For immediate release, December 14, 2005

Stop I-3 Petition Drive Underway

The Stop I-3 Coalition today announced a major petition drive aimed at convincing elected officials to drop plans for a proposed, new interstate highway that would run from Knoxville to Savannah, via Augusta.

"It's time to show state and federal officials that their constituents in Southern Appalachia do not want or need this ruinous road," said Elizabeth Wells, chair of the coalition.

The mission of the broad-based coalition, with county chapters and supporters in the states of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, is to protect the mountains, rivers, lakes and forests for this and future generations. It is also to prevent construction of "Interstate 3" or any similar highway project in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains or along a route approaching the mountains.

Such a huge new road would do irreparable harm to mountain economies, forest, farms, and streams, and to rural qualities of life rooted in a strong sense of place, according to the coalition.

The petition builds on that mission statement and asks the officials to reject any such interstate route through the mountains as unacceptable.

(Click here for more details and the full text of the petition.)

Photocopies of the petition also are available for signature at many locations, including area restaurants, health food stores, bookshops and other retail establishments.

The petition drive will continue, Wells said, until the coalition secures signatures from more than 50 percent of the registered voters in each affected locality.

"We are continuing our research in order to educate ourselves, the public and our elected leaders about the details of this proposed route," Wells said.

Contact:
Joe Gatins
(706) 782-9944

URGENT REQUEST TO ALL OPPOSED TO INTERSTATE 3 !!!!!!

PETITION TO STOP INTERSTATE 3

United States Senators and Representatives sponsoring the Interstate 3 proposal, state and local officials, Department of Transportation personnel and people across the region and nation are closely watching local public responses to the outrage of an interstate through the Southern Appalachian mountains, a highway widely called “Interstate 3.” Representative Norwood, sponsor of the I-3 bill, and many other officials state that, as our representatives in this democratic nation, they will “ Do the will of the people.” If people who live near a proposed route are opposed to the Interstate, then they will do all in their power to prevent its construction. Really ? Proof is in their ACTIONS !!!

OUR part is to let them HEAR OUR VOICES OPPOSING I-3 or any interstate through the Southern Appalachians!! Written documentation proving public opposition to this interstate will strengthen our campaign!. Let’s ACT by sending officials our signatures and our message. Hold Representative Norwood and others to their word. Collect as many petition signatures as you can to STOP I-3 !!!

PETITION GOALS are to :

• MINIMALLY secure signatures from 52% of registered voters in your county, and as many other residents as possible. Example : Towns County, Ga. has 6550 registered voters, so Towns County minimal target is 3406 voter signatures;
• Keep the petition going until we REACH the goal;
• Notify officials and provide them signed petition copies as soon as we reach minimal signature levels.
  

The Plan :

• As soon as possible, print copies of the Stop I-3 Petition for yourself and friends (select Web Page or MS Word Document) or contact Bill Blumreich at 706-896-9776 (in Young Harris) for a copy if you don’t have a computer/printer;
• Secure signatures from friends, relatives, nearby neighbors and the public in general. Our success requires YOUR LEGWORK! However, all of us working within our home communities, counties and states will make this task easier. Also PLEASE ASK LOCAL BUSINESSES if they will place petitions in their place of business for public signatures;
• Keep all of your signed petitions!
• Starting end January 2006, send a monthly compilation of the number of signatures you and your team have compiled to : Ginny Heckel, StopI-3 Steering Committee (via email: gheckel@wt.net or via US mail: G.Heckel, 1074 Arbor Drive, Lakemont, Ga. 30552 ). Signature statistics will appear regularly on the Website.

WITH DETERMINATION WE CAN STOP I-3 !

STOP I-3 PETITION

For printable copies of the petition select:
Web Page (to print)
or MS Word Document (to download & print)