URL: https://www.indianz.com/News/archives/001473.asp

Wednesday, September 17, 2003

Rep. Charles Taylor (R-N.C.) is defending a proposed land swap between the Eastern Band of Cherokees and the National Park Service.

The tribe wants to exchange 168 acres of its land for 143 acres within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The land will be used to build a new school for Cherokee children.

The National Parks Conservation Association released an independent appraisal yesterday that said the federal land is worth $3.5 million, compared to about $500,000 for the Cherokee land. But Taylor says the Cherokee land is actually worth more.

Taylor is sponsoring a bill to make the land exchange even though NPS is still going through the process of approving it.

Get the Story:
Land swap prices draw flak (The Knoxville News 9/17)
Swap called a bad deal (The Raleigh News Observer 9/17)
Land swap between Park, Indians may violate law (The Maryville Daily Times 9/17)
New Appraisal Says Ravensford is Worth $3.5 Million (NPCA 9/16)

Get the Bill:
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Land Exchange Act of 2002 (H.R.1409)

Relevant Links:
Cherokee Land Exchange - http://www.npslandexchange.com
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians - http://www.cherokee-nc.com
Great Smoky Mountains National Park - http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm
National Parks Conservation Association - http://www.eparks.org

Related Stories:
Parks group says Cherokee land swap not worth it (9/15)
NPS holding meetings on Eastern Cherokee land swap (07/10)
Cherokee swap site home to rare species, artifacts (7/7)
NPS to hold public meetings on Cherokee land swap (6/30)
NPS doesn't oppose Eastern Cherokee land swap (6/19)
House committee to consider tribal bills (6/18)
Tribal school project on 'endangered' parks list (01/15)
Indian man resigning from Park Service (12/10)
NPS manager to quit over Cherokee swap (10/04)
Yellowstone bison death toll mounts (5/23)
Group cites tribal transfer as danger to park (3/26)
Cherokee tribe urges land swap (2/13)

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