7/28/07
I-3 The Third Infantry Division Highway
Letter to Sen. Johnny Isakson

1/12/07
Stop I-3 Board Comments, Questions Nuclear Complex 2030 Environmental Impact Statement

11/7/05
A Letter from Bob Massey to the Cherokee County, N.C. Commissioners

10/31/05
Mountain High Hikers
Letter to Governor Perdue

8/05
Interstate 3 Information
Letter to Clay County Officials

7/26/05
Everybody's Mountains: Georgia Wildlife Federation Opposes I-3
Letter to Representaive Norwood

Mountain High Hikers
Letter to Governor Perdue

MOUNTAIN HIGH HIKERS
P. O. Box 216, Blairsville, GA 30514
October 31, 2005

Governor Sonny Perdue
State Capitol Building
Room 245
Atlanta, GA 30334

Dear Governor Perdue:

This letter is a position on the newly proposed Interstate 3 across northern Georgia and southwestern North Carolina into eastern Tennessee. The position below represents the overwhelming consensus of opinion of the board and then an overwhelming vote of the membership of the Mountain High Hikers at a large dinner meeting on September 6, 2005. The Mountain High Hikers is a trail club that maintains over one hundred miles of trails in northern Georgia and western North Carolina, and is made up of currently 197 members from three counties around the Blairsville area of Georgia and Cherokee and Clay Counties in North Carolina.

The Mountain High Hikers voted as STRONGLY OPPOSED to the proposed Interstate 3 coming across the Southern Appalachian Mountain area. Some reasons are:

1) There appears to be a significant and rapidly growing opposition to this highway by local citizens in the mountain areas of these three states.

2) The vast watershed surrounding Unicoi Gap in Georgia where the highway is proposed to be built is the headwaters source of Georgia's greatest single clean water source, the Chattahoochee River. This highway would fragment and damage this water source for Atlanta and other cities. Runoff from both construction and ongoing use of a superhighway would lessen significantly the quality of the watershed.

3) The area on both sides of Unicoi Gap is an important low impact natural recreation area of trails, campgrounds, fishing, etc. All this would be negatively affected by the new road. The world-famous Appalachian Trail would be split by the highway, which would deteriorate the trail experience for miles along its route with negative visual and audible impact. Further, along the narrow corridor of Unicoi Gap the proposed highway would be against the Mark Trail Federal Wilderness boundary, which raises highway construction questions.

4) The whole three-state mountain area, loved by residents and tourists alike for its low volume of traffic, would be totally changed in numerous negative ways. Truck traffic would become very heavy in the area, further clogging these mountain-surrounded valleys with smog. There would be little or no place for this smog to go in the valleys of all three state (GA, NC, TN). Studies by the North Carolina government and western NC physicians, documented several years ago on a film produced by medical and other leaders in the area, indicate a problem already across the locale with significant pollution smog. Now this proposed highway would provide a significant increase in health and visual deterioration that is already a great area concern. This is further documented by the Southern Appalachian Mountain Initiative (SAMI), a study recently conducted over several years by federal and state agencies and private enterprise.

5) Recent federal studies show grave concern over the effect of major highways in breaking up the migratory patterns of many animals in the Southern Appalachians, thus effecting survival of many species. This highway would deteriorate that situation.

6) Often interstate highway proponents voice arguments that interstates bring jobs. In actuality, it is a mixed blessing. We believe that especially in these mountains, used mostly for recreation and retirement homes, this is a very poor argument. Much post-construction data of interstates through such mountain areas indicate to us that such interstates, in the long run, will not help local job seekers that much; many of the jobs that result from rural interstates are those of the lowest-paying kind, such as gas and fast-food establishments.

7) Many of us believe Congress continues to make the same mistake repeatedly on transportation and could learn much from our Western European friends: That increased use of rail and other transportation resources is the key to the future, not more and more highways cutting up the mountains and eating up the landscape!

8) A great deal of concern is being expressed in the communities here, based on what we perceive as rather reliable sources, that the possibility of this highway is in part put forth to provide a quick channel for transporting radioactive/nuclear material for storage between the Savannah River Plant and the Oak Ridge facility of the Department of Energy. While it is being downplayed as the main or significant reason for the road, the possibility is NOT being denied. In no uncertain terms are we greatly concerned about nuclear materials or waste being transported in mountainous winding travel through or near our communities.
There are other reasons we could express for opposition to this road. Overall, for hundreds of thousands of us living here, and many visiting the area, this highway could forever deteriorate the quality of life in the region, the quiet beauty so many enjoy in these mountains across the three states. Therefore, we ask you to support KEEPING I-3 OR ANY SIMILAR INTERSTATE HIGHWAY OUT OF OUR LOVELY SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN AREA. Thank you for your attention and time.

Sincerely,

George Radcliffe, President
George Owen, Conservation Chairman

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