Archived News

Marchers protest Canton mill’s discharges

“Keep it clean! We’re downstream!” was the rallying cry for protesters at a demonstration held Saturday (March 1) demanding that Evergreen Packaging clean up the Pigeon River.

A crowd of more than 100 came from Cocke County, Tenn., East Tennessee State University and Warren Wilson College to march around the Evergreen plant in Canton. Police and state troopers stood in front of and behind the protesters keeping the streets free of cars.

Protesters of all ages held signs proclaiming, “Pollution Stinks!”, “100 Years is Enough,” and “Make Love, Not Dioxins.”

At the end of the route, the group gathered in a park across from the mill to hear speakers, including environmental attorney Gary Davis and Clean Water for North Carolina Executive Director Hope Taylor.

At the last joint rally for the Pigeon River held in June of last year, the group was awaiting the renewal of Evergreen Packaging’s wastewater permit. To date, the permit has not been released and is more than a year overdue.

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.