Stratton Ridge Air Force Memorial Act
The Stratton Ridge Air Force Memorial Act would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to relocate a memorial for nine Air Force crew members who died in a 1982 C-141B crash over the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests. With the private landowner’s consent, the Secretary could place the memorial at the Stratton Ridge rest area along the Cherohala Skyway in Graham County, North Carolina, within the Nantahala National Forest. The site selection requires concurrent approval from the North Carolina Department of Transportation and, if applicable, the Federal Highway Administration. No federal funds may be used for relocation, installation, or maintenance; the costs would be borne by the person or entity requesting the relocation, including processing, authorization, environmental analyses, relocation, installation, and ongoing maintenance. The authorization would be a special use permit on National Forest System land and may include restrictions (e.g., no enlargement of the memorial). The bill is titled the “Stratton Ridge Air Force Memorial Act” and was introduced in the 119th Congress by Rep. Edwards (joined by Rep. Davis of North Carolina); it is currently at the introduction stage.
Key Points
- 1With the private landowner’s consent, the Secretary of Agriculture may relocate the memorial to a site at the Stratton Ridge rest area on the Cherohala Skyway, within the Nantahala National Forest.
- 2Site approval requires the Secretary’s concurrence with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and, if the site is adjacent to a Federal-aid highway, the Federal Highway Administration.
- 3No Federal funds may be used for relocation, installation, or ongoing maintenance; the requester must cover all costs, including processing the relocation, issuing the special use authorization, any environmental work, and the mantenimiento of the memorial.
- 4The installation would occur under a special use authorization for use of National Forest System land, with terms the Secretary deems appropriate (including a potential prohibition on enlarging the memorial).
- 5The act explicitly governs the relocation process and site use, but does not provide federal funding or guarantee ongoing federal financial support.