H.R. 3599 · 114th Congress

Eastern Band Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act

Stage
In committee
Introduced
2015-09-24
Latest action
2016-02-24 · Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Summary

Eastern Band Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act

This bill takes specified lands and easements in Monroe County, Tennessee, into trust for the benefit of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. These lands include the Sequoyah Museum, the Chota Memorial, the Tanasi Memorial, and land to provide support for these properties and cultural programs.

With the agreement of the Department of the Interior and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the United States must take into trust for the benefit of the tribe certain additional TVA lands and easements that are identified by the tribe as being of significant historical and cultural importance.

The TVA maintains its right to carry out river control and development on these lands, including temporarily and intermittently flooding certain lands. The bill specifies the structures that may be constructed with the TVA's consent on certain lands subject to flooding.

The TVA must be compensated for lost hydropower capacity from future development of these lands.

Gaming on these lands is prohibited.