Oral history interview with Dr. Daniel Okun, October 22, 1985
Subtitle: Interview K-0021, Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007)
Contributors: Drey, Laura, interviewer; Southern Oral History Program; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Documenting the American South (Project); University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library
Edition: Electronic ed.
Publisher: University Library, UNC-Chapel Hill
Published: 2004
Place of publication: [Chapel Hill, N.C.]
Language: eng
Subjects: Interviews; Water quality; Water-supply; Reservoirs; Watershed management
Other titles: Interview K-0021, Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007); Interview with Dr. Daniel Okun, October 22, 1985; Oral histories of the American South.
Description: In this interview, Daniel Okun, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel at the time of the interview, lays out the case for creating the Cane Creek reservoir. His knowledge about water quality allows him to make a compelling argument, and he uses logic that might be painful to opponents of the reservoir. For example, he claims that the best way to preserve rural communities is with watershed protections, which prevent development. Opponents of the reservoir might argue that its construction will displace some residents and force damaging regulations on those who remain. Okun appears frustrated with the length of the legal battle over the project, which seemed necessary fifteen years before this interview. For Okun, the ultimate blame falls with the university, which moved too slowly early in the project and allowed opposition to build.
Notes: Title from menu page (viewed on Aug. 30, 2007).

Interview participants: Daniel Okun, interviewee; Laura Drey, interviewer.

Duration: 01:03:22

This electronic edition is part of the UNC-CH digital library, Documenting the American South.  It is a part of the collection Oral histories of the American South.

Text encoded by Apex Data Services, Inc. and Natalia Smith.  Sound recordings digitized by Steve Weiss and Seth M. Kotch.

Text (HTML and XML/TEI source file) and audio (MP3; ca. 116MB)

Original version: Southern Oral History Program Collection, (#4007), Series K, Southern Communities, interview K-0021, Manuscripts Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Transcribed by Jean Houston. Original transcript: 33 p.

Funding from the University of North Carolina Library supported the electronic publication of this interview.

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

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