I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2218 
To expand the Big Laurel Branch Wilderness and Sampson Mountain Wilder-
ness in the Cherokee National Forest in the State of Tennessee, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 27, 2017 
Mr. ROE of Tennessee introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on 
Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To expand the Big Laurel Branch Wilderness and Sampson 
Mountain Wilderness in the Cherokee National Forest 
in the State of Tennessee, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Tennessee Wilderness 
Act of 2017’’. 
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SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL WILDERNESS, CHER-
OKEE NATIONAL FOREST, TENNESSEE. 
(a) DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS.—In accordance 
with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the fol-
lowing parcels of Federal land in the Cherokee National 
Forest in the State of Tennessee are designated as wilder-
ness and as additions to existing components of the Na-
tional Wilderness Preservation System: 
(1) Certain land comprising approximately 
4,446 acres, as generally depicted as the ‘‘Big Lau-
rel Branch Addition’’ on the map entitled ‘‘Proposed 
Wilderness Areas and Additions-Cherokee National 
Forest’’ and dated January 20, 2010, which shall be 
incorporated in, and shall be considered to be a part 
of, the Big Laurel Branch Wilderness. 
(2) Certain land comprising approximately 
2,922 acres, as generally depicted as the ‘‘Sampson 
Mountain Addition’’ on the map referred to in para-
graph (1), which shall be incorporated in, and shall 
be considered to be a part of, the Sampson Moun-
tain Wilderness. 
(b) MAPS AND LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Agriculture shall submit maps and legal descrip-
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tions of the wilderness designated by subsection (a) 
with the appropriate committees of Congress. 
(2) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—The maps and 
legal descriptions submitted 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 de-
scriptions submitted 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 Secretary of Agriculture shall administer 
the Federal land designated as wilderness by sub-
section (a) 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 enact-
ment of this Act. 
(2) FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT.—In ac-
cordance with section 4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(7)), nothing in this Act affects 
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the jurisdiction of the State of Tennessee with re-
spect to fish and wildlife management (including the 
regulation of hunting, fishing, and trapping) on the 
Federal land designated as wilderness by subsection 
(a). 
Æ 
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