Stratton Ridge Air Force Memorial Act
The Stratton Ridge Air Force Memorial Act would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to relocate a memorial honoring nine Air Force crew members who died in a C-141B crash on August 31, 1982. The memorial is currently on private land adjacent to the Cherohala Skyway in North Carolina. With the private landowner’s consent, the Secretary could, via a special use authorization, relocate and maintain the memorial at the Stratton Ridge rest area (mile marker 2) on the Cherohala Skyway within the Nantahala National Forest. The site would need approval from the Secretary in coordination with 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 requesting party would bear all related costs, including processing, environmental analysis, and ongoing upkeep. The authorization could include terms such as a prohibition on enlarging or expanding the memorial.
Key Points
- 1The bill authorizes relocation of the memorial to the Stratton Ridge rest area at mile marker 2 on the Cherohala Skyway, within the Nantahala National Forest, NC, with the private landowner’s consent.
- 2Site approval requires the Secretary’s concurrence with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and, if near a Federal-aid highway, the FHWA Administrator.
- 3No Federal funds may be used for relocation, installation, or maintenance; the applicant must cover all related costs, including environmental analysis and processing.
- 4The special use authorization may include terms determined appropriate by the Secretary, including a prohibition on enlarging or expanding the memorial.
- 5The memorial commemorates the nine Air Force crew members who died in the August 31, 1982 crash over the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests during a training mission.