Heidi Alexander: “On behalf of Senator Corker and myself, I rise to introduce the Tennessee Wilderness Act of 2010. The legislation will…”

“On behalf of Senator Corker and myself, I rise to introduce the Tennessee Wilderness Act of 2010. The legislation will implement an important next step in conservation for some of the wildest, most beautiful and pristine areas in east Tennessee near where I live. To say that these are among the wildest, most pristine and beautiful areas sets a very high bar since the region is home to the Appalachian Mountains, and our Nation's most visited national park, a World Heritage site--in fact, one of the most visited sites in the world--the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, much of which is managed as if it were a wilderness area. From growing up in these mountains and my many years of hiking the quiet trails of the Cherokee National Forest, I can attest that the wilderness areas we protected there are something very special. Congress began protecting wilderness areas in the Cherokee National Forest in 1975, with additional wilderness areas being established by the Tennessee Wilderness Act of 1984 and the Tennessee Wilderness Act of 1986. I was Governor of Tennessee during that time. I remember testifying on behalf of and strongly supporting our congressional delegation as we did that.”