S 3221 · 96th Congress · Public Lands and Natural Resources

Great Smoky Mountains Wilderness Act

Introduced 1980-11-20· Sponsored by Sen. Sasser, Jim [D-TN]· Senate

Bill Progress

Introduced
2
Committee
3
Senate Vote
4
House
5
Enacted
Latest: Referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.(1980-11-20)

Plain Language Summary

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Great Smoky Mountains Wilderness Act - Designates specified lands in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee, as wilderness. Excludes a ten-acre enclave including the Mount Le Conte Lodge from the wilderness area and designates such area as potential wilderness under the provisions of the Wilderness Act. Excludes trail shelters in use within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the date of the enactment of this Act from review by the Secretary of the Interior as to the suitability or nonsuitability of such areas for preservation as wilderness. Requires such shelters to be maintained for a period of at least 15 years from the date of enactment of this Act, unless the Director of the National Park Service determines that continued maintenance of the shelters is not required for the health, safety, and well-being of lawful users. Directs the Secretary of the Interior and the Tennessee Valley Authority to negotiate the transfer of certain legal rights and easements retained by the Authority over lands within the park, where such legal rights and easements are: (1) inconsistent with the provisions of the Wilderness Act; or (2) not necessary for the op…

Summarized by Claude AI · Non-partisan · For informational purposes only