1.1

1. Introduction
1.1 Project Purpose and Need: the 1943 Agreement
The purpose of the proposed action is to discharge and satisfy any
obligations on the part of the United States that presently exist as the
result of the July 30, 1943, Memorandum of Agreement (1943
Agreement) among the United States Department of Interior (DOI),
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Swain County, North Carolina,
and the state of North Carolina. The 1943 Agreement, which is
mcluclecl m Appenctix A, ciealt wrth the creat�on ot rontana Uam ancl
Reservoir (referred to as Fontana Lake) that caused the flooding of lands and roads within Swain County. As
part of the 1943 Agreement, 44,170 acres (17,875 hectares [ha]) of land were ultimately transferred to the
DOI and made part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP, also referred to as the Park). The
1943 Agreement contained a provision by which the DOI was to construct a road through GSMNP, along the
north shore of the newly formed Fontana Lake (generally located between Fontana Dam and Bryson City,
North Carolina), to replace the flooded NC 288. The 1943 Agreement also called for the state of North
Carolina to construct a road from Bryson City to the GSMNP boundary. That road (Fontana Road [SR
l 364]) was completed in l 959.
Approximately 7.2 miles (mi) (11.5 kilometers [km]) of the originally proposed North Shore Road (known
as Lake View Road) bave been constructed within GSMNP, with the last segment being completed in the
1970s. Due to environmental concerns with acid rock, high construction cost, and construction feasibility,
construction of Lake View Road was stopped in 1972. The need of the project is to determine whether or
not it is feasible to complete tbe road and to evaluate other alternatives that would satisfy the obligation.
Recognizing that the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, (NEPA) requires
consideration of a reasonable range of alternatives that would address the purpose and need for a proposed
action, this Environinental Inzpact Statement (EIS) includes several different alternatives for detailed study.
The detailed study alternatives include: No-Action, Monetary Settlement, Laurel Branch Picnic Area,
Partial-Build Alternative to Bushnell, and the Northern Shore Corridor. The development of ihese
alternatives was based on their ability to address the purpose and need, while attempting to avoid known and
sensitive resources. The Record ofDecision (ROD) for this EIS would serve as the General Managerrzent
Plan (GMP) Amendnzent for GSMNP if an alternative that is not consistent with the Park's GMP were
selected for implementation. Since the Laurel Branch Picnic Area is included in the current GMP and
because the Monetary Settlement would not involve changes to GSMNP, neither would require the GMP to
be amended.
1.2 Project Goals and Objectives
Project goals and objectives are what the National Park Service (NPS) intends to accomplish by taking the
proposed action. They are meant to protect the Park's resources and to ensure the action is meaningful. The
project study team developed the goals and objectives for the project by reviewing the GSMNP's GMP,
other management documents, and public and agency input.
Draft goals and objectives were presented to the public and agencies at March 2003 scoping meetings. After
reviewing all public and agency comments, the study team finalized the goals and objectives below.
Introduction —1-1
North Shore Road Final Environmental Impact Statement