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Smokey Mountain National Park Environmental Problems Air Pollution Threatens Smokey Mountain National Park Near the southern end of the Appalachian mountains on
Submitted by rundmc06 on March 26, 2006
Category: Science
Words: 1133 | Pages: 5
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Air Pollution Threatens Smokey Mountain National Park
Near the southern end of the Appalachian mountains on the eastern end of the United States lies one of the most beautiful treasures mother earth has to offer. The 521,000 acre area of land deemed Smokey Mountain National Park on the Tennessee/North Carolina border got its prestigious status as priority one protected park in 1926 for many reasons. The park, made famous by wispy apparition like clouds that descend from the atmosphere into its scattered valleys, is also home to a extremely diverse and fragile ecosystem. An estimated 4,000 species of plant life are present as well as an abundance of wildlife including one of the highest Black Bear concentrations in the U.S. In present time, the Park has taken on yet another value, as a tourist attraction. An estimated nine million people explore within the parks boundaries and set a foot on some of the oldest mountains in the world.
Sadly, the humbling beauty of the park doesn't have the ability to reveal to the average visitor that there is a serious manmade force threatening to disable the functioning of the entire ecosystem and harm anyone who recreates or lives near its vicinity.
A novice to the area many not notice it, but someone who has frequented the parks scenic vistas such as Clingmans's Dome will tell you that you used to be able see a lot farther. What is it that is distorting views on otherwise clear days? The answer, sulfur and nitrogen forms of air pollution generated consistently from several sources. As well as altering the parks famous skies, it is now widely confirmed that the pollution above the park is having serious adverse affects on the plant and animal life below, and is even a growing concern for the humans in and around the park.
The air pollution that masses around the park comes in a few forms and has many sources. Outdated (grandfather) power plants west and even north of the Smokeys, that...
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