[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 973 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 973

To designate as wilderness certain public land in the Cherokee National 
       Forest in the State of Tennessee, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 27, 2017

  Mr. Alexander (for himself and Mr. Corker) introduced the following 
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To designate as wilderness certain public land in the Cherokee National 
       Forest in the State of Tennessee, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Tennessee Wilderness Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map entitled 
        ``Proposed Wilderness Areas and Additions-Cherokee National 
        Forest'' and dated January 20, 2010.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.
            (3) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of 
        Tennessee.

SEC. 3. ADDITIONS TO CHEROKEE NATIONAL FOREST.

    (a) Designation of Wilderness.--In accordance with the Wilderness 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following parcels of Federal land in 
the Cherokee National Forest in the State of Tennessee are designated 
as wilderness and as additions to the National Wilderness Preservation 
System:
            (1) Certain land comprising approximately 9,038 acres, as 
        generally depicted as the ``Upper Bald River Wilderness'' on 
        the Map and which shall be known as the ``Upper Bald River 
        Wilderness''.
            (2) Certain land comprising approximately 348 acres, as 
        generally depicted as the ``Big Frog Addition'' on the Map and 
        which shall be incorporated in, and shall be considered to be a 
        part of, the Big Frog Wilderness.
            (3) Certain land comprising approximately 630 acres, as 
        generally depicted as the ``Little Frog Mountain Addition NW'' 
        on the Map and which shall be incorporated in, and shall be 
        considered to be a part of, the Little Frog Mountain 
        Wilderness.
            (4) Certain land comprising approximately 336 acres, as 
        generally depicted as the ``Little Frog Mountain Addition NE'' 
        on the Map and which shall be incorporated in, and shall be 
        considered to be a part of, the Little Frog Mountain 
        Wilderness.
            (5) Certain land comprising approximately 2,922 acres, as 
        generally depicted as the ``Sampson Mountain Addition'' on the 
        Map and which shall be incorporated in, and shall be considered 
        to be a part of, the Sampson Mountain Wilderness.
            (6) Certain land comprising approximately 4,446 acres, as 
        generally depicted as the ``Big Laurel Branch Addition'' on the 
        Map and which shall be incorporated in, and shall be considered 
        to be a part of, the Big Laurel Branch Wilderness.
            (7) Certain land comprising approximately 1,836 acres, as 
        generally depicted as the ``Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Addition'' 
        on the Map and which shall be incorporated in, and shall be 
        considered to be a part of, the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock 
        Wilderness.
    (b) Maps and Legal Descriptions.--
            (1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file maps and 
        legal descriptions of the wilderness areas designated by 
        subsection (a) with the appropriate committees of Congress.
            (2) Public availability.--The maps and legal descriptions 
        filed under paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for 
        public inspection in the office of the Chief of the Forest 
        Service and the office of the Supervisor of the Cherokee 
        National Forest.
            (3) Force of law.--The maps and legal descriptions filed 
        under paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if 
        included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct 
        typographical errors in the maps and descriptions.
    (c) Administration.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to valid existing rights, the 
        Federal land designated as wilderness by subsection (a) shall 
        be administered by the Secretary in accordance with the 
        Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), except that any 
        reference in that Act to the effective date of that Act shall 
        be deemed to be a reference to the date of the enactment of 
        this Act.
            (2) Fish and wildlife management.--In accordance with 
        section 4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(7)), 
        nothing in this Act affects the jurisdiction of the State with 
        respect to fish and wildlife management (including the 
        regulation of hunting, fishing, and trapping) in the wilderness 
        areas designated by subsection (a).
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