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Cocke County backs grant application to restore Pigeon River whitewater recreation after flood damage
Summary
The county approved a resolution urging support for an ETDD grant application to the Economic Development Administration to restore Pigeon River whitewater features damaged by flooding, citing lost business for outfitters and economic harm to the county.
Cocke County commissioners approved a resolution Sept. 15 urging the East Tennessee Development District to pursue an Economic Development Administration grant to restore the Pigeon River's whitewater recreation features and asking the EDA to waive matching requirements because Cocke County is designated economically distressed.
The resolution states flooding after the Helene event destroyed recreation infrastructure and altered rapids below Duke Energy's Walters hydroelectric plant, causing roughly $5 million in damages to outfitters and forcing three of eleven rafting operators to remain closed for the 2025 season. The text says the Pigeon River whitewater industry supports more than 400 full- and part-time jobs and generates significant local tax and fee revenue.
Why it matters: Restoring the river's whitewater features is framed in the resolution as an economic-recovery priority for tourism and local employment; the county asked state and federal officials to prioritize funding and to waive matching requirements because of the county's economically distressed status.
What was approved: Commissioners passed the resolution urging ETDD assistance and federal support and directed the county clerk to send copies to state and federal officials and tourism and economic-development agencies.
Next steps: The county requested ETDD's help completing the EDA grant application and urged state support for recovery efforts; correspondence will be sent to named elected and agency officials as directed in the resolution.
