Construction of a 4 to 8 mile road to a location near the former site of Bushnell would not satisfy the obligations of the United States under the 1943 Agreement. The Agreement calls for a road out to the west abutment of Fontana Dam. Swain County has stated it will not accept this partial performance in satisfaction of the Agreement. While a heritage center may be a popular concept to some, it has no relevance to the 1943 Agreement.

Including the financing to build a heritage center would only serve to take further advantage of the people of Swain County . Any heritage center should be funded totally outside of the funds relating to the 1943 Agreement. Costs figures fail to include damages to Swain County

The Bushnell alternative is particularly disturbing. Bushnell would involve the Park Service in running a boat dock—a completely random insertion of complexity considering none of the original signatories contemplated nor desire public provision of this service. This service is already provided in the area by private enterprises—has the Park Service calculated the effect on the local economy of federally subsidized competition for local businesses? As with the other partial build alternatives, Bushnell does nothing to ensure that we will not be back in the exact same position ten years from now because this does not meet the purpose and need you have identified. Finally, Bushnell would cost more than the settlement option and since there is apparently little public desire for the Park to provide this service, it is a bad deal for taxpayers.

This alternative does not resolve the 1943 agreement, nor should it be considered further. It is not contemplated in the GRSM GMP, and its construction would have significant impacts on the priceless natural and cultural heritage resources of the GRSM.

Against. However, I am totally opposed to any sort of commercial or interpretative center constructed beyond the end of the present road.

Construction of the full build or partial build to Bushnell alternatives would undermine resources that are key to the natural and cultural integrity of the Park.