Title: Tennessee Wilderness Act of 2017
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Tennessee Wilderness Act of 2017
This bill designates specified federal lands in Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee as wilderness and as additions to existing components of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2218 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2218

    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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    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 jurisdiction 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 Representatives 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''.

SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL WILDERNESS, CHEROKEE NATIONAL FOREST, 
              TENNESSEE.

    (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 existing components of the National 
Wilderness Preservation System:
            (1) Certain land comprising approximately 4,446 acres, as 
        generally depicted as the ``Big Laurel 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 paragraph (1), which shall be incorporated 
        in, and shall be considered to be a part of, the Sampson 
        Mountain 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 descriptions 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 descriptions 
        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 subsection (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 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 of 
        Tennessee with respect to fish and wildlife management 
        (including the regulation of hunting, fishing, and trapping) on 
        the Federal land designated as wilderness by subsection (a).
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