I would like to impress upon the folks here, I would like to thank the Park Service and everyone involved for allowing the folks that like to hike the trails and everything like that to come to this area and see what it's about for this controversy. Hopefully, some of you will take back with you some comments and suggestions on who were the custodians of this area before the Park Service came; who is going to be the custodian on it after you leave? It is the residents of these areas.

Currently, there are some problems with vandalism at the tunnel. The increased use of the day-use area could lead to additional vandalism. In addition to the impact on the day use area noted above, a change in use of the Lake View Tunnel may lead to a reduction in vandalism within the tunnel. This would occur because loitering and vandalism activities would not be compatible with through traffic.

Potential wilderness would be reduced by more than 5,000 acres, while obliterating thirty-two miles of uncrowded trail and a number of backcountry campsites.

By crossing multiple finger ridges at right angles, massive cuts and fills in unstable rock and soil, rockfall barriers or drapes, rock bolts, shotcrete, and high retaining walls will be required. The roadway, retaining walls/fences, slope stabilization systems, and three long-span bridges, will create degradation in the solitude and tranquility currently experienced from the Appalachian Trail .

Another road is just going to bring more cars, more pollution. The Smoky Mountains already has on some days more ozone -- higher ozone levels than we do in Atlanta . It brings more ATVs, people throwing washing machines, refrigerators off along the side.

Trail access would be cut off during the minimum of 15 years of road construction; this does not take into the account the many years required of dedicated trail maintainers to rebuild the trails.

The section of National Park that the North Shore Road would cross has many areas that are only accessible by horse-back or avid hikers. I cannot see where any trails would be lost, and if there were, more trails could be established making more of this area accessible to those that are not on horse-back or by avid hikers.

Changes to the aesthetic experience and visual resources would persist and cannot be fully mitigated, unless the roads were abandoned and a substantial amount of time had elapsed. The loss of back country campsites and portions of the Lakeshore Trail would not be avoided, if the northern shore corridor or the partial build alternative to Bushnell were selected, and cannot be fully mitigated.

I also think that any argument that the passive tourist increase which the road may bring is negligible, the cost of maintenance and the increase in the trash and pollution that additional passing transit will bring would probably outweigh any economic advantage to the county.

Environmental Groups in Bryson City talk about how the road would affect the Appalachian Trail . Hope too many of you do not use the AT because it is 10 to 20 miles away from where the road will be except in one place where they cross.

I really would like to see the road extended to Fontana , for affordable accessibility to areas that I am physically unable to reach at present. However building today's highway would destroy some of the very historic and/or wilderness areas I long to explore, so that option defeats its own purpose. The picnic area near the tunnel does not increase accessibility for me, or others. So I think extension of the road to Bushnell will get us day hikers a little deeper into the area cut off by Fontana Lake .

It (NSC) will also destroy numerous backcountry campsites and many miles of now serene back country trails including major portions of Benton McKaye Trail, degrade the Appalachian Trail and other trails by permanently marring the now stellar views from the Smokies heights.

We feel puzzled that only white people attended in Swain and Graham County . We welcome all our fellow Americans and foreign visitors to experience Ole Smokey. As all the pro road people we also thank the Govt., Park and DEIS people for the hearings that have helped settle the question in our hearts "is this fair and right for all Americans and safe." We are against no action and any area of Ole Smokey becoming wilderness. We feel that only the fattest and wealthiest with more than a day to spend has been able to enjoy this part of the park...No one but the pro road builders to my memory thanked anyone for anything and I fear most of the other groups insinuated they were the owners of the park because they were much like a "master race." Even if there are issues that make it impossible to build the road now we hope that future generations will have a road and greater Park access even if its 200 years from now.

I have extensive experience as a visitor and multi-use outdoorsman in the Fontana Lake area. These same impacts would affect all visitor use functions. All such casual and active visitors would experience these adverse impacts. Thirty-one miles of trail and a number of backcountry campsites would be permanently obliterated. Trail access would be cut off during many years of road construction.

Major nearby urban areas including Knoxville , Atlanta , Greenville , Asheville , and Charlotte are imposing severe visitor pressures upon the GSMNP. It's essential that we protect the park integrity to continue to offer our people the solitude and experience of our great outdoors, unimpeded by yet another road or highway. There is no question that this new road would only create more disruption to the natural contiguous landscapes that are so cherished by those who seek the rich experience of the Great Smokies' forests and streams.

The AT has become a hallmark institution of wilderness land use for decades, and now serves as a cornerstone example to US and international organizations seeking “best practices” in zero-impact utilization. The NSC would destroy the integrity of this best practice, and would encourage more commercial development adjacent to our most cherished outdoor resources, as if an endorsement. We don't need another road intruding upon the AT.

Swain and Graham Counties in North Carolina and adjoining Blount County in Tennessee are famous among motorcycle enthusiasts for their “blacksnake” roads. A portion of US 129 here is called the “Dragon's Tail.” Bikers bring their machines to these roads by trailer from all over the county. Graham County spends more money rescuing injured bikers from its Cherohala Skyway and carrying them to the regional hospital than it gains in tourist revenue from the road. Should the North Shore Road be built, it would add another blacksnake road radiating from a central point in Swain County .

Destruction of public resources such as existing backcountry campsites and trails and permanently altering the Appalachian Trail in order to meet obligations set forth by the DOI more than 50 years ago is not appropriate.

Maintaining the balance between protecting nature and allowing recreation is difficult, as is evidenced by the situation in Cades Cove. Once the Northshore area is developed, it can not be reversed, and a part of our heritage is gone.

The true motivation for the road is greed. These people really want to open up access into the Great Smokies, one of our national park treasures, so that commercial activities can be introduced and so that unrestrained "recreational" activities can be introduced into the area. Yes, if you talk quietly and privately with road supporters, you will detect a very determined sub-element who want the road so they can then get into the area for deer, boar, and bear hunting. They want the ability to introduce recreational vehicles like motorbike and ATVs into the area. Without the road, these activities are difficult to carry out. With a road, the hunters and motorized vehicles will pour in. While road supporters may deny this motivation, it is there. And the extension of illegal activities into this area of the Smokies will be impossible to stop if the road is built.

Specifically, the Lakeshore Trail would be most impacted by the development of the North Shore Road . For several miles of this land, the Lakeshore Road is also dual designated as the Benton MacKaye Trail. One of the reasons why American Hiking is so supportive of the recent extension of the Benton MacKaye Trail is because it serves as a pressure valve for other heavily used trails in the parks, specifically the Appalachian Trail . The DEIS states “Over time the loss of this back country area and displacement of visitors to other areas will deteriorate resources.” That finding conflicts with one of the primary reasons why the Benton MacKaye Trail was extended through the park. The development of the North Shore Road would permanently impact the hiking experience along the Lakeshore Trail, if not completely obliterate the trail.

But Swain County is due compensation. A financial settlement for Swain County will help the county's infrastructure. A prosperous Swain County will help to attract more hikers, anglers and rafters and other outdoor people.

In my honest opinion, the road will relieve pressure on 441 and will give real access of the Park to all Americans not just to the privileged few who belong to a leisure hiking , birding, fishing or environmental pressure groups who strive to influence the park by the services they perform in order to keep the Park less accessible than it should be.

Now, whether this road would ruin this place, I don't understand that. When the park was dedicated, this parcel of this land was not dedicated at that time. It was added on later on. And I can't understand why a road through there would do so much damage, which, according to this EIS, it wouldn't. And I think that, for the sake of the people of Swain County that had families in there -- and I have a small business and I learned from people that come in here from all over the United States want to go back, but they don't know how to go back.

All environmental concerns can be overcome. Any one walking there can and will cause some damage to the earth.

Anyhow, it's not just a question now of the North Shore people, but the park belongs to everybody in the United States and everybody should have better access to the park than what they have. Now, as far as the National Park, there's very little access to people, except for the fittest, people that's able to walk and hike and things like that, or ride a horse. The rest of the people would like to enjoy the park fully. I don't think any of those people think that they're so great that it all belongs to them. But the government has done the studies and says it's okay. Commonsense tells us it's okay; it's not going to damage people.

More importantly, I think the project would destroy the enigmatic natural appeal of the area. Who would take the road, anyway? It would be dan gerous if you broke down because no one would be around.