S. 1970

A bill to amend the National Trails System Act to update the feasibility and suitability study originally prepared for the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail and provide for the inclusion of new trail segments, land components, and campgrounds associated with that trail, and for other purposes.

Latest

II

Calendar No. 401

109th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 1970

[Report No. 109–239]

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 7, 2005

Mr. Coburn (for himself, Mr. Frist, and Mr. Alexander) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

April 20, 2006

Reported, under authority of the order of the Senate of April 7, 2006, by Mr. Domenici, with an amendment

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic

A BILL

To amend the National Trails System Act to update the feasibility and suitability study originally prepared for the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail and provide for the inclusion of new trail segments, land components, and campgrounds associated with that trail, and for other purposes.

1.

Revision of feasibility and suitability study of Trail of Tears National Historic Trail

Section 5(a)(16) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(a)(16)) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (B), by striking subsections and inserting sections; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(C)

Not later than one complete fiscal year after the date of the enactment of this subparagraph, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to Congress a study regarding the feasibility and suitability of designating, as additional components of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, the Benge and Bell routes, the land components of the designated water routes in Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, the routes from the collection forts in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee to the emigration depots, and related campgrounds located along such routes and in such land components, by which the Cherokee Nation was removed to Oklahoma. Upon completion of the study, if the Secretary determines that such routes, land components, and campgrounds are a feasible and suitable addition to the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, the Secretary shall designate such routes, land components, and campgrounds as components of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. The Secretary shall publish notice of the designation in the Federal Register.

(D)

No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out subparagraph (C). The Secretary may accept donations for the Trail from private, nonprofit, or tribal organizations.

.

1.

Revision of feasibility and suitability study of Trail of Tears National Historic Trail

Section 5(a)(16) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(a)(16)) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (B), by striking subsections and inserting sections; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(C)

Study of additional components

Not later than 3 complete fiscal years after the date of enactment of this subparagraph, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to Congress a study regarding the feasibility and suitability of designating, as additional components of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, the following routes and land components by which the Cherokee Nation was removed to Oklahoma:

(i)

The Benge and Bell routes.

(ii)

The land components of the designated water routes in Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

(iii)

The routes from the collection forts in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee to the emigration depots.

(iv)

Related campgrounds located along those routes and in those land components.

.

April 20, 2006

Reported with an amendment