At Tuesday's White County Commission meeting, Sautee-Nacoochee resident Sam Williams lists reasons why a proposed interstate should not be routed through the mountains as District 8 Rep. Charles Jenkins, foreground, listens. Jenkins attended the meeting to show support for the Stop I-3 organization.

White County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to say no to Interstate 3.

In front of a packed courtroom and at the urging of District 8 State Rep. Charles Jenkins, the commission resolved to oppose efforts to build a highway through the North Georgia mountains. Commissioners agreed that they could not endorse federal efforts to build an interstate highway from Savannah to Augusta to Knoxville based on the information they have been given.

Earlier this week, Congress passed legislation dedicating $1.32 million to a feasibility study to determine whether the road should be built.

Habersham and Rabun county commissions already have resolved to oppose the effort.

"We don't want an interstate through the North Georgia mountains. I'm not gonna walk that fence," Jenkins told the commission. He said he had received hundreds of calls and letters on the subject, with less than 10 favoring the interstate. He said earlier Tuesday he had talked to U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson and Isakson had told him "if the people of North Georgia don't want that road, then you're not going to have it."

"I whacked Johnny on the shoulder and told him I trusted him," Jenkins said. "I feel good about our conversation."

Jenkins said, however that "The big machine's rolling," and said that citizens should not ease up on their representatives in Washington. White County's congressman, U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood, introduced the proposal for the interstate to the House, and received backing from both Isakson and U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss.

Although the House had only proposed $400,000 for the feasibility study, efforts by Georgia senators in conference committee got that amount more than tripled.

Jenkins said he did not see how the interstate could be approved to follow proposed routing along Georgia Highway 17, but he warned that the route could be moved, possibly using Highway 129 through Cleveland as an alternative.

Stop I-3, a four-state group that opposes the interstate, has expressed grave concerns about environmental safety if the road is allowed to happen. Elizabeth Wells, the group's coordinator, said chapters of its organization representing the Georgia and North Carolina mountains will convene at 6 p.m. Aug. 23 at White County High School to discuss the situation with invited elected officials.

Wells said that at an estimated $25 million a mile through the mountains, construction of the road would be too costly. She cited irreparable damage to the environment.

"People moved here to get away from the interstates. To bring an interstate to us under the guise of transportation equity is insulting,' she said.

All three commissions voiced their personal opposition to the plan and Craig Bryant suggested drafting the letter that they approved.

"Ya'll don't realize how difficult it is to get transportation money to begin with and then see money appropriated for a road we don't want. It frustrates me," commissioner Dennis Bergin said.

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