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December 21, 2005
Stop I-3 partners with SAFC
December 14, 2005
Stop I-3 Petition Drive Underway
September 7, 2005
Stop I-3 Coalition calls on Congress to redirect
highway money to Gulf reconstruction
August 24, 2005
Mountain residents raise common-sense questions
and concerns about Interstate
August 8, 2005
Norwood goes into "neutral" on I-3 for
constituents in Georgia mountains
August 4, 2005
White County Commissioners Take Strong Stand, Oppose
Interstate 3
July 27, 2005
Federal studies cast doubt on economic benefit of
Interstates
July 26, 2005
Mountain communities organize to fight new interstate
highway
July 9, 2005
Rabun commissioners declare unanimous opposition
to Interstate
July 4, 2005
Rabun residents form Stop I-3 chapter,
Urge large turn-out at board meet Thursday
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Press Releases 2005
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News From www.STOPI-3.org Rabun Chapter
For immediate release, July 9, 2005
Rabun commissioners declare unanimous opposition to Interstate
The five-member Rabun Board of Commissioners Thursday declared
its unanimous opposition to any proposed Interstate highway
coming through the county.
"We are unanimously with you," commission chairman
Eston E. Melton Jr. told a standing-room-only crowd at the
courthouse that evening. "We are to a person opposed
to this Interstate."
The Stop I-3 Rabun chapter had urged county residents to
let the commissioners know of the broad and growing opposition
to Interstate 3, as proponents are calling it, at a regularly
scheduled "Town Hall Meeting" sponsored by the board
that Thursday, July 7. The new Interstate would run from Savannah
to Knoxville, inevitably carving through the mountains of
Southern Appalachia.
More than 170 county residents, including a representative
swath of both working people and retirees, newcomers and native
mountaineers, stood up to be counted in opposition to the
ruinous road proposal. They then gave the board a tumultuous
standing ovation after chairman Melton unexpectedly announced
the board's position.
While mindful of the uphill battle the Interstate presents,
Melton said "we are going to be diligent and resourceful
in resisting and trying to stop this project." He also
announced that he will personally lobby the Georgia congressmen
sponsoring the Interstate, seek to enlist the support of neighboring
county commissioners in his effort and consider a formal resolution
of opposition by the board, among other possible moves.
A majority of north Georgia residents, as well as residents
of neighboring states, view any such Interstate as detrimental
to a way of life, damaging to the regional natural resources
and likely to transplant Atlanta's Interstate sprawl and gridlock
to the mountains if it is built.
About eight speakers addressed the Rabun board, all of them
opposed to the proposal. Lucy Ezzard Bartlett, a spokeswoman
for the STOP I-3 Rabun Chapter, noted that many Rabun residents
"are horrified" that a study for such an Interstate
"is even being considered."
She cited cost, environmental and safety concerns, in particular.
"With heavy truck traffic in the heavy fog that exists
almost nightly, the crash of truck carrying hazardous materials
would be a regular occurrence. Of particular concern would
be trucks with nuclear waste traveling at night on this highway." |
