Congressman Heath Shuler successfully obtained $13 million for Swain County as a down payment on an eventual North Shore Road settlement in a House vote on Wednesday.

The funds for the initial North Shore Road payment was passed as a provision attached to a spending bill. There's a lot of excitement in the regional environmental community. Finally all that work and meeting is starting to pay off. But the operative word is "start". The final financial settlement has not happened.

Read Heath Shuler's full press release. http://...shuler.house.gov/2009/12/northshore-settlement.shtml

The picture above is of a car left by the residents who lived north of what is now Fontana Lake. For background, see the Conservation page.