[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8403 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8403

  To amend the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of 
 Agriculture to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the 
            Benton MacKaye Trail as a national scenic trail.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 15, 2024

 Mr. Cohen (for himself, Mr. Fleischmann, Mr. DesJarlais, Mr. Edwards, 
  Mrs. McBath, and Ms. Williams of Georgia) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of 
 Agriculture to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the 
            Benton MacKaye Trail as a national scenic trail.

    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 ``Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail 
Feasibility Study Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that the Benton MacKaye Trail--
            (1) is a scenic, nonmotorized trail that traverses 
        approximately 287 miles over some of the most renowned forests 
        and mountains in the States of Georgia, Tennessee, and North 
        Carolina;
            (2) showcases a wide variety of scenic views, including 
        high-elevation peaks, mature forests, and secluded waterfalls;
            (3) passes through wilderness that is rich with 
        biodiversity;
            (4) passes through six designated Wilderness Areas, the 
        Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Chattahoochee-
        Oconee, Cherokee, and Nantahala National Forests;
            (5) provides a wide array of easily accessible hikes for 
        novice and intermediate hikers, as well as more challenging 
        trails for backpacking;
            (6) supports economic opportunities for numerous rural 
        communities which benefit from the visitors of the trail 
        spending their money on accommodations, food, and outdoor 
        supplies;
            (7) runs from Springer Mountain in Georgia, through 
        Tennessee, and extends through the Great Smoky Mountains 
        National Park in North Carolina;
            (8) is physically accessible; and
            (9) can be maintained at a minimal cost because--
                    (A) the Benton MacKaye Trail has been maintained at 
                its current length since 2005;
                    (B) 95 percent of the Benton MacKaye Trail is 
                located on Federal land; and
                    (C) the Benton MacKaye Trail has been successfully 
                constructed, maintained, and managed by the Benton 
                MacKaye Trail Association since 1980.

SEC. 3. BENTON MACKAYE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL FEASIBILITY STUDY.

    Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(c)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(50) Benton mackaye trail.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Benton MacKaye Trail, a 
                scenic, nonmotorized trail that traverses approximately 
                287 miles in the States of Georgia, Tennessee, and 
                North Carolina.
                    ``(B) Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
                of the enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary of 
                Agriculture, in consultation with interested 
                organizations, including the Benton MacKaye Trail 
                Association, shall complete and submit to Congress the 
                feasibility study for designating the Benton MacKaye 
                Trail as a national scenic trail.''.
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