Stop Plans for Interstate 3

Many are just waking up to a plans for a new Interstate highway through the north Georgia mountains. Dubbed Interstate 3 and planned to run from Knoxville, Tennessee to Savannah, Georgia in the recent Congressional Transportation Bill this road would devastate parts of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Most of Northeast Georgia could all be targets in its path depending on what route it takes. Some of the most beautiful mountain areas in America would be destroyed.

This road would do nothing for national defense or little for easing Atlanta's traffic, as suggested. If national defense is really a concern, the money could be far better spent to help our military with better equipment and to secure our borders. Atlanta's traffic problems would be far better served by improved public transportation. This road would destroy mountain scenery, rural communities, and degrade an already stressed environment. The impact on the areas’ waterways, the life blood of the southeast, (especially the Savannah and Chattahoochee River watersheds) would be incalculable. Air quality would suffer. Danger from nuclear trafficking between Department of Energy facilities at Oak Ridge and the Savannah River Site would also increase.

This road is not needed, and would be an offensive misuse of public funds. Only a few rich investors would benefit from this project, whereas most rural residents’ quality of life would be greatly diminished by this project. I urge you to oppose Interstate 3 from Knoxville to Savannah.

Take Action! Contact Rep. Charlie Norwood (202-225-4101), Sen. Johnny Isakson (202-224-3643) and Sen. Saxby Chambliss (202-224-3521) who are responsible for the legislation to create this highway and tell them you are opposed to Interstate 3. Also please let your other local, state, and national representatives know Georgia (or North Carolina and Tennessee) does not need this road.

The time to stop this road is now! For more information on the proposed Interstate 3 visit www.stopi-3.org

Outings

The Joseph LeConte Group is the premier Athens organization for outings. John Muir said it best: "If people in general could be got out into the woods once in a while, to hear the trees speak for themselves, all difficulties in the way of forest preservation would vanish." The LeConte group has sponsored canoe trips, dayhikes, overnight backpacking trips, and conservation outings. The conservation outings have been diverse, with such events as Oconee National Forest cleanups, land reclamation and privet control outings. On each of these conservation outings, many people get introduced to the purpose of the Sierra Club—Conservation of our natural resources—by having fun, socializing with fellow travelers, getting some real conservation work done and learning something.

Sierra Club outings are free and open to anyone, including non-members, and are operated by trained leaders.

Political Action

Doug Haines, Gene Weeks, and Sara May take a break during the fundraiser for Doug hosted at the home of John Barrow prior before the 2002 general election

The Sierra Club lost its tax deductible status in 1966 when David Brower, then executive director of the Sierra Club, lobbied heavily against flooding the Grand Canyon. This so angered President Lyndon Johnson that the IRS eventually changed the tax status of the Sierra Club, which has been a blessing in disguise.

There are few ways to affect issues of environmental protection more dramatically than by involvement in the political process. The Sierra Club is strictly non-partisan and endorses candidates based on environmentally related answers to questionnaires, interviews, and voting history. Sierra Club volunteers help ensure the candidates are elected, Sierra Club members have made a difference in parts of Georgia. The best example is the creation of the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area near Atlanta. For years the creation of the Recreation Area was blocked by local special interests and developmental-minded politicians. The people of Atlanta and the Sierra Club in particular wanted this natural area to remain wild. With a campaign involving many volunteers, sympathetic candidates were elected and the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area was created. According to an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Sierra Club must be credited for the success of the creation of this important public natural area.

Other Issues

There are a lot of important issues facing the people of Northeast Georgia. Visit our links page for the numerous groups in Athens working on specific issues such as transportation alternatives (Bike Athens), responsible development in Oconee County (Oconee Citizens for Responsible Growth), and water issues (Upper Oconee Watershed Network). These and other groups emails and/or websites can be accessed directly by a mouse click.