The Mountaineer reports: Emotions ran high Tuesday night at Tuscola High School during a three-and-a-half hour public hearing for Evergreen Packaging’s wastewater discharge permit renewal.

More than 100 people filled the school’s auditorium to voice their opinion about the permit. The crowd was split into two groups — those who were either in favor of the permit renewal or against what was called “unacceptable” requirements in the permit….

The Canton Board of Aldermen presented a resolution they passed earlier in the evening supporting the mill. ...

Those who were born and raised in the shadows of the Canton mill spoke about the improvements in the river since they were children. ...

Hope Taylor, director of Clean Water for North Carolina, said the permit as drafted is appalling and wants to see more stringent requirements for the mill’s discharge. She cited more than 100,000 tons of toxins discharged into the river by the mill and that the drafted permit is at the extreme end of the recommendations by the state. ...

One man, Seth Smith, even took his shirt off, stating he is done with being a river guide because the river is so polluted. He even offered to drop his pants to show the permit board what he said are lesions on his behind from the Pigeon River. ...

Those who wish to comment about the mill’s drafted permit have until Feb. 25 to do so.