[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 163 (Thursday, November 29, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12132-S12133]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 THE NORTH SHORE ROAD MUST BE COMPLETED

  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, for some time I have felt inclined to 
discuss in the Senate a matter for the Record and of importance to the 
people living in the far western counties of North Carolina and in the 
beautiful mountains adjacent to the Tennessee border.
  The matter involved is the federal government's finally fulfilling 
after a fashion a commitment made in 1943 in writing by the U.S. 
Government to the citizens of Swain County. The federal government 
proposed to build a road along the north shore of Fontana Lake which 
was created in World War II to provide power to the TVA. This written 
commitment was made to citizens who voluntarily gave up their homes to 
support the U.S.'s World War II defense efforts.
  The federal government has not yet fulfilled its commitment, and that 
has caused a great deal of resentment and mistrust of the government 
among the citizens of Swain County and other surrounding counties on 
the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
  These citizens understandably believe that the federal government 
should now live up to its written commitment made during World War II 
because these people gave up their homes in order that Fontana Lake 
could be built so that power could be generated by TVA.
  But, there has been a curious development. A small group of citizens 
in Swain County now proposes to ask that the federal government buy 
them out, thereby voiding that federal government commitment made in 
1943. They presented the proposal that they be bought out to the Swain 
County Commissioners, and, praise the Lord, the commissioners rejected 
this suggestion.

  So as a result of the $16 million appropriation in the fiscal year 
2001 Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations 
Bill, this project has at long last begun to move. The National Park 
Service and the Federal Highway Administration have restarted this 
process to complete that road as promised, in writing, in 1943 to the 
citizens of Swain County and western North Carolina.
  Mr. President, I have a letter in hand, along with the text of the 
resolution adopted by the Swain County Commissioners which expresses 
their thanks for the $16 million that provided for continued road 
construction and improvements that were included in the fiscal year 
2001 Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.

[[Page S12133]]

  The commissioners of Swain County want that road completed. The 
people of Swain County want that road completed.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the aforementioned letter 
and resolution be printed in the Record, following which I shall resume 
my remarks.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:
                                                 November 9, 2001.
     Jesse Helms,
     Dirksen Senate Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Senator Jesse Helms: I again take this opportunity to thank 
     you for the continued support you have showed for projects in 
     Swain County.
       Attached is a statement, which you should have received 
     earlier, thanking you for the work you have done on behalf of 
     Swain County and the North Shore Road.
           Sincerely Yours,
                                                      Jim Douthit,
     Chairman, Swain County Commissioners.
                                  ____


                  Swain County Board of Commissioners


 Statement regarding the appropriation of $16M for construction of and 
                  improvements to the North Shore Road

       The Swain County Board of Commissioners would like to thank 
     Senator Jesse Helms, Congressman Charles Taylor, and 
     President Bill Clinton for making available from the Highway 
     Trust Fund for Swain County 16 million dollars for 
     construction of and improvements to the North Shore Road in 
     Swain County North Carolina.
       With the completion of this road, the federal government 
     will have fulfilled their contract with Swain County known as 
     the 1943 Agreement, then trust can be restored between Swain 
     County and the federal government. We feel this appropriation 
     will go a long way in helping Swain County.

  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, roads in national parks are vital pieces of 
economic infrastructure that fuel the engines of economic growth. In 
fact, the National Park Service itself recognizes as much on its Web 
site. Let me quote: ``Recreation travel accounts for 20 percent of 
travel in the United States. Park roads are a vital part of America's 
transportation network, providing economic opportunity and growth in 
rural regions of the country. In addition to the park access, motor 
tourism has created viable gateway communities en route. In some areas 
entire economies are based on park road access. Examples include 
communities near Yellowstone, Glacier, and Great Smoky Mountains 
National Parks, and the Blue Ridge Parkway.''
  Why on Earth, then, are these economic benefits denied to the people 
living in the counties on the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky 
Mountains National Park? I will tell you why. The Department of the 
Interior and the National Park Service have been held hostage by self-
proclaimed environmentalists and their sympathizers in the Interior 
Department who are horrified, obviously, by their pretended 
apprehension that environmental Armageddon will somehow result from the 
construction of a simple ``two-lane dustless road,'' as specifically 
called for in the 1943 agreement, signed by the Federal Government.
  Mind you, this would be a Blue Ridge Parkway-type road allowing for 
greater access on the North Carolina side of the park just as long ago 
occurred on the State of Tennessee side a few miles west.
  Additionally, according to the National Park Service statistics, 
there are 5,000 miles of paved roads and 3,000 miles of unpaved roads 
in the National Park System of this country. My question is, can 
anybody seriously suggest that 30 more miles will cause an 
environmental Armageddon? The thought is laughable. Of course not. But 
that is the ringing cry of these professional environmentalists.
  In fact, the Federal Government began building the road back in 1963, 
and did build 2\1/2\ miles of it. In 1965, they built another 2.1 
miles. Then in 1969, they built an additional mile, plus a 1,200-foot-
long tunnel.
  That was when, Mr. President, the self-appointed environmentalists 
created an uproar and forbade the Federal Government from going 
further, which has caused, by the way, economic problems for the four 
North Carolina counties surrounding the park that I am talking about.
  Road engineering has improved enormously since that most recent 
section was built in 1969. Many more improved methods are now available 
to address the concerns thrown up by these self-appointed environmental 
opponents of progress.
  Let me make it clear, I have no problem with our Tennessee neighbors 
who are ably represented by Senators Frist and Thompson, but I am 
obliged, as a Senator from North Carolina, to emphasize some meaningful 
and relevant statistics of the National Park Service.
  In the 2000 report, which has the most recent statistics available, 
the Park Service stated that 4,477,357 visitors came to the North 
Carolina side of the park, while 5,698,455 visitors came to the 
Tennessee side of the park. Of course, for anybody who wants to figure 
it out, it is a difference of 1,221,098 visitors.
  Additionally, according to the latest available retail sales per 
capita figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, the four Tennessee counties 
surrounding the park have averaged $9,431.25, but the average for the 
four North Carolina counties that need that road for more tourists to 
come there have averaged $7,964.00, a difference of $1,467.25, if you 
want to get down to the penny.
  The North Carolina State average is $9,740.00 per capita, and the 
Tennessee State average is $9,448.00 per capita. The four Tennessee 
counties surrounding the park averaged just $16.75 under the Tennessee 
State average. The four North Carolina counties, on the other hand--the 
four counties of which we are talking about in terms of building this 
road along the north shore of Fontana Lake--come in $1,776.00 under the 
North Carolina average.
  Now then, these figures are among countless indications of the 
inequities between the North Carolina side and the Tennessee side of 
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
  Let me assure the Administration of this: I have met with the 
distinguished Director of the National Park Service, Fran Mianella and 
she is a very pleasant lady--to let her know that this is a significant 
issue with citizens of western North Carolina who have been neglected.
  I am hopeful she and Secretary Norton will give this matter their 
highest priorities and will continue to move this project well away 
from those who have for too long been holding it hostage.
  I will continue my opposition to a Federal buyout of the Federal 
Government's commitment in 1943 to the citizens of Swain County and 
western North Carolina. I commend the commissioners of Swain County for 
standing flatfooted against it as well.
  Mr. President, I thank the Chair and yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak in 
morning business for 5 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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