According to US Rep. Bart Gordon of Tennessee the Bush Administration is
proposing to sell our public lakes and recreation areas.
In Tennessee this includes J Percy Priest, Old Hickory, Center Hill, and
Dale Hollow Dams. This would result in electric rates payers paying an
estimated additional 87 million dollars per year in areas served by
TVA. This according to an article by Representative Gordon in the June
issue of Tennessee Magazine a periodical of the Tennessee Electrical
Cooperatives.
These areas are some of the finest trout fishing waters in the Country
especially Dale Hollow and Center Hill. The reservations offers
excellent camping, RV camping, Lodges, Cabins, Canoeing and Boating and
open space for recreation to visitors from all across the Country. It
takes some of the strain from the overburdened Great Smoky Mountains
National Park.

Also under fire are prime areas of the Cherokee National Forest. The
Hiwassee River provides supreme trout fishing, kayaking, peace and
serenity in a almost pristine and relaxing atmosphere. These areas are
under fire because the Bush Administration has given carte blanche to
the Timber Giants to clear cut previously protected areas almost down to
the streams, in most cases. The National Forest service no longer has
any responsibility to monitor wildlife in National Forest under the
plan. This relives Timber Companies of any possibility of adverse action
by Regulating Agencies when they destroy animal habitat, food sources,
and silt in or destroy stream beds and water sheds.
Other prime recreational areas in the Southeast that take a huge strain
off the Great Smoky Mountains for recreation are the Nanthahala National
Forest in North Carolina, and the Cohutta Wilderness in Georgia. These
areas are all adjacent to or connect to each other and should be
considered part of the Great Smoky Mountains national Park. They all
offer tremendous opportunities for trout fishing, boating, camping and
other recreational activities in supreme settings.
There was an effort under the Clinton Administration to incorporate
these assets into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Timber
and Mining Industries pulled out all the stops as this would stop their
gross rape of the resources. The Smoky Mountains are overcrowded and
hemmed in by over developed Pigeon
Forge and other carnival communities making a visit to the Park a
stressful, exaservating, and time consuming endeavor just to get into
the Park. We need these National Forest made part of the Smoky Mountain
National Park because of the huge growth in population of the eastern US
and the huge increase in demand for public recreation and nature areas
this entails.
The turnover of enforcement of Anti Pollution Laws of Federal EPA by the
Bush Administration, at the request of the Mining Industry, to The State
of Alaska portends the eminent demise of many of the ecosystems in broad
areas of Alaska.
Large open pit mines are planned north of Fairbanks and other areas.
ANWR and all other Federal Lands are now going to be under State
Regulation. The Governor and many State Legislators and Senators are
members of the Mining Community or are recipients of largesse and owe
much to the Mining Industry.The State officials have made it openly and
abundantly clear that the Mining Industry need not worry about
regulation by the State. The impact on wildlife, stream quality and
fisheries and the impact on the air quality will be overwhelming within
15 years.