[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4352 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4352
To amend the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of
Agriculture to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the
Benton MacKaye Trail as a national scenic trail.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 15, 2024
Mr. Warnock (for himself and Mr. Tillis) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of
Agriculture to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the
Benton MacKaye Trail as a national scenic trail.
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 ``Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail
Feasibility Study Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that the Benton MacKaye Trail--
(1) is a scenic, nonmotorized trail that traverses
approximately 287 miles over some of the most renowned forests
and mountains in the States of Georgia, Tennessee, and North
Carolina;
(2) showcases a wide variety of scenic views, including
high-elevation peaks, mature forests, and secluded waterfalls;
(3) passes through wilderness that is rich with
biodiversity;
(4) passes through 6 designated wilderness areas, the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Chattahoochee-Oconee,
Cherokee, and Nantahala National Forests;
(5) provides a wide array of easily accessible hikes for
novice and intermediate hikers, as well as more challenging
trails for backpacking;
(6) supports economic opportunities for numerous rural
communities that benefit from the visitors to the Benton
MacKaye Trail spending their money on accommodations, food, and
outdoor supplies;
(7) runs from Springer Mountain in the State of Georgia,
through the State of Tennessee, and extends through the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park in the State of North Carolina;
(8) is physically accessible; and
(9) can be maintained at a minimal cost because--
(A) the Benton MacKaye Trail has been maintained at
the same length since 2005;
(B) 95 percent of the Benton MacKaye Trail is
located on Federal land; and
(C) the Benton MacKaye Trail has been successfully
constructed, maintained, and managed by the Benton
MacKaye Trail Association since 1980.
SEC. 3. BENTON MACKAYE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL FEASIBILITY STUDY.
Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(c))
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(50) Benton mackaye trail.--
``(A) In general.--The Benton MacKaye Trail, a
scenic, nonmotorized trail that traverses approximately
287 miles in the States of Georgia, Tennessee, and
North Carolina.
``(B) Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary of
Agriculture, in consultation with interested
organizations (including the Benton MacKaye Trail
Association), shall complete and submit to Congress the
feasibility study for designating the Benton MacKaye
Trail as a national scenic trail.''.
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