watershed by involving citizens in the planning, educating, coordinating, fundraising, and advocating for water resources. The Roundtable works in the Upper Tennessee River watershed in Virginia, starting at the southwestern tip of Lee County and stretching northeast to Wythe County. The Roundtable originated from a vision shared by three community leaders in 1998. The organizational meeting, which was held the subsequent year, attracted numerous stakeholders. In the following months, a temporary strategic planning coordinator compiled a stakeholder list, arranged public meetings, and assembled data into a strategic plan. A full-time coordinator was hired in 2002. The Roundtable personnel team is made up of a full-time coordinator, another full-time employee, a part-time employee and an Office of Surface Mining/Volunteers In Service To America (OSM/VISTA) member. The Roundtable serves citizens within the seven counties and two cities in the Upper Tennessee River watershed in Virginia.

In 2003, the Roundtable received one of 20 Targeted Watershed Grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In addition to the EPA grant, the Roundtable currently manages seven other grants. The EPA grant includes the Upper Tennessee River watershed in Virginia, as well as portions of eastern Tennessee and northwestern North Carolina. Issue areas include poverty as well as diverse environmental impacts from coal mining, agriculture and urban expansion. The poverty levels in this region of Virginia range from a low of 10.9 percent in Washington County to a high of 23.9 percent in Lee County, as compared to the national average of 12.4 percent, according to the U.S. Census website. Part of the area has been mined for generations, and many residents are unaware of environmental impacts from past mining. Therefore, acid mine drainage, wastewater, and abandoned, mine-scarred lands are three major areas on which the Roundtable focuses its educational efforts. Similarly, agriculture, urban expansion and other impacts, including toxic spills, have threatened the unique biodiversity in the region, while attributing to a major decline in stream health. By acquiring an OSM/VISTA, the Roundtable will be able to expand outreach and education efforts in these communities while also developing grant applications for continuing the work.

Goals and Accomplishments:

• Write grants for various water quality improving projects
• Publicize the Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team and the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable
• Facilitate monthly phone conferences among southern coalfield OSM/VISTAs to promote team-building
• Educate people about water quality
• Revamp UTRR’s tourism committee
• Assist with planning and implementation of low impact development projects
• Raise funds to support Upper Tennessee River Roundtable

Partners and Contributors:

• Department of Conservation and Recreation
• Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy
• Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
• Tennessee Valley Authority
• The Nature Conservancy
• Cleveland Rural Development Group
• Canaan Valley Institute