Overview
Title
To release a Federal reversionary interest and convey mineral interests in Chester County, Tennessee, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
The bill wants to let Bethel Baptist Church keep using a little piece of land that belongs to the government in Tennessee, and says the government will give some underground stuff like minerals to the state without doing the usual checks or charges. Tennessee has to pay for any costs while the government does this, but they haven't said how much it might be.
Summary AI
S. 277 is a bill that aims to resolve an issue where Bethel Baptist Church is encroaching on State-owned land in Chickasaw State Forest, Tennessee. The bill proposes to release the U.S. government's reversionary interest in a small parcel of this land and convey the mineral rights to the State without typical requirements like appraisals or environmental reviews. The State of Tennessee will cover any administrative costs incurred by the United States in processing these actions.
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AnalysisAI
General Summary of the Bill
The bill, designated as S. 277, proposes the release of a Federal reversionary interest and the conveyance of mineral interests in a piece of land in Chester County, Tennessee. This land forms part of the Chickasaw State Forest. The issue arose because the Bethel Baptist Church was found to be encroaching on State-owned land by about 19 inches, as revealed by a recent state survey. The U.S. Department of Agriculture retains certain interests in this parcel of land that need to be relinquished to resolve the encroachment issue. The bill aims to release these federal interests and transfer mineral rights to the state of Tennessee.
Summary of Significant Issues
One of the critical points of concern is that the legislation permits the release and conveyance of interests without any appraisals, exploratory surveys, or environmental reviews. Such lack of due diligence could lead to future challenges, whether legal or environmental, as it bypasses important steps typically involved in property conveyance. Additionally, while the state of Tennessee is obliged to cover all administrative costs incurred during the process, the bill does not specify how these costs will be assessed, leaving room for disputes about cost estimation. Lastly, the expression "without warranty, and without consideration" regarding the conveyance of mineral rights could be open to interpretation, potentially inviting legal disputes over the responsibilities or obligations tied to the mineral interests.
Impact on the Public
For the general public, this bill aims to resolve a specific land conflict issue, which could assist local authorities and potentially free up resources that might otherwise be spent on litigation or dispute resolution. However, the implications of not conducting thorough evaluations and environmental assessments could become a broader concern if any adverse effects arise from this oversight.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
The most directly affected stakeholders are the Bethel Baptist Church and the State of Tennessee. The church stands to benefit from a resolution to their encroachment problem, potentially allowing for free use of the land adjacent to their property without the threat of legal action. For the State, while gaining mineral rights can be advantageous, the obligation to shoulder unspecified administrative costs could become burdensome if those costs escalate. Moreover, the lack of warranty or consideration regarding mineral rights could expose the State to unforeseen liabilities. Federal agencies such as the Department of Agriculture might be relieved of administrative responsibilities for the land, but the passage of costs to the state reflects a shift in financial burden rather than its elimination. This bill underscores the balance lawmakers often seek between resolving localized land disputes and ensuring sound governance and transparency.
Issues
The release of reversionary interest and conveyance of mineral rights without any appraisal, other reports, or environmental reviews raises concerns about lack of due diligence or oversight, which could lead to future legal or environmental issues. This is mentioned under Section 1(c)(1)(B) and 1(d)(2)(C).
The requirement for the State of Tennessee to pay administrative costs incurred by the United States, without clarification on how these costs will be estimated or capped, might lead to disputes between the State and the Federal Government. This issue is noted in Section 1(c)(3) and 1(d)(3).
The phrase 'without warranty, and without consideration' concerning the conveyance of mineral interests is vague and could potentially lead to legal challenges related to liabilities or responsibilities concerning the mineral rights. This is detailed in Section 1(d)(1).
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Chester County reversionary and mineral interests release Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
Congress is addressing an issue where Bethel Baptist Church is encroaching on Tennessee state forest land by releasing the U.S. government's reversionary interest and conveying mineral rights to the state, both without cost, to resolve the land use conflict while requiring Tennessee to cover any administrative costs involved.