TENNESSEE CITIZENS for WILDERNESS PLANNING Newsletter No. 207 September 30, 1995 llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll 1. Obed Wild&: Scenic River ..... ............................ ... p. 3 A. Congressman Wamp visits C General management Plan now official B. Cumberland Plateau water-supply study progresses 2. Big South Fork NRRA .... .................. , P· 4 A. Two major tracts acquired B. Bear Creek improvement plans 3. Around the State.. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. • . p. 5 A. TCWP appe.1.ling Champion permit F. Stripmining and fall Creek Falls B. Scotts Gulf protection effort G. Stale Park m;magement politicized C. Golf course for Roan Mtn.Stille Park7 H. Concerns about environmental policy D. TWRA's existence threatened J. 1995legislative outcomes E. Nongame wildlife preservation K. Wolf River land purchased L. Tennessee Greenways 4, Smokies .. ················· ·· ····· ... ......... P· 8 A. Secreta!)' Babbitt visits C Smoky because of pollution B. Helms threatens red wolf reintroduction D. Should there be an entrance fee? 5. The Cherokee and surroundings . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 9 A. Big Frog wilderness protection B. The Appalachian landscape (ronferencel 6. Tennessee Valley Authority . ... .. ... .. ... .... p. 10 A. Energy plan: some disappointments B. Resource budget survives (but leaner) '1. Congress' war on Parks .. ... , , . .............. ................. p.ll A. Parks-closure bill: good and b01d news B. Other anti-Parks bills 8. Congress' war on other federal land protection .. .. p.12 A. Land acquisition almost zeroed C. Anti-wilderness precedent B. Mania for federal divestiture D. The big give-away: our mineral resources E. Arctic Refuge must not be developed! 9. Other national issues . .. ................. ........ p.13 A. Endangered Species Act in jeopardy B. Wolf conservation 10. Oilk Ridge area news , . • • . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ....... p. 14 A. Common Ground prDCess B. Parcel ED-1 C. Hazardous-waste collection 11. TCWP news . ...............•..•. .... p.16 A. Upcoming activities C Computer help needed E. Exec.director activities B. Past activities D. Board members' doings F. Letter from past director G. Thanks to volunteers 12. Activities and reading matter . ......... p.1'1 13. ACTION SUMMARY ............... p. 2 "Editor. l.iU\f:B. Russf:ll,130 Tabor Road, Oak Ridgf:,1N 37830. Phone. 61.5,482·2153 Stu in �nugin �neU\s"ActionNHded." Don't be overwhelmed- chedcthf: A en ON SUMMARY! NL1f11, 913005 2 13. ACTION SUMMARY , .. " Me.. aae!" or A�tlon lA ObcdWSR iuppon CongnnmuWamp "Thuksfor intercii!Do nOilerrcsouru:bejeopardiz.ed!" Of!criOpllftitipaleinBcar Cteekelear!upplanning Del Truin or Mike Frilu "Do NOTde�elop aolfeourse in this parlt!" 3E Noorame wildlife prot«tion Varioos outdoor indusUKs "I am willinalo pay 1 111rdwre oo yO\tl" product!" 3F FaJICrukFallsproteetioo Offer yOUJhclp wilhlhisissue BirfmrWildcmon O..rol<ecJUp<rvisor NF "Pitl§C inform me how 10 panitipa!C in theSAA process�· 6B TVA's�sourecBudac• Congressman Wamp "Thanh for supponing eontinualion ofbe neficial fun.-ions!' Parks-closurebiti.HR260 Reps.Wamp. Hilleary. Ford "(I) Thanks fOf volinr aalinll HR 260! (2) Plene help ret Oemtnt, Gordon, TlnMr the: measure deleted fromBudsct the Reconciliation�" Spc:akerGin&rich "Hclpto undolhis undemocratictrick!" Reps. Ounean, Quillen "I am diuppoint«< in your vote!" "I am oucragcdby corpor21t welfare costin& us BlliONS" &E ArctieRdug<: "Vctobills lhar would pomtlldrilling. SuppOrl"'ildtmcls!" 1; 8 War 011Puts and Olhcr public bn s US Rep ..clSenators !he war on our p11blic lands must stop!" Pres. Clinton 'Pica�e �eto lntcrior Appropr. andBudret Rccondliationbills and do NOT accept any compromiK lim faib to diminatcanU•cnvironmc:nUIIprovisions'" Endanitrtd Species Act (ESAl US Rep and Senators "OppoK anybill that would weaken ESA; st:cngthc:n Act'" 9B Wolf «NNWf\'auon USFish&: Wildlife Scf\·ice "lsuppon ahemllive A for lobo recovery!" Appropr. Comm. chairmen "YellowsiOnt wolf1tt0�ry illould be funded!" Pankipate. Parti�ipare in upcominadcanups and other �,..,nil;. tiC TCWP'scomputcr Offer youre�penusistane�. Senator JohnDoe Th eHon.JohnDoe Pres.Bill Clinton GovemorDonSILndqllilt UnitcdStatc!Scnatc U.S. House of Representatives TheWhite House State Capitol Wllhingwn.DC20SIO Wullington,DC20SIS Wubin&H)n,DC20500 Nashville, TN 37243·9872 202·456-1111 6U·741-2001; FuS32-9711 presidem(Jwhltchou$LJOV Dcar Conrr<:nmanDoe DcarMr.Ptesidcnt DcarGov.Sundquii1 Since�clyyou�. Sincerely you�, Respectfully yours, Respec1fullyyours. Sen.Frist: 202·224·3344 {602· 79771oc•l); Sen.Thompson: 202·224-4944 (S4S·4253 1ocal); Rep. Wamp:202-·225·3271 (483·3366 � To call anyother Represcntative orScnator,diai Conareslional lwitchboard,(202 )224-3121 Tofind outaboutlhcitalUlOffcdcra!billi.cali(202)22S· l772 . NL207, 9/"!JJ/'F.> 3 1. OBED WILD • !iCENIC RIVER B. Cl•�r Cr••lt ••m ltntl Cumllerlltn4 A. Congreumltn Wltmp t!lslrs Oiled Pl1tfe1tu w•t•r-supply •tully OnA\lgu.st :n,Congressman z..eh Wamp visited progr••••• the Obtd VisitorCetter in Wartburg andthm came lt"sbeen along road between the originil out to Lilly Bluff to view theClear Creek. His visit proposal bythe CatOO SII Utility District to build a wu the ruult of two invitations transmitted via dam onClear Creek (one of the main stems of the his staff: oneby Obed Site Manager, Monika Mayr; Obed) andthe atudythat is CUITently u.nder way the other by representatives of TCWP and other INL191 118, NL19 2 12A,NUOO ,lB, NUOl tzB, groups who. 3 months eulier, had visited Mr. NU02 1JA, NL203 tiA, NU04 t2A). TCWP can Wamp"s office and diS(ussed various inues, but take pride in having transfonntd an imminent primarily the Obtd(NL205 118). �at into what may tum out tobecome a long·term JO!ution. In 1 nutshell, (a) the Rural Utilities At the Obtd VisitorCenter, Mr. Warnp hurd Service(fonnerly, Fanners' Home Admiroistration, from man11gers ol the various public lands in the USDA) agreed to do a full·flf'dgPd Envirorunental general arn - the Obed WSR, the Big South Fork Impact Statement (EIS), {b) the work is being NRRA, Frozen Hud State Park/Natur.l Area, carried out by TVA(with RUS), and (c) the S(Ope C"oosa Wildlife Management Area -- and �.t.me hasbeen g�atlybroadentd to indude numerous awue ho,.. '"ery much his District brnefits from altem;�tivu.alarger a�a.;md a longer time frarne. these natural-resource!ands. His subsequent drive to lilly Blulltook him through theCiurCreek The scoping meeting of !ail April(NU04 12A) gorge,where se,·eralbolltenh.t.ppenf'd tobr in the has now been followed by a draft scoping document river. Valiantly, in close-to-1000 weather, he that wil! be discussed bythe SteeringComminee on w.t.!kPd out tothe overlookwhere almost30people October 3. TCWP "s Joan Bums ;md NPCA"s Don awaited him, including local citizens, members of Barger are members of this committee. According to the county government. representltivn of the document,82people filledout registrationcards corrn>rvation groups(TCWP , NPCA, TSRA) and of forthe April mff!ting,and 1391etters were reeeived user groups(e.g.,can�clubs). and people with subs.equently,induding 112 from individuals(our recrntiondevelopmentsin the surroundinga�a thanks to the many members of TCWP and the Friends of the Obed network who participated). He addressed the group and promised to supponthe Park andneverto agre.>tnanydosure Thedraltscoping document makes it quiteclear effort. He has since thm made good on his promise that the EIS will consider water-supply by'"oting againstHR 260.the PukCiosu� bill.and development not only for the Catoosa Utility in /nor of a bill that increases NPS" operating District, but for the Upper Cumbuland Platuu funds (see17A, this NL. ""here we also reprint part region, which is utimated to need 15 million of a recent !etterfrom him). When people expressed gallons a day(MGD) of additional water over the sp«ific concerns(e.g .. inc�uing staffing levels !the neMt 30 yuf!;. (Note: theClear Creek dam would Obtd presently hu but a sirogl<o: rangerj, how to get supply only one·tenth of that amount). It also suppon from our Senators, etc.), he askf'd that these makes it clear that the «m$idention of downstream concemsbttransmittedto hisstaffin writing sothat impacts mustbt paramou.nt,esp«iilllythose onthe he couldbener addressthem. Obed National WiLd & S.:en..ic River. The doc:ument considertd most closelyrelatPd to the study isthe s ObedGeneral Management Plan (fl!f! tiC,below). * :���i������i�?=in=��; � �-;'l. (Suggest that he float a segment, come Spring) The draft lists 6 a!tem;�tives to be considered Urge him to stand firm against anyof the current in the EIS Congrusional actions that might jeopardize the • No action(including noC�ar Creek dam); resourc�. Remind him that it is very important to • Construction ofClear Creek dam; complete land acquisition and to get adequate • Pipeline fromCenterhill Lake to Cookevi!!e, with ope.,tingfundsfjust asing!e.rangeris ridiculous for an intn..connect toCrouville; anaru that has a90-mi!e·long boundary). Urge • Pipeline from Watts Bar Lake to Crossville, with him tol.l.lktoSenatorsThompKif\andFrist to solicit an inter-connect toJamestown; their help. • Pipeline from Dale Hollow Lake to Jamestown, with an inter-connect toCrossville; NL207, 9/YJ/<JS 4 •lrw�ntory of existing water supplies and Recreation Area (BSFNRRA) This watersh�d. d�v�lopmmt of distributionintu ...:onnects. which supplies the bullr. of th� drltn wat�r lor th� BSF, is highly scenic. fragile, and vulner�bl� to Jssuesto�addrt>s.sedind��ilart>· de-structiv� d�velopmrnts. Much of the area is made • water quality/quantity (esp�dally in the Ob�d up of 1 few lug� tracts, and it has tlk�n several WSR); ynrs of hard·fought·for appropriations to put •mdange�sp«ifs; �nough moneyin the bank for the Nation1l P1rk •recr�ation; Servic� (NPS) to Stitt n�gotiating with th� ma)or • biological div�nity; landowners. •arcMological,cultural, andhlstoricr�sources; • sodot<OnOm.icdfe-cu. Superint�ndent leeOavis recently infoi"Dled us that NPShas now finallycompletrd acquisition of the two larg�st tracts in this area, which total c. Olletl Gener�l M�n�tem•nt Pl�n Is 1lmost 7.000 acrt>l.