Letter: Meadows should focus on WNC flooding

Graphic by Lori Deaton

Congressman Mark Meadows has been all over the news recently as the head cheerleader for President Trump’s government shutdown dispute over the border wall/slat fence/bead curtain. During this period of time, Western North Carolina and other areas in the state have been subjected to some serious and repeated flooding issues, which have severely affected both citizens and businesses.

In many locations here in Asheville, the same areas get flooded every time there is heavy rainfall, and this happens in those locations year after year. The same thing happens all over the state.

Strangely enough, I never seem to hear [Meadows] say anything about this being a big problem, and I definitely have not seen either [him] or [his] fellow North Carolina Republican conservatives in Washington doing anything at all to remedy this in order to keep constant and severe flooding from putting the lives of [his] constituents and their homes and businesses in harm’s way.

Anyway, if [he] and [his] fellow North Carolina Republican politicians and President Trump ever get around to opening our federal government again, I hope [he] will consider doing something about the repeated flooding problems which put the lives of us here in North Carolina in danger year after year.

— John Penley
Asheville

Editor’s note: Xpress contacted Meadows’ spokesman but did not receive a response by press time.

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12 thoughts on “Letter: Meadows should focus on WNC flooding

  1. Mike

    “And I wonder, still I wonder, who will stop the rain” — CCR

    Are you asking him to jump on the global warming bandwagon? Even if he did how long would that take to “stop the rain”? If not, what exactly is it that you want him to do? Build dams? Dredge river bottoms? Pray harder?

    • John Rhodes Penley

      Ever heard of the Army Corps of Engineers ? They seem to have fixed the flooding problem in NOLA and Trump is using the military on the border.

      • Robin

        They didn’t fix the NOLA flooding. Parts of New Orleans are over 20 feet lower than Lake Pontchartrain. If they are hit by another significant hurricane, it will flood again, and America can kiss another $50 billion goodbye.

      • Mike

        I am a former US Army officer and I currently live on the shore of a Corps managed lake. So yes I have heard of the Corps of engineers. And I did leave out one flood mitigation technique they use.. Would you favor tall levees on both banks of the Swanannoa and on the east bank of the French Broad? I figure they would be quite expensive to build and not very aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but at sufficient height, they could prevent all flooding in Biltmore and the east bank of the French Broad ..

  2. John Rhodes Penley

    This is the actual letter I submitted under the headline ….A letter to Mark Meadows and NC Republicans…{ Why it was changed I have no idea ?]………Congressman Mark Meadows has been all over the news recently as the Head Cheerleader for President Trump’s government shutdown dispute over the border wall / slat fence / bead curtain. During this period of time Western NC and other areas in the State have been subjected to some serious and repeated flooding issues which have severely affected both Citizens and Businesses. In many locations here in Asheville the same areas get flooded every time there is heavy rainfall and this happens in those locations year after year. The same thing happens all over the State. Strangely enough , I never seem to hear you say anything about this being a big problem and I definitely have not seen either you or your fellow NC Republican conservatives in Washington doing anything at all to remedy this in order to keep constant and severe flooding from putting the lives of your constituents and their homes and businesses in harms way. Anyway , if you and your fellow NC Republican politicians and President Trump ever get around to opening our Federal government again I hope you will consider doing something about the repeated flooding problems which put the lives of us here in NC in danger year after year. John Penley

  3. Enlightened Enigma

    Meanwhile, the incompetent corrupt democrackkk governor Ray Cooper continues to hoard $34 million or more in federal funds that were meant for ENC rebuilds from hurricanes 2-3 years ago, and no one calls him out…now he’s been busted on this $57M slush fund and all of that pipeline scandal that’s involved…but again, local media FAILS to report anything about it…we miss SO much news around here that the daily media avoids. Roy Cooper is a CROOK of the nastiest variety.

  4. Phillip C Williams

    I can’t figure out why so many developers keep on developing and building in a flood plain that repeatedly and sometimes severely floods…the most destructive and deadliest flood was just over 100 years ago and apparently nobody seems to think it can happen on that scale again….And the City/County keeps on inviting and approving all of this building and development and expansion.

    We are in the mountains – and water will always seek its own level – it has got to go somewhere, and when more than an inch or two falls in 24 hours, creeks, valleys, bridges, culverts, etc etc etc – are going to be affected negatively somewhere. That is not my opinion – that is just physics – and has been demonstrated again and again.

    I am not an engineer, so someone who is would need to draw a picture and explain what exactly could be reasonably done to control flooding in the mountains that would not require radical and expensive solutions. Not overbuilding and overdeveloping in a known flood plain seems to me most reasonable.

  5. Jay

    All Meadows has to do is treat his supporters like mushrooms (keep them in the dark and feed them shit) and he’ll forvever be congressman….

    • luther blissett

      Yeah, this is the broader issue. Thanks to his gerrymandered district, Meadows has decided he can devote himself to nonsense with zero consequences.

      He has too much time on his hands for someone meant to be representing some of the poorest communities in WNC.

      • J

        These poor communities arnpoor do ignorance and religion ( One in the same )…. Such a HAIL MARY to the Republican establishment

  6. Perri Morrison Smith

    What you seem to be asking for, Mr. Penley, is more federal government interference in what is obviously a state and local matter. Ask your Governor Cooper to release some of the millions in surplus funding to the hurricane ravaged areas all over the state. Demand tighter restrictions on building in known active floodplain zones from your local governments. Keep the federal government out of local decisions, period.

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