Great Smoky Mountains Wilderness Act

Summary

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 operation and maintenance of the Fontana Lake Dam. States that a certain tract of land formerly owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority shall be designated and administered as wilderness effective on the date of enactment of this Act. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to acquire all lands or interests in lands within the boundaries of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park within four years of the enactment of this Act. Permits the Secretary, within the boundaries of the wilderness designated by this Act, to acquire lands and interests therein by purchase, condemnation, donation, transfer from any Federal or State agency, or exchange. Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect adversely, or to authorize any Federal agency to take any action which would adversely affect, any rights or privileges, pursuant to a specified agreement of the Secretary of the Interior, the State of North Carolina, and the county of Swain, North Carolina, in property within the wilderness designated by this Act. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to seek arrangements agreeable to the State of North Carolina and the county of Swain, North Carolina, which would eliminate the need for any encroachment, pursuant to such agreement, upon the wilderness designated by this Act. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to endeavor to find an agreeable compromise which will: (1) satisfy the intent of the agreement relating to the county of Swain, North Carolina; and (2) preserve the community values and the way of life of the county of Swain, North Carolina. Declares that the wilderness designated by this Act, including the tract of land formerly owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority, shall be known as the Great Smoky Mountains Wilderness.

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1 official file

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 20 November 1980

  Open at official source

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