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90TH CONGRESS 2d Session

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

REPORT

{No. 1860

CHATTA

AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION AND DISPOSAL OF
CERTAIN LANDS AT CHICKAMAUGA AND
NOOGA NATIONAL MILITARY PARK, GA.

SEPTEMBER 4, 1968.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. TAYLOR, from the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H.R. 14413]

The Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 14413) to authorize the acquisition and disposal of certain lands at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Ga., and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill as amended do pass.

The amendment is as follows:

Page 2, line 20, to page 3, line 5, strike out all of the first sentence of section 2, and insert the following in lieu thereof:

Effective upon acceptance thereof by the State of Georgia in
accordance with its laws, and notification of such acceptance
being given to the Secretary of the Interior, there is retro-
ceded to and vested in the State of Georgia such jurisdiction
as has been ceded by such State to the United States over
any lands within the boundaries of the Chickamauga and
Chattanooga National Military Park in the State of Georgia:
Provided, That concurrent jurisdiction over such lands is
reserved to the United States.

PURPOSE

The purpose of H. R. 14413, by Representative Davis of Georgia, is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire approximately 66 acres of land adjacent to the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park and to exchange therefor, or otherwise dis

pose of, two small parcels of land comprising approximately one acre of land in the vicinity of the park. The bill would also permit the State of Georgia to exercise concurrent jurisdiction over the area and would change the designation of the area to "Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Battlefield."

NEED

The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park comprises historic battlefields in the States of Georgia and Tennessee which were the scene of some strategic encounters between Confederate and Federal troops in 1863. Most of the historic lands are already within the national park facility, but 66.29 acres of historically significant lands remain outside the boundaries. The acquisition of these lands is considered essential to the proper interpretation of the events which took place.

In acquiring these lands, the National Park Service desires authority to exchange two small parcels of land located near the town of Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., which it views as having no important historical association with the battlefield. Testifying before the committee, the landowner involved agreed to accept these lands in exchange, together with the difference between their appraised values.

Administration of the battlefield areas will continue to be the function of the National Park Service; however, the bill will enable the State of Georgia, concurrently with the United States, to enforce its laws, to execute civil and criminal process, and, to the extent applicable, to tax persons and property within the park area.

The redesignation of the area as Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Battlefield merely brings designation of this area into conformity with that of comparable areas. Designation as a national battlefield will more accurately describe the historical values represented in the area.

AMENDMENT

The amendment recommended by the committee classifies the language of the bill with respect to the retrocession of concurrent legislative jurisdiction to the State of Georgia and provides that such jurisdiction shall be retroceded after notification of acceptance of such jurisdiction by the State.

COST

Acquisition of the lands involved in this legislation will be accomplished partially by exchange of the two federally owned lots. To the extent that the value of the lands are not equal, they may be equalized by the payment of cash, as provided in the bill. Under the terms of the option with the landowner involved, this will amount to approximately $32,000 plus closing costs.

DEPARTMENTAL REPORT

The report of the Department of the Interior follows:

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