Next Meeting
Thursday, 7/9/09

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Notes from Previous Meetings
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Welcome to
The Lumpkin Coalition's Web Site

Current Issues & Actions

Hemlocks:  The Eastern and Carolina Hemlock trees are dying due to a spreading infestation of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA), an aphid-like insect native to Asia.  Hemlock stands are among the only old growth forests in the east and are of great importance to wildlife, water quality, economy, and basic quality of life.  If action is not taken soon, almost all of these magnificent trees will die within the next 10 years. 

Predator Beetle Lab Web Site:  Please visit the web site for NGCSU's Predator Beetle Lab.  Also click here to read recent progress reports from NGCSU and other beetle labs.

HemlockFest:  HemlockFest 2008 was great fun for everyone who participated and a wonderful success in raising awareness of the HWA problem and raising funds to help the Hemlocks.  Please visit the HemlockFest page to learn more, and be sure to save the first full weekend of November for HemlockFest 2009!

River Monitoring and Cleanup:  The importance of North Georgia's rivers and streams is hard to overestimate.  With the increase of population in the area and the current drought conditions, they are increasingly under stress and need our help.

The Lumpkin Coalition has implemented a committee to address water quality issues in north Georgia.  Activities include monitoring the health of local waterways, advocating for water quality and responsible use of our water resources, and  assisting in the organization of/and participation in river clean-ups, among other projects.  Photos of the LC-sponsored Rivers Alive Clean-Up this past Fall are posted on the Rivers page.

More volunteers are urgently needed for river monitoring in Lumpkin County.  If you live along or near a waterway and are interested in helping to protect our vital water resources, please contact us.  We'll be scheduling a training class early this spring and would love to have you join us!

Stop I-3:  An interstate has been proposed to connect Savannah, Ga. to Knoxville, Tenn. through our magnificent Appalachian Mountains (including part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park).  The devastation this would cause our watersheds, rivers and streams, wildlife, air quality, small towns and businesses, and overall quality of life is immeasurable but assured.  Please join the effort to stop this or any similar interstate from being constructed through our Appalachian or Piedmont regions.

Action Alert:  The Requests for Proposals (RFP) for the study of the proposed Interstate 3 may be issued as soon as this fall.  It’s crucial that the contractors bidding on this project know that many legislators and the citizens they represent in this area oppose construction of this road.  Read the latest Action Alert from the Stop I-3 Coalition and find out how you can help before it's too late.

Stop I-3 Page: Please visit the new Stop I-3 page of our web site.  In addition to the latest Action Alert, it contains:

• Maps of the originally proposed and potential alternate routes
• Key Impacts on the areas through which it may pass and the state as a whole
• A list of the counties, cities, and other organizations have passed Official Resolutions of opposition
• A Sample Letter that can be customized to your Congressmen, as well as their Contact Information

Reconsider Corridor K:  The Stop I-3 Coalition has brought to our attention another costly, destructive, unnecessary four-lane road that is on the fast track to completion in rural, mountainous western North Carolina.  The route would stretch from Asheville, NC to Chattanooga, TN  and would literally pave the way for Interstate 3 to slice through the mountains from Tennessee to Georgia, bringing with it air, water, and noise pollution, forever changing local communities, landscape and wildlife habitats, not to mention the waste of taxpayer money for projects that do not have a justified need or purpose.  

Rather than this destructive and costly proposal, upgrades along the existing route should instead be thoroughly evaluated and considered.  If you are concerned about the integrity of the southern Appalachians—the land and the people, and about irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars, take action.  Express your concern to the NC DOT.

Don’t allow Corridor K to carve a swath of destruction through our mountains.  Please read more in the new Reconsider Corridor K section of our Stop I-3 page.

Roadless Rule Act:  The decision on whether or not to keep our last remaining roadless areas within our national forests roadless is now up to the governor of each state.  The burden is on keeping them roadless.  Through a complicated application process, each governor must request the protection of these areas that were once protected by law. 

The good news is that some applicants have been granted the protection sought.  The bad news is that Georgia's Governor Perdue did not apply, so it's all the more important that citizens voice their opinion to his office and stay vigilant about activities related to this issue.

© The Lumpkin Coalition 2008, 2009.  Send comments/questions to donna@lumpkincoalition.org.  Web site updated: 07/02/09.