Commemorating the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision clearing the way for completion of the Tellico Dam, Robert Wilson takes a look back at the controversy in today's Knoxville News Sentinel [1].

Opposition to the Tellico Dam was one of my first forays into political activism. There were the land grab aspects. And the inundation of ancient, historical Native American gathering places and sacred burial sites. And the snail darter. All of which are covered in Wilson's article. But I was mainly opposed to destroying one of the South's premier trout fisheries.

Which is why I sent Pres. Jimmy Carter a telegram...

I sent Pres. Carter a telegram urging him to veto the water appropriations bill in which TVA had included an exemption to the Endangered Species Act that would allow them to finish the dam. Pres. Carter was going to be in the area, and I invited him to join a friend and me for a float fishing trip down the Little T so he could see for himself what the dam would destroy if he signed that bill. We offered to provide the boat, rods, reels, bait, tackle, lunch, and his favorite cold beverage.

Of course, I didn't think anything would come of it. Then one afternoon, my phone rang. I was working nights at the time, so I was still asleep. I stumbled out of bed and answered the phone with a groggy "'lo?".

Some guy said "Is this Mr. Neal?" Still groggy, I said "yeah?" He said "This is so and so with the Secret Service calling from the White House."

Now I was a little more awake and he sort of had my attention. "Yeah, right," I said. "Who is this? Who put you up to this."

The guy said "No, really. I'm calling about the telegram you sent Pres. Carter. He wanted to let you know that he appreciates the invitation but regrets that he won't be able to join you for the float fishing trip."

Still not quite coherent, all I could muster in response was "Well, OK. Thanks for letting me know."

Looking back, I'm not sure if it was a real phone call (this was before the days of caller ID) or if my friend had put somebody up to it. But if it was a prank it was a good one, because I bought it hook line and sinker.

Here's some Little T memorabilia [2] from the archives.