Dear Editor,
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a national treasure and is famous for its diversity of animal and plant life. But, the park is also the most popular national park in the country attracting more than 9 million visitors a year, which brings me to my point.
The pollution level inside the park has risen over the last couple decades to insane levels. You can see how bad the pollution is from the top of Clingman’s Dome, the Chimneys, Alum Cave Bluff and countless other points in the park.
Many people think that humidity and low-line clouds are why visibility is so poor, but actually it is the tons of car exhaust floating in the air.
I don’t think Teddy Roosevelt, who dedicated millions of acres as federally protected habitats would have stood for the way we are treating our national parks.
Nine million people a year travel to the Great Smoky Mountains to see the sights and enjoy nature, but they never get out of their air-conditioned cars.
Cades Cove is bumper to bumper during most of the year. Newfound Gap and Clingman’s Dome are nothing but parking lots.
I am not supporting restricting the use of the park, but a mass transit system up to Clingman’s Dome and around Cades Cove would be a big step toward reducing the dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide and other greenhouse gases in the air.
I fear that if something is not done soon we may lose a national treasure.
Jeremiah Coram

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