I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 980
To establish the Moccasin Bend National Historic Site in the State of
Tennessee as a unit of the National Park System.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 13, 2001
Mr. WAMP (for himself, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. JENKINS, Mr. BRYANT, Mr.
HILLEARY, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr. CLEMENT, Mr. GORDON, Mr. TAN-
NER, and Mr. FORD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Resources
A BILL
To establish the Moccasin Bend National Historic Site in
the State of Tennessee as a unit of the National Park
System.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. MOCCASIN BEND NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE,
TENNESSEE.
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
(1) HISTORIC SITE.—The term ‘‘historic site’’
means the Moccasin Bend National Historic Site es-
tablished by subsection (b).
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Interior.
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF HISTORIC SITE.—In order
to preserve for the benefit and education of the people of
the United States certain archaeological and historic re-
sources located on a portion of the peninsula bounded by
the Tennessee River and known as Moccasin Bend near
Chattanooga, Tennessee, there is established the Moccasin
Bend National Historic Site as a unit of the National
Park System. No other unit of the National Park System
possesses the extensive range of historic themes and cul-
tural resources available for interpretation at the historic
site, and the establishment of the historic site enhances
the collective significance and interpretive potential of
these resources.
(c) BOUNDARIES.—
(1) MAIN AREA.—The historic site shall consist
of approximately 911.5 acres, as depicted on the
map entitled ‘‘Boundary Map, lllll’’, num-
bered ll, and dated ll.
(2) TRAIL
OF
TEARS
AND
CIVIL
WAR
COR-
RIDOR.—The historic site shall also consist of the
97-acre parcel of land known as the Rock-Tenn
property, containing the Federal Road (designated
in 1807) between Ross Landing and Browns Ferry
that served as a portion of the overland route trav-
eled by the Cherokee during their removal from an-
cestral lands to Oklahoma during 1838 and 1839
and was used by the Union Army to break the Con-
federate siege of Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1863.
(3) SERODINO AND KLIMSCH PROPERTY.—The
lands encompassed by the boundaries of the historic
site described in paragraph (1) include the 14.5-acre
parcel known as the Serodino and Klimsch property.
(4) FILING AND AVAILABILITY OF MAPS.—The
map referred to in paragraph (1) shall be on file and
available for public inspection in appropriate offices
of the National Park Service. The Secretary may
make minor revisions in the boundaries of the his-
toric site in accordance with section 7(c) of the Land
and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16
U.S.C. 460l–4(c)).
(d) ACQUISITION AUTHORITY.—
(1) ACCEPTANCE
OF
LANDS.—The Secretary
may accept, on behalf of the United States, lands
within the boundaries of the historic site that are
donated by the State of Tennessee, the county of
Hamilton, Tennessee, the city of Chattanooga, Ten-
nessee, or any individual, corporation, organization,
or other entity.
(2) DELAYED ACCEPTANCE OF INCOMPATIBLE
USE.—In the case of the parcel of land within the
boundaries of the historic site containing the Moc-
casin Bend Mental Health Institute, the Secretary
may accept donation of the parcel for inclusion in
the historic site only after the facility is no longer
used to provide health care services.
(3) PURCHASE
AUTHORITY.—Private lands
within the boundaries of the historic site may be ac-
quired by the Secretary only by purchase from will-
ing sellers with appropriated or donated funds, by
donation, or by exchange.
(e) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall admin-
ister the historic site in accordance with this section and
the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park
System, including the Act of August 25, 1916 (commonly
known as the National Park Service Organic Act; 16
U.S.C. 1 et seq.), and the Act of August 21, 1935 (com-
monly known as the Historic Sites, Buildings, and Antiq-
uities Act; 16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).
(f) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—
(1) AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary may consult
with and enter into cooperative agreements with in-
terested entities and individuals to provide for the
preservation, development, interpretation, and use of
the historic site.
(2) CONDITIONS.—Any payment made by the
Secretary pursuant to such a cooperative agreement
shall be subject to an agreement that conversion,
use, or disposal of the project assisted under the co-
operative agreement for purposes contrary to the
purposes of the historic site, as determined by the
Secretary, shall result in a right of the United
States to reimbursement of all funds made available
to such project or the proportion of the increased
value of the project attributable to such finds as de-
termined at the time of such conversion, use, or dis-
posal, whichever is greater.
(g) MOCCASIN BEND GOLF COURSE.—The Moccasin
Bend Golf Course of the city of Chattanooga is not within
the boundaries of the historic site described in paragraph
(1) or (2) of subsection (c). The golf course is managed
under a lease that is set to expire in 2005, but that may
be renewed or extended. Until such time as the lands cov-
ered by the golf course are no longer used as either a pub-
lic or municipal golf course, the Secretary may not request
an adjustment in the boundaries of the historic site to in-
clude the lands and permit possible future acquisition of
the lands.
(h) VISITOR
INTERPRETIVE
CENTER.—The Sec-
retary may use a portion of the visitor center established
for the historic site as an additional interpretive center
for the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail and to inter-
pret the forcible removal of southeastern Indian tribes to
Oklahoma. To assist in the establishment and operation
of the visitor center, the Secretary may accept and use
gifts, bequests, or devises of services, funds, and real and
personal property.
(i) REPEAL
OF PREVIOUS ACQUISITION AUTHOR-
ITY.—The Act of August 3, 1950 (Chapter 532; 16 U.S.C.
424a–4), is repealed.
Æ