To modify the boundaries of the Talladega National Forest, and for other purposes.
Legislative Progress
ReportedReported by Mr. Boozman, without amendment
Mr. Tuberville introduced the following bill; which was read twice …
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill expands the boundaries of the Talladega National Forest in Alabama to include additional land as shown on an official map dated September 6, 2024. It authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to acquire land, water, and related interests from willing sellers within the expanded boundary area.
Who Benefits and How
- Landowners willing to sell gain an opportunity to voluntarily sell their property to the federal government at negotiated prices
- The U.S. Forest Service receives expanded management authority and can consolidate forest holdings for more efficient administration
- Conservation groups and outdoor recreation industries benefit from potentially expanded protected forest land and recreational access
- Local communities may benefit from increased tourism and outdoor recreation opportunities
Who Bears the Burden and How
- Federal taxpayers will bear the cost of land acquisition through donated or appropriated funds
- Local governments may see a reduction in property tax revenue if private land is transferred to federal ownership
- Neighboring landowners could face indirect impacts from having federal land as neighbors, though land is only acquired from willing sellers
- Timber and mining industries may lose access to lands that become protected federal forest
Key Provisions
- Modifies the Talladega National Forest boundaries per the official map dated September 6, 2024
- The boundary map must be publicly available at Forest Service offices
- Authorizes land acquisition using Weeks Law authorities (donations, exchanges, or purchases)
- Requires all acquisitions to be from willing sellers only
- Acquired land must be managed according to National Forest System laws and regulations
- Requires the Secretary to complete acquisitions without undue delay
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
Expands the Talladega National Forest boundary in Alabama and authorizes land acquisition from willing sellers within the expanded area
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"Expand federal forest holdings in Alabama through voluntary land acquisition, likely to consolidate federal ownership and improve forest management"
Likely Beneficiaries
- U.S. Forest Service (expanded management authority)
- Landowners willing to sell (opportunity for voluntary sale to federal government)
- Conservation groups (expanded protected forest land)
- Outdoor recreation industries (potential expanded access to national forest)
Likely Burden Bearers
- Federal taxpayers (cost of land acquisition)
- Landowners who may face development restrictions if neighboring land becomes federal
- Local governments (potential reduction in property tax base if private land becomes federal)
- Timber and mining industries (potential loss of access if private land becomes protected federal land)
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Agriculture
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Map entitled 'Talladega National Forest Proposed Proclamation Boundary Addition' dated September 6, 2024
Act of March 1, 1911 (36 Stat. 961, chapter 186; 16 U.S.C. 552 et seq.) - establishes land acquisition authorities for the National Forest System
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology