Farewell Holly Demuth, Welcome Jim GrodeWaysSouth bids a fond farewell to Holly Demuth whoresigned as our executive director to pursue anothercareer path. We appreciate the excellent work she didwith the Corridor K projects, in continuing the Stop I-3effort, and in organizing the superb Railroad Task Force.Her leadership skills will be missed by all of us.

At the Jan. 15, 2009 board of directors meeting, theboard voted to hire Jim Grode as the executive director.Grode has been a member of the board of directors ofWaysSouth. He is an environmental lawyer who formerlyworked for the Southern Environmental LawCenter in Atlanta, oversaw the TurnerEnvironmental Law Clinic at Emory UniversitySchool of Law and has worked in private prac-tice. Grode has written for numerous legal pub-lications and recently prepared the WaysSouthposition letter to Mr. Ed Lewis of the NorthCarolina Department of Transportation HumanEnvironment Unit. This position letter may beread by visiting www.corridork.org and clickingon "letters." We welcome him to the positionand look forward to his leadership.

Work on WaysSouth’s major projects has continued forthe past quarter. The rock slides that closed U.S. 64 atthe Ocoee Gorge and I-40 in North Carolina three milesfrom the Tennessee line show the problems encounteredwhen roads are carved into mountains. The rock slide atthe Ocoee Gorge was the second slide in a matter ofhours and Vanessa Bateman, a geologist with theTennessee Department of Transportation, undoubtedlysaved many lives by warning of the impending second

slide which was caught on video by the station WDEFChattanooga. To see the rockslide video, go towww.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/11rockslide-in-ten-nessee-ca_n_354003.html. To check on the currentwork, go to www.tdot.state.tn.us/us64rockslide. TheTennessee DOT has announced that the highway willreopen by March 31.

WaysSouth's position is that this highway should beimproved to be made as safe as possible rather thanbuilding a new highway. Four-lane highways are evenmore susceptible to rock slides, and there is no guaran-

tee that a new highway would not experienceclosings from rock slides. Also, the need for animproved, safe highway to link the two sides ofPolk County is now, not many years in thefuture. Improving the current U. S. 64 is thequickest way to provide adequate access fromone side of the county to the other.

Major letter writing campaigns were conductedon the need for a two-lane option to be consid-ered for the Corridor K Highway that is proposedto pass from Robbinsville, N.C. to Almond, N.C.and through the Stecoah Valley. Our thanks go

to the Corridor K Task Force, particularly Sally Lassiter,for leadership in this effort. Thanks also to all those whowrote letters. Letters can be read by visiting www.corri-dork.org and clicking on letters.

If you have time and talents to share, please contact volunteer@wayssouth.org. As a grassroots organization,the work of WaysSouth depends on volunteers and sup-porters like you.

Winter - 2010

OICESV

Lucy Bartlett, Chair, Board of Directors, WaysSouth

In This Issue

Techno Dudes of Transportation - Pg. 2Wanted: Graphics Design and Outreach Intern, Recent Donors - Pg. 3Volunteer Carrie Tatum Interview - Pg. 4Board Member Duncan Hughes Profile - Pg. 5WaysSouth Railroad Taskforce Study - Pg. 6Corridor K Collides With AT History - Pg. 7 & 8

Farewell Holly Demuth,Welcome Jim Grode

The Army Corps of Engineers has informed NCDOT that itmust consider an improved two-lane option for Corridor Kin NC. The Army Corps letter and a joint press release areavailable on the WaysSouth website. This sends NCDOTback to the drawing board and requires them to prepare

and obtain comment on a full analysis of the two-lanealternative we have been advocating. This is a great out-come and, as you will see from the letter, is a direct resultof the great work done by our volunteers who sent incomments to the Corps.

BREAKING NEWS:TWO-LANE CORRIDOR K OPTION MUST BE CONSIDERED

community problem on a given topicand to design solutions to solve thatproblem. For 2009-10, the challengetopic has been "Smart Move--how tomake transportation safe and efficient.”

The Rabun County F.I.R.S.T. LEGOLeague, or the "techno dudes" as theycall themselves, spent months learningabout transportation issues in our part ofthe country, from the literal to theabstract. Their journey led them toWaysSouth chair, Lucy Bartlett, who wasa guest speaker at one of their meet-ings. She explained the issues surround-ing the proposed Interstate 3, which isslated to go through their backyards. "I-3 made us angry," said “techno dude”Grayson Lane. "But after voting on pos-sible topics, we decided to try and solvea local safety problem we drive throughevery day."

With backing from grassroots efforts, theschool system, and county and stateofficials, the “dudes” performed a trafficflow study and observed the intersectionarea near their school. With their first-hand observations, the “dudes” identi-fied that the proximity of the accessroad created a gridlock and a hazard.The “dudes” brainstormed ideas andtalked to transportation engineers forvalidation. They took their findings to theRabun County Board of Commissioners

and presented a three phase proposalfor action and called for a study of theirproposed solutions to the traffic flowissues. The commissioners listened tothe team and began implementing thefirst phase within days. There is now asign posted that asks vehicles to notblock traffic flow, and the commission isconsidering a study of the entire area--all based on recommendations of thelocal F.I.R.S.T. LEGO League.

Looking to the future and county plansfor a new school and multi-purposearena in the area, the "techno dudes"have also recommended that theGeorgia Department of Transportationconsider a Smart Grid camera light sys-tem at the intersection. The systemwould include a wide angle camera andpavement sensors to detect and controlintersection traffic.

The Rabun “techno dudes” won firstplace for their project presentation at theFLL Super Regional competition inJanuary.

And what about their robot? "We've stillgot some bugs to work out with ourrobot before the next competition,"explained team member Garrett Lane.

I watched as the robot designed andbuilt by their team rolled through a com-plicated course on a 4X6 foot flat board

and attempted to complete tasks. Therobot was not cooperating the afternoonof my visit.

"Whether or not we win, we're learning alot, having fun, and making a differ-ence," stated the youngest team mem-ber Jeremy Nash.

The team has also learned valuable les-sons in civics, among those the fact thatit is very difficult to change the course ofgovernment agencies and that state andlocal governments don't necessarilycommunicate well with each other.

"But these boys have no trouble telling itlike it is," said Coach Nash. She smiledand described how the team boldly,confidently, and effectively spoke withcounty commissioners and state offi-cials.

We at WaysSouth congratulate theF.I.R.S.T. LEGO League and find inspira-tion in their story.

For additional information about FLL andother F.I.R.S.T. programs visitwww.usfirst.org.

F.I.R.S.T. Lego League winners from Rabun County GA

Marie Dunkle, WaysSouth Board of Directors

Teamwork and "gracious professional-ism" are pretty heady core values for agroup of young boys. But those valuesfit the Rabun County chapter of theF.I.R.S.T. Lego League (FLL).

I visited the league last month because Ihad heard the youngsters are passionateabout improving transportation condi-tions in our area--a mission shared withWaysSouth. The group of six RabunCounty boys ages 8-11 was featuredlast fall on Atlanta’s 11 Alive TV newsstation as well as by local radio stationSky 104 for their efforts to improve traf-fic safety and flow at the busy intersec-tion of Boggs Mountain Road and U.S.441 near Clayton GA. But why did thisbecome their mission and what was theconnection with those tiny plastic build-ing blocks known as LEGOs? I inter-viewed the boys and their coach, Mrs.Jan Nash, to learn more.

The "F.I.R.S.T." in the organization's titlemeans: For Inspiration, Recognition,Science and Technology. FLL is onelevel of an international organization thatwas started by U.S. inventor DeanKamen and Denmark's LEGO Group toinspire young people's interest and par-ticipation in science and technology.More than 140,000 children from 56countries participate in small teams ofsix to 10. Each team is assigned twoprojects. The first is to design, build andprogram a robot using LEGO mechanicaland computer technology. The secondchallenge is to research a real-world

Techno Dudes of Transportation

$Heartfelt Thanks

Nina GreggPam Fagan

William Blumreich IIIMike Brock

James and Theresa MorgansMatthew KazinkaCynthia KendrickJudy RobinsonMonty Helmer

Melissa JenningsSumter TisdaleYasuko Rudisill

Robin JonesDuncan Sterling

David MilikinMargorie Wimmersberger

Keely and Jamie GroftStancil O. Wise

Tom Hoffman, Jr.Helen and Mort Meadors

Mary and William Humphlett

Mr. and Mrs. Richard MetzgarTed Doll

Stephanie RamseyHolly DemuthRhett Smith

Linda DiSantisBob Kerr

Tim Price-WilliamsSusan HarmonLucy BartlettHugh Irwin

Stancil O. WiseCarolyn A. Martin

James BishopPam L. Weimann

Elizabeth S. WilliamsEmily B. Calhoun

Mary LineJoseph Carson

Angela & Jerry PfeufferTom C. Aderhold

To each contributor this quarter, we express ourheartfelt thanks. Donations from individuals and

supporting organizations are a major means of oursupport. As we move forward with a new executive

director, your support enables us to advance ourprograms. With the I-3 study now a "top priority,"with the rock slide in Tennessee building momen-

tum for a decision on Corridor K in Tennessee to bemade, and with the Environmental Studies Reportdue soon on Corridor K in North Carolina, we needall these donations. If you have not yet given, we

urge you to contribute now. Small and large contri-butions are welcome. If each of you gives a little,

we will have ample funds to do this important work.

WaysSouth Board of Directors

Recent Donors to WaysSouth

Supporting Organizations•Lyndhurst Foundation •Southern Appalachian

Biodiversity Project •Lake Burton Civic Association•Wilderness Society •Appalachian Outfitters

•Granite & Marble Tops & Tiles •Morgan Tools

WaysSouth is seeking a media and communicationsintern to augment our outreach efforts. The internwill be serving on the outreach committee, designingour thrice-yearly newsletter, designing a wide rangeof printed materials (could include brochures, mail-ers, flyers, etc.) and updating our Facebook andTwitter pages. Written communications will includecreating and editing press releases, action alerts,membership appeals, newsletter articles, and por-tions of grant proposals. Involvement with resourcedevelopment efforts will include performing otherrelated duties as requested. This internship mayinclude a graphic design component, but the empha-sis will be on responsive, creative and effective com-munications and outreach.

To apply: Send resume including at least two refer-ences, three writing samples and three samples ofprior graphic design work to info@wayssouth.org ormail hard copies to UTM Box 560, Martin, TN38238. With questions, contact Chance Finegan,WaysSouth executive assistant, atvolunteer@wayssouth.org or 706-508-3711.

Please see the full vacancy announcement online athttp://bit.ly/69WUPC

S e eK i n GOutreach and Graphic Design Intern

Carrie Tatum, a native of the LakeBurton area and a recent UGAalumna, sat down with WaysSouthearlier this month to share insightsabout her volunteer role in theorganization. With degrees in psychology and anthropology andhopes for graduate school, Tatumis a welcome addition to theWaysSouth team. We hope thather story inspires you to becomeactive to seek responsible trans-portation in Southern Appalachia.

Why do you volunteer with WaysSouth? What is your connection?

I am from Batesville, Ga., a small community near Lake Burton. I volunteer for WaysSouth

entering petition data and generating interest in thecause in Athens, Ga. I'm concerned about the pro-posed Interstate 3. I believe strongly that it would behorribly detrimental to social, physical and historicalaspects of the Appalachian Mountains. This roadwaywould allow impersonal corporate businesses andpollution to corrupt our mountains irrevocably.Moreover, I feel that such a costly road systemwould be irresponsible during economic times suchas these.

How do you help WaysSouth? Does it take up much time?

I enter petition information into spreadsheets in order for mass mailings to be easily com-

pleted. I'm also finding new people to sign the peti-tion and help out the cause. I enjoy volunteering andit is no burden to me whatsoever. Although my workis minimal compared to many of the volunteers, I stillenjoy my work knowing that I am helping a wonder-ful cause.

As a student in college, volunteering must have been tricky for you before you graduated.

How did you work volunteering into your busyschedule?

I do all of my work online. The data is e- mailed to me and I e-mail the completed tasks

back. This is wonderful because it allows me to helpout in whichever city I'm currently in.

IN HER OWN WORDS:V

WaysSouth Interviews Carrie Tatum

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Volunteering With WaysSouth

To volunteer your services, contact: volunteer@wayssouth.orgNew Volunteers for WaysSouth

•Carah L. Hooten, IRS Letters •Justine J. Steele, Petition Data Entry•John Doyal, Strategy Committee •Gerry Soud, Outreach Committee and Newsletter Editing

Growing up, canoeing the blackwa-ter rivers of coastal Georgia, it’s per-haps natural that Duncan Hugheswould be drawn toward protectingGeorgia’s waters. As a boy, Hugheswould camp on the white sandbarsduring two and three-day canoe tripson the Ohoopee, enjoying the out-doors and taking in the serene beau-ty of the tea-colored stream.

“I always thought if I did not becomea professional baseball player, I’d dosomething about water,” the rangyHughes said recently.

Hughes grew up in Statesboro andgraduated from the University ofGeorgia. Later, as a graduate studentin environmental science atColumbus State University, hewalked rivers and streams all overGeorgia, turning over rocks andexamining the critters to assess thehealth of the waters.

Today, the Habersham County resi-dent serves as coordinator of the

Soque River Watershed Partnership,a coalition of some two dozen localgovernments, state and federalagencies, nonprofit organizationsand educational institutions, workingtogether to reduce nonpoint sourcesof water pollution in the Soque Riverwatershed. He led the developmentof the Soque River watershed pro-tection plan and has begun to imple-ment its recommendations.

Education and outreach are a largepart of Hughes’s work. “Most peopletoday are disconnected from theirenvironment,” he says. “I want mywork to motivate others to be goodstewards of Georgia’s vital naturalresources.”

Becoming a WaysSouth volunteerand board member was a no-brainerfor Hughes. The original route for aproposed interstate linking Savannahand Knoxville would have runstraight through the Soque Riverwatershed. Although the route isnow undetermined, he sees a mas-sive highway, built to interstate stan-dards, as a threat to the watersheds,quality of life, cultural heritage andsmall town charm of mountain com-munities.

“We have to find a better way tomove people and goods than scar-ring the mountains with massiveroad projects through environmental-ly sensitive areas,” Hughes says.

For Hughes, WaysSouth is an impor-tant advocate for transportationsolutions in the SouthernAppalachians. He is eager to seeWaysSouth become the go-to expertin transportation for the region. “Wemust achieve credibility across theboard, at all levels, for our work tobe successful,” he says.

As a WaysSouth board member,Hughes is working to develop andnurture relationships with otherorganizations in the SouthernAppalachians that have similar goalsfor protecting mountain communi-ties.

“Fortunately, a lot ofsmart, good folks arecoming together to makea difference,” Hughesobserved.

Duncan Hughes, SafeguardingGeorgia’s Waters

Duncan Hughes with daughter Elizabeth and son Charles up at Tallulah Gorge

WaysSouth Board Member

Profile

Recently the WaysSouth RailroadTask Force completed a study aboutrailroad options and alternatives tomeet freight transport needs throughthe Southern Appalachians. Thefacts gathered support WaysSouth’sposition that railroads provide amore affordable, efficient and envi-ronmentally responsible way to movegoods through our mountains.Making improvements to our presentroad infrastructure, complementedby the railways, will provide thefreight transportation needs of the21st century. Following are highlightsfrom the study provided by BobGrove, chair of the Railroad TaskForce. The full study can be foundon the WaysSouth Web Site,http://www.wayssouth.org.

Railroad scope inSouthern Appalachians As of 2007, there were some twodozen freight railroads operating inNorth Carolina, Tennessee andGeorgia on more than 10,000 milesof track. These freight trains carriednearly 600 million tons of freight thatyear, often toxic and hazardousmaterials too dangerous to face thetraffic of interstates and other high-ways. They employed more than140,000 workers whose wages andfringe benefits netted an averageincome of $90,000 each.

Fuel efficiency andreduced pollutionOn average, a freight train is morefuel efficient than a hybrid car, threeto six times more fuel-efficient than atruck and contributes three to 12times less air pollution than cars ortrucks. One train can move theequivalent of some 280 truck trailers- the equivalent of 1,100 automo-biles. Bulk commodities like coaland grain are even more efficientlytransported - one train can transportthe equivalent of 500 trucks.Shifting a mere 25 percent of trucktraffic to rail would reduce 17 billiongallons of fuel consumption per yearand reduce air pollution by nearlyone million tons per year.Slow-downs from critical traffic lev-els in major U.S. cities cost oureconomy $78 billion a year in lost

time and wasted fuel. A mere 1 per-cent increase in rail's current shareof the freight market for one yearwould be equivalent to nearly 15 mil-lion trucks -- about 600 million tons --and would reduce shippers' trans-portation costs by $25 billion which,should also yield consumer savings.

A network to count onThe U.S. Department ofTransportation, American Associationof State Highway and TransportationOfficials, and the CongressionalBudget Office anticipate a 67 per-cent growth in the freight industry by2020; rail freight is expected to dou-ble by 2035.Most roads were not designed fortoday's heavy traffic loads, but railswere. New track can be laid faster,10 times cheaper and far lessdestructively than building new high-ways. Additionally, maintenance iseasier and cheaper, reducing theneed for expensive highway mainte-nance and repair.

Intermodal trains already serve inter-city truck distribution by transportingtheir trailers and containers. UPS isthe number one rail customer in theU.S. Giant trucking companies likeSchneider International and JB Huntare major customers as well.Intermodal freight allows major rail-road yards to off-load truck trailersand containers for truck distributionof goods to regional towns. Newconstruction of additional spurs andshort lines would help even more.

Railway infrastructureThe Rail Corridor Preservation Actgave the North Carolina Departmentof Transportation (NCDOT) authorityto purchase railroads and preserverail corridors for "future rail use andinterim compatible uses."Amendments to the act declared it apublic purpose for the NCDOT toreassemble critically-important, lostportions of rail corridors by condem-nation. State and federal funds areavailable to assist short-line railroadsmake improvements to tracks andbridges.

In 1988, the NCDOT purchased theformer Southern Railway's 67-mileMurphy Branch (part of which hassince been purchased by the GreatSmoky Mountains Railroad), settingthe precedent for additional acquisi-tions. NCDOT now holds title tomore than 100 miles of rail to bepreserved for future use, and hasrestored 12 train stations at a cost of$74 million to increase train servicein the state. In the first decade ofthis effort, the number of train pas-sengers to Charlotte annually wentfrom 36,000 to 123,000, earning thestate a National Trust award in 2007for its forward-looking transportationpolicy.

NOTE: Statistics drawn from:Association of American Railroads (AAR)

Go21 7th Annual Congestion Relief Index

Go21 Public Affairs releases

THE RAILROAD ADVANTAGE

The following article by WaysSouth volun-teer Wally Smith was recently published by"National Parks Traveler." With NPT monthlyreadership in the hundreds of thousands,this is excellent press on Corridor K.

In the spring of 1948, Pennsylvania native EarlShaffer stumbled into StecoahGap on the Appalachian Trail,high above the Little TennesseeRiver in western North Carolina'sGraham County. "I must havebeen a pathetic figure," he wrotelater in his memoirs, "streamingwith sweat, bleeding fromscratches, every muscle aching,crawling endlessly in a back-slip-ping, bush-clutching strugglebefore coming out on top."

The gap was a turning point forShaffer, a war-weary veteranturned hiker who would becomethe world's first person to com-plete a continuous thru-hike of theAppalachian Trail later that yearatop Mt. Katahdin, Maine. By thetime he hiked through the gap,Shaffer had endured severalweeks of off-and-on rainstormsand some of the Trail's mostrugged terrain. Climbing the hillon the other side of the gap,Shaffer would head towards theGreat Smoky Mountains, a regionhe would later remember as "fourstraight days of sunnytime andmoonlit nights, a halcyon interlude…Nowhere elseon the Appalachian Trail do I feel so strong an urgeto return."

More than six decades later, Stecoah Gap, perchednear 3,200 feet above sea level and a short drivenorth of Robbinsville, N.C., holds a similar symbol-ism for hikers traveling America's first NationalScenic Trail. For those headed northbound, StecoahGap heralds the approach to the Great SmokyMountains, much as it did for Shaffer years ago. Forsouthbound hikers, the gap signals the beginning ofthe trail's stretch through the infamous and beautifulNantahala Mountains, arguably some of the A.T.'smost rugged terrain. Although bisected by a scenicstretch of two-lane state highway, Stecoah Gap is,above everything, a steadfast landmark that haspersisted mostly untouched on the AppalachianTrail since the end of World War II.

This serenity, however, might be about to change. InJune of 2008, officials with the North CarolinaDepartment of Transportation released a DraftEnvironmental Impact Statement stating their intentto construct a new highway through Stecoah Gapand across the Appalachian Trail. The project is partof a larger proposed highway stretching fromChattanooga, Tenn., to Asheville, N.C., and deemed"Corridor K," one of 30 such corridors originally

identified by the AppalachianRegional Commission in 1964 asfuture highway projects in theAppalachian region. As currently proposed, Corridor Kis slated to cross the A.T. atStecoah Gap via a four-lane road-way drilled beneath the mountain ina 2,870-foot long, 570-foot deeptunnel. A secondary alternativeplaces a slightly shorter and shal-lower tunnel through the gap. Whilenot directly removing any part ofthe footpath itself, construction ofthe roadway would remove a wideswath of pristine forest that is cur-rently visible from overlooks furtherup the trail, forever altering thetrail's scenic character.Furthermore, scars from rock exca-vation necessary for the roadwaywould be visible from trailside over-looks on either side of StecoahGap."

Not surprisingly, the road proposalhas both local residents and thelarger trail community up in arms.Proponents of the project arguethat constructing a new roadway

through the trail corridor would improve safety fordrivers and spur economic growth. An economicstudy conducted in 2007 concluded that Corridor Kwas necessary to "support an economic future wewill be proud of." This study, however, never directlyaddressed any components of the National ParkSystem expected to be impacted by Corridor K.

Opponents of the road include local residents andthe Appalachian Trail Conservancy itself - the groupcharged with the management and maintenance ofthe trail corridor. In a comment filed with the NorthCarolina Department of Transportation in late 2008,the conservancy stated, "The proposed US 74Relocation (Corridor K) will have significant negativeimpacts on the A.T. and its users…There will be sig-nificant changes in the viewshed as seen from theA.T., for example from the overlooks on CheoahBald and the rock outcrops along the A.T. north ofStecoah Gap, which will greatly diminish the primi-tive experience the A.T. is intended to provide."

Corridor KCollides WithAT History,

Heritage andHeart

continued Pg. 8To see the full article and join in the online discussion, go to:

http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2010/01/road-proposal-stirs-controversy-along-appalachian-national-scenic-trail5214

WaysSouth 1074 Arbor Dr.

Lakemont GA 30552 706 508-3711

info@WaysSouth.orgwww.WaysSouth.org

Corridor

•Awareness •Accountability

•Action

KK

Up to 50 other regional and national organizationshave echoed this opposition of Corridor K by wayof WaysSouth, a group formed to promote respon-sible transportation projects in the Appalachianregion. One of these groups, the SouthernEnvironmental Law Center, has echoed the conser-vancy in a release about theCorridor K project:

"First proposed by the AppalachianRegional Commission in the 1960s,Corridor K was then seen as aneconomic boon for the area southof the Great Smoky MountainsNational Park. Today, however, it'sclear that the remaining segmentsof this project would jeopardize theregion's true economic engine: theunspoiled vistas, clear-running troutwaters, and backcountry recreationsites that drive outdoor tourism."

Outside of these environmental andeconomic impacts, however, theCorridor K proposal raises somedeeper questions about the intrinsicnature of our national parks. TheAppalachian Trail is one of thenation's most unique parks, stretch-ing in a continuous 2,175-mileswath of protected land across the highlands of theEastern U.S. that rarely measures more than a milein width. This linear nature inevitably places the A.T.at risk of conflicts with development and society,and the Corridor K proposal is certainly no excep-tion. On one side of the debate are the concerns oflocal developers and governments, who see thenew roadway as a boon for local economies. On theopposite side is the National Scenic Trail itself,which was originally developed under the purposesof promoting "the preservation of, public access to,travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of theopen-air, outdoor areas and historic resources ofthe Nation."

In between these two sides are questions that des-perately need asking - and answers. Does protect-ing the natural, cultural, and even personal heritageembodied by locations on the trail involve rejectingroad proposals that might forever alter - or eveneradicate - those very places? Can the existingroadway through Stecoah Gap be improved so asto fit the goals of both regional planners and thenational scenic trail, instead of a project that fits the

goals of only one set of stakehold-ers? Does a place as unassumingas Stecoah Gap, N.C., evendeserve protection? No matterhow clear-cut the answers mightseem, these are all questions thatshould be a major part of the dis-cussion surrounding a projectplanned to impact one of the moststoried components of the NationalPark System, but to date, theyremain largely absent from the dia-logue.

Although he passed away longbefore Corridor K became a con-troversial issue with theAppalachian Trail, it isn't too diffi-cult to see where Earl Shaffermight stand. In 1965, Shafferbecame another part of A.T. historywhen he completed a second,southbound thru-hike, becomingthe first person to travel the length

of the National Scenic Trail in both directions. On aTuesday in October, he passed through StecoahGap once more, spending the night under a rockshelf just off the highway. During the course of thisthru-hike, Shaffer jotted down a poem in his trailjournal, writing "The poisoning of water,/air, andsoil/Is reaching limits where/man can survive. Yetman is blind and/greedy, bent on spoil/And soonthere may/be few men left alive."

Forty-five years later, those few lines of verse stillring true as a poignant reminder, regardless of yourpersonal outlook on Corridor K. When it comes toprojects like this one, it only hurts us all by leavingour national parks out of the discussion.

AT History-contined