To release a Federal reversionary interest and convey mineral interests in Chester County, Tennessee, and for other purposes.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
ReportedReported by Mr. Boozman, without amendment
Mrs. Blackburn (for herself and Mr. Hagerty) introduced the following …
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill resolves a minor land encroachment issue in Chester County, Tennessee where a church (Bethel Baptist Church) has encroached onto state forest land by approximately 19 inches. The bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to release the federal government's reversionary interest in the land and transfer federal mineral rights to the State of Tennessee.
Who Benefits and How
The State of Tennessee benefits by receiving full ownership of the 0.62-acre parcel without paying fair market value—only administrative costs—and without going through normal appraisal and environmental review processes. Chester County and Bethel Baptist Church also benefit indirectly as the encroachment issue can be resolved without costly legal proceedings or property disputes.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The federal government gives up its reversionary interest (the right to reclaim the land if it stops being used for public purposes) and all mineral rights without compensation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture loses potential future value from these rights, though the practical value is likely minimal given the small parcel size.
Key Provisions
- Releases federal reversionary interest in 0.62 acres of Chickasaw State Forest created by a 1955 deed
- Transfers federal mineral rights to Tennessee via quitclaim deed without compensation
- Waives normal requirements for land conveyances including appraisals, mineral surveys, and environmental reviews
- Requires Tennessee to pay only administrative costs incurred by USDA for processing the conveyance
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
Release Federal reversionary and mineral interests in approximately 0.62 acres of State forest land in Chester County, Tennessee to resolve a church encroachment issue.
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"Resolve minor land encroachment issue through streamlined administrative conveyance without typical appraisal or environmental review requirements"
Likely Beneficiaries
- State of Tennessee
- Bethel Baptist Church (indirectly, as encroachment issue is resolved)
Likely Burden Bearers
- United States (gives up reversionary and mineral rights without compensation, though State pays administrative costs)
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Agriculture
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
The Secretary of Agriculture
The State of Tennessee
The approximately 0.62-acre parcel of land in Chickasaw State Forest identified on State Forest Land Detail Map dated December 13, 2019
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