The time is now for the environmental community to speak with a unified voice on the future of the structures in the Elkmont Area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM). The General Management Plan (GMP) amendment issue for the Elkmont area is currently underway. The outcome of this GMP amendment will have long-term impacts on the remarkable natural and archeological resources in the Elkmont area. Those resources include the Little River (designated an Outstanding National Resource Water), synchronous fireflies, rare montane alluvial ecological community as well as Native American and early settlers archeological artifacts. By legislative mandate the National Park Service (NPS) must protect these resources.

Get involved in the Elkmont GMP Amendment process. On page 40 of the GMP for the GRSM it is stated: "Leases for approximately 50 structures occupied by the Elkmont Preservation Committee (cabins and the Wonderland Hotel) will expire in 1992, and four remaining leases will expire in 2001 (see appendix A). None of the leases will be extended, and the structures are proposed for removal on termination of the leases. Building sites will be returned to a natural state."

Today the Elkmont structures are rotting shacks. Their sanitary, electrical, water, and heating systems are in a disastrous condition and unusable. Before the leases expired, these system would probably have failed to meet the building codes of a third world country. Numerous windows and formerly locked doors have been destroyed and many roofs leak, some very badly. Roofs, ceilings, interior floors, walls, porches, stairways, etc. are rotting and collapsing. The old hotel is also rotting and collapsing. It's in worse condition than most of the cabins. A chain link fence around this building protects the curious public by preventing entry. Renovating these structures to meet today's building codes and safety standards cannot be done.

Due to persons politically active in both state and federal politics, (former lease holders, would-be lease holders, commercial interests, etc.) this provision of the GMP has been circumvented and we must now deal with an amendment to the GMP. This amendment could have serious detrimental consequences for this unique area of the Smokies. Following is information summarizing the results of a meeting of representatives of the Greater Smoky Mountains Coalition (GSMC) which includes the Sierra Club, held on Nov. 20, 2002.

Why is it critical that the environmental community organize and get involved now? Because those interested in seeing Elkmont converted back into a private enclave for a few privileged persons through the rehabilitation of the structures and renting them for personal profit are well organized. On September 28, 2002, GRSM held a public workshop on this issue. Approximately 53 members of the public attended that meeting. Fifty of them spoke in favor of rehabilitating and renting the Elkmont structures. They clearly haven't toured the structures recently or are in denial. Only three members of the environmental community were there to speak in favor of protecting the natural and archeological resources. THAT MUST NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. The environmental community must organize and participate in future meetings.

From the junction of TN-66 and US-411 in Sevierville, take US-4ll N past the downtown area. A short distance past the downtown area watch for the Gary R. Wade Blvd. on your right. Turn right. You may turn in comments at this meeting or within a short period by mail or email. Handout material at the meeting will give all of the details necessary for this. Sometime ago the NPS established a web site providing information about the on-going public process associated with the Elkmont structures including announcements of public meetings: http://www.elkmont-gmpa-ea.com/.

The history of Elkmont is marked by repeated, successful attempts by the former Elkmont cabin lease holders to keep their exclusive use of the cabins long past the originally agreed upon termination date. A description of the history of Elkmont is available at: http://www.elkmont-gmpa-ea.com/purposeandneed.html.

It is important to recognize that the NPS has yet to collect the information necessary for the environmental community to articulate a clearly defined alternative for the management of Elkmont. We do not have detailed information on the state of the natural resources, the quality of the archeological resources, the cost of rehabilitating the structures which the ill-informed claim can be done, and more important the cost of maintaining any structure left in Elkmont. Please consider using the position statements as you and your organization shape your message to the NPS and the media.

1. NPS policy was established years ago (early 1930s) when the federal government acquired the properties in Elkmont. In its simplest terms this was to acquire the property and allow the owners to have a life-lease with a provision that the lease holders would move out of Elkmont upon expiration their lease. The structures would then be removed. It is wrong for the NPS to renege on this policy and allow new leases in Elkmont.

2. It is inappropriate for any part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) to become an enclave for a few privileged visitors or for use by commercial interests that provide food and overnight accommodations.

3. The Elkmont structures represented a weekend life style of a few privileged users whose residences were no where near the Park, but no structures of the former mountain people were left in the Elkmont area.

4. If any structures are allowed to remain, there should be no overnight stays in them. Only an absolute minimum (1 to 4) of the structures should be left for the historical interpretation of the logging history of the area. Interpretation of the logging industry lifestyle in the GRSM is significant.

5. The natural resources in the area must be protected and the Native American and early settlers archeological artifacts must be preserved and protected.

6. The water quality of Little River must be maintained for swimming, paddling, hiking, fishing, and wildlife. The Little River is an Outstanding National Resource Water (Tier 3). There should be no total daily discharge of effluent from the sewage treatment plant that exceeds the current maximum total daily discharge on the day of highest discharge and the total annual discharge should not exceed the current total annual discharge.

7. The very rare and endangered montane alluvial flood plain (the location of several cabins, campground and NPS facilities) must be conserved.

8. The habitat of the fascinating synchronous fireflies should not be diminished.

9. There should be no additional concessions permitted beyond the current ones (soft drinks and firewood sales at the campground).

10. Only limited additional trailhead parking should be added.

You can help the NPS make the right decision on the future of the Elkmont area. The NPS is collecting public comment regarding Elkmont on an ongoing basis. Please take the time to compose a set of comments based on the parameters listed above. Send your comments within 30 days to: Superintendent, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Phone 865-436-1227, e-mail ElkmontComments@tnainc.com.

Contact local news media. Please consider writing letters to the editor of your local media outlets, including the bottom line messages that:

1. The natural and archeological resources in the Elkmont area must be protected.

2. It is inappropriate for any section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to become an enclave for a few privileged visitor or for commercial interests providing food services or overnight housing.

Sierra Club
Tennessee Chapter