Road to Nowhere - GSMNP

for those who care about the smoky mountains in nc and tenn, here's some
info about the north shore road controversy. the spineless park service
officials have refused to take a position about the road. most on the
ground workers are against it. if you care about the park and all it
represents, please send a note to voicing
opposition to construction of the road.

the local nc politicos, including county and city officials, have agreed
to accept 54 million dollars as fair compensation in lieu of the road.
the road will cost in excess of 200 million dollars to build, and it
will forever alter a unique ecosystem and wild environment in the
eastern us.

jeff

************************************************** ***************


Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) has scheduled the Public
Hearings for the North Shore Road Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Project for February 2-13, 2006.

At the Public Hearings, meeting attendees will have the opportunity to
provide input on the North Shore Road Draft EIS (DEIS) prior to the
selection of the Preferred Alternative. Meeting attendees that would
like to speak publicly during the hearing will need to sign up during
registration. To ensure that everyone has an opportunity to speak, each
speaker will have 3 minutes to provide comments.

Court reporters will also be available to take verbal comments at the
Public Hearings. All recorded and written comments received or
postmarked by March 20, 2006 will be incorporated into the project record.

To view the latest project newsletter, which includes additional
information on the project and the Public Hearings, view
www.northshoreroad.info/newsletters.htm .

For information on the project and to view the DEIS, log on to
www.northshoreroad.info or contact GSMNP at (865) 436-1207.

Public Hearing Dates & Locations

Registration will begin at 4:30 p.m. The Public Hearing will begin
promptly at 5:00 p.m.



Thursday, February 2

Swain County High School

Center for the Arts Auditorium

1415 Fontana Road

Bryson City, NC



Monday, February 6

Robbinsville High School

Auditorium

301 Swee****er Road

Robbinsville, NC



Tuesday, February 7

Asheville Renaissance Hotel

Salon B

One Thomas Wolfe Plaza

Asheville, NC



Thursday, February 9

Knoxville Marriott

Kentucky Room

500 Hill Avenue, SE

Knoxville, TN



Monday, February 13

Gatlinburg-Pittman High School

Auditorium

150 Proffitt Road

Gatlinburg, TN

We Need Your Input

Please submit your comments electronically by March 20, 2006 to the
following address:

(or by viewing
www.northshoreroad.info/comments.htm )

You may also mail your comments to the address below:

North Shore Road Project
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
P.O. Box 30185
Raleigh, NC 27622

Please reference the "North Shore Road EIS Project" in the subject line
of all e-mails.

Thank you.

"Jeff Miller" wrote in message
news:QrYwf.7566$Dh.1935@dukeread04...
...if you care about the park and all it represents, please send a note to
voicing opposition to construction of the
road....

Well, I'm certainly opposed to any more roads in our national park.....and
I've already clicked on the link above to send notice of my
objections......and I intend to read the stuff at the links you provided.
But, I'm already composing and it would help to know just who is going to be
receiving this email......sort of a clue to the proper tone to set. Is this
going to the good guys or the bad guys? Glancing at the Arcadis home page,

http://www.arcadis-us.com/

it doesn't look as if "keep up the good work, folks" is going to be just
right. But, first impressions can be misleading. Who are these guys?

Wolfgang

Wolfgang wrote:

"Jeff Miller" wrote in message
news:QrYwf.7566$Dh.1935@dukeread04...

...if you care about the park and all it represents, please send a note to
voicing opposition to construction of the
road....


Well, I'm certainly opposed to any more roads in our national park.....and
I've already clicked on the link above to send notice of my
objections......and I intend to read the stuff at the links you provided.
But, I'm already composing and it would help to know just who is going to be
receiving this email......sort of a clue to the proper tone to set. Is this
going to the good guys or the bad guys? Glancing at the Arcadis home page,

http://www.arcadis-us.com/

it doesn't look as if "keep up the good work, folks" is going to be just
right. But, first impressions can be misleading. Who are these guys?

Wolfgang



G well...

"ARCADIS is a leading, global, knowledge-driven service provider, active
in the fields of infrastructure, environment and buildings. With client
success central to our total business approach, we fulfill project or
program needs from concept to completion and beyond.

Our private and public sector clients call on us for a broad range of
integrated services: feasibility studies, design, engineering, project
management, implementation and facility management, plus related legal
and financial services.

Together we generate $1 billion in annual revenues. There are 10,000 of
us: results-oriented people, continually investing in our skills to
maximize client value while creating viable solutions that assure your
success.

Where can you find us
Our U.S. headquarters is located in Denver, Colorado.

630 Plaza Drive
Suite 200
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
Phone: 720-344-3500, Fax: 720-344-3535 "


there, doesn't that make you feel better? they are "assuring your
success"...how can we go wrong?

jeff

"Jeff Miller" wrote in message
news:ADZwf.7572$Dh.4748@dukeread04...
...they are "assuring your success"...how can we go wrong?

O.k. Got it.

Wolfgang
now.....where are those kid gloves?

Jeff Miller wrote:
for those who care about the smoky mountains in nc and tenn.....

OK, after much thrashing about, I have found at least one document in
that devil's maze of links that I believe I may have a chance of
tackling in the time left me on this earth.... the 46-page summary of
the 544 page(!) DEIS.....

http://www.northshoreroad.info/deism...ry/summary.pdf

So, am I right in assuming the right-thinking among you local folks
believe the Monetary Settlement Alternative is what we want (as opposed
to the No Action Alternative?

JR
(who notes that in the section devoted to federally protected species
which may be negatively affected, the Indiana Bat is mentioned *before*
the bald eagle.....)

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 22:25:14 -0800, JR wrote:

(snipped)

JR
(who notes that in the section devoted to federally protected species
which may be negatively affected, the Indiana Bat is mentioned *before*
the bald eagle.....)

Probably because the bald eagle is making a good comeback and has an
enormous range, while the bat is declining in a rather limited range?

Or some typist with an odd sense of filing put bat before eagle on a
basis of the spelling of the last name?

Cyli
r.bc: vixen. Minnow goddess. Speaker to squirrels.
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli
email: lid (strip the .invalid to email)

JR wrote:

Jeff Miller wrote:

for those who care about the smoky mountains in nc and tenn.....


OK, after much thrashing about, I have found at least one document in
that devil's maze of links that I believe I may have a chance of
tackling in the time left me on this earth.... the 46-page summary of
the 544 page(!) DEIS.....

http://www.northshoreroad.info/deism...ry/summary.pdf

So, am I right in assuming the right-thinking among you local folks
believe the Monetary Settlement Alternative is what we want (as opposed
to the No Action Alternative?

JR
(who notes that in the section devoted to federally protected species
which may be negatively affected, the Indiana Bat is mentioned *before*
the bald eagle.....)

well...there was that agreement back in the 40s that needs to be
considered in some fashion. the buy-out is the only honorable
alternative...and 52-54 million is a bargain. recent cost estimates
just to build the road are now around $400 million. i'd say from an
immediate economic cost perspective, it's a no-brainer. plus it frees
up money to build roads in iraq.

bald eagles are making a comeback, and anything from indiana found in nc
is definitely a uniquely endangered and unusual specimen.

jeff

Jeff Miller wrote:
recent cost estimates
just to build the road are now around $400 million.

After I wrote the above, Raleigh News & Observer editorial in today's
paper said current projected construction cost now tops 500 million.
based on the economic policies of this administration, i suspect they
are waiting til the cost tops a billion before they decide to build the
road and log the park.

jeff

Jeff wrote:
After I wrote the above, Raleigh News & Observer editorial in today's
paper said current projected construction cost now tops 500 million.
based on the economic policies of this administration, i suspect they
are waiting til the cost tops a billion before they decide to build the
road and log the park.

... and Haliburton will be the company to do it.

"Jeff Miller" wrote in message
news:K47xf.7602$Dh.5201@dukeread04...
//snip//
well...there was that agreement back in the 40s that needs to be
considered in some fashion. the buy-out is the only honorable
alternative...and 52-54 million is a bargain. recent cost estimates just
to build the road are now around $400 million. i'd say from an immediate
economic cost perspective, it's a no-brainer. plus it frees up money to
build roads in iraq.

//snip//

Absolutely. I received the same message from Arcadis as Jeff, and I believe
it's because I signed up some time ago for notices of upcoming events. The
road's construction seems mainly to be supported by real estate developers
and construction companies.

When Jeff, Dan'l, and I were on Hazel in October there were construction
workers on the trail. They were nice guys, but most of them wore baseball
caps emblazoned "Build The Road".

It would be a tragedy.

This is the link to the Park Service website for the project:
http://www.northshoreroad.info/

--
Bob Patton
(change bgzqsdq to charter to reply)
..