Another Conspiracy Theory Adds to Western North Carolina’s Trauma

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, a string of wild conspiracy theories have circulated across social media, made up by people with political agendas who have no problem capitalizing on the suffering of Western North Carolina communities who are still clearing trees, repairing roads, waiting for clean water, and looking for reliable shelter. 

Soon after Helene hit, a conspiracy theorist on X, formerly known as Twitter, baselessly speculated that the government used “weather modification technology” to change the hurricane’s path in order to destroy the area around a future lithium mine so the government could seize it by eminent domain. The idea made the rounds across several social media platforms; the original post has been viewed 2.8M times, and a video by another creator parroting its theories has been viewed more than 3.4 million times on X alone. 

Too many conspiracy theories are feeding mistrust in the federal government, including FEMA, getting in the way of recovery efforts and sowing discord at a time when neighbors desperately need each other despite our differences. This one caught our attention in particular because mining, mineral extraction, climate change, and how they affect communities are our areas of expertise.

The theory is clearly untrue. It contains too much misinformation to address fully here. It’s important, however, to point out some very obvious untruths, namely that weather control is a centuries-old antisemitic conspiracy theory that has zero scientific basis. Second, unlike some countries, the United States government does not have the capacity or expertise to operate mines; instead, it provides loan guarantees and other funds to mining companies. Third, King’s Mountain, where a proposed lithium project is located, is not even in the hardest-hit part of North Carolina.

Accurate information connects community neighbors to each other and makes communities stronger, helping people connect to support and resources. Creating yet another conspiracy theory certainly does nothing to help people in Western North Carolina and other communities recovering from Helene and facing the impact of a changing climate.

In addition to taking advantage of the suffering in the mountains to capitalize on political divisions, the conspiracy theory surrounding King’s Mountain does nothing to actually support the communities who may be impacted by mining and mineral extraction. Across the country and around the globe, governments fail to provide adequate environmental or human rights protections to communities affected by mining. Meanwhile, companies inaccurately insist that vastly increased mining for minerals like lithium is an unavoidable part of the solution to the climate crisis. But these challenges are all the more reason for communities to be given accurate information and respect. 

Unlike the conspiracy theories that are circulating, climate change is backed by evidence. There are groups and communities all over the world designing, planning, and implementing climate solutions that don’t require massive amounts of new extraction, that increase the quality of life for all people, and that can address the real factors that contributed to making Helene such a monster. 

North Carolinans and other people affected by Helene and other natural disasters made worse by the climate crisis deserve real solutions that better our lives, the planet, and all those who call it home. Communities impacted by mining deserve accurate information and support from people who genuinely care about their rights. And Western North Carolina needs the country behind us, aiding with recovery, listening instead of spreading disinformation, and helping us tackle the challenges that we face.