George P. Radanovich: “Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2238 was introduced by the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers) and would authorize the Secretary of…”

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2238 was introduced by the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers) and would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire Fern Lake and its surrounding watershed in Tennessee and Kentucky from willing sellers for addition to the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. The boundary expansion would enhance the visitors' recreational experience and allow the National Park Service to preserve the 4,500 acre Fern Lake watershed and the water supply for the city of Middlesboro, Kentucky. Since the early 1900s, Fern Lake has been the sole source of drinking water for the city of Middlesboro, Kentucky. Cumberland Gap, located where the borders of Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia meet, forms a major break in the Appalachian Mountain chain. The park commemorates the story of the first gateway to the West, first used by the Native Americans and then by pioneers.”