Even though greedy corporate interests have managed to sway or influence forest service supervisors in other parts of the country, the proposed car rally race on June 15-16 in a Wildlife Management Area at the Starr Mountain Wilderness is in direct violation of "The Wilderness Act."
A Local resident asks "Why do you want to destroy our Natural Wilderness?" ...Another local resident says a friend was sentenced to almost 2 years in prison for accidentally damaging a tree in the forest: 2 days of car rally racing would have a much more severe impact on the environment.
Hiwassee Ocoee District Ranger Supervisor Philip Earhart has decided to authorize all portions of National Forest Service Roads (NFSRs) 23, 44, 55, 67, 99, 103, 220, 221, 302, and 1333 on National Forest System Lands on the Ocoee Ranger District, Cherokee National Forest, Polk and Monroe Counties, Tennessee for rally car racing events on June 15-16, 2024.
One of the first of many comments at a recent rally forum community meeting described how a man had been convicted to a year and a half in federal prison because he crossed the creek in his truck and accidentally damaged a tree at Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park... "You know what it cost that man? non-dui, non-drug, he just damaged a tree with his Toyota truck-he served 1-
1/2 years in prison because it's federal land."...Two days of car rally races in the forest would have a much more severe impact on the forest environment.
