Environmental Group Threatens Legal Action Against Horizon 30, LLC for Nolichucky River Pollution
An environmental legal advocacy group has issued a warning to Horizon 30, LLC, a mining company, to stop polluting the Nolichucky River in Mitchell County, North Carolina. The Southern Environmental Law Center, representing MountainTrue and the Center for Biological Diversity, claims that the company's activities are causing severe harm to the river. Despite a stop-work order issued in early 2025 and a subsequent court injunction, Horizon 30 continued its operations, leading to public outrage. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality confirmed that the company ceased its unpermitted activities following the court order and denied its mining permit application. However, the legal group argues that Horizon 30 has not adequately reclaimed the site, leaving it vulnerable to erosion and sedimentation. They have issued a 60-day notice of intent to sue under the Clean Water Act if the pollution persists.