InsideGov
Congress · Laws

Tapoco Project Licensing Act of 2004

Public Law 108-343 · S. 2319 · 108th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Oct 18, 2004 · Energy

Sponsor: Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

Report a correction

Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Tapoco Project Licensing Act of 2004 - (Sec. 3) Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to engage in a simultaneous land exchange with Alcoa Power Generating Inc. (APGI) upon conveyance by APGI of acceptable title to certain land adjacent to the APGI power line within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, generally depicted on the map as "proposed Property Transfer from APGI to National Park Service."

Identifies the land to be conveyed by the Secretary as approximately 110 acres within the Park: (1) adjacent to or flooded by the Chilhowee Reservoir; and (2) within the boundary of the Tapoco Hydroelectric Project as of February 21, 2003.

Prescribes procedural requirements, including reservation of a conservation easement over any land transferred to APGI that: (1) specifically prohibits development of the land by APGI which is not necessary for the continued operation and maintenance of the Chilhowee Reservoir; (2) authorizes public access to the easement area, subject to National Park Service regulations; and (3) authorizes the National Park Service to enforce Park regulations on the land and in and on the waters of Chilhowee Reservoir lying on the land.

Requires the deed to require reversion of the title to the United States if the Chilhowee Reservoir ceases to exist, or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issues a final order decommissioning the Tapoco Project from which no further appeal may be taken.

(Sec. 4) Grants FERC jurisdiction to license the Tapoco Project upon completion of the land exchange.

(Sec. 5) Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture to acquire for the United States any land or interest in land identified as specified easements that may be transferred by APGI to a nongovernmental organization pursuant to a specified Settlement Agreement.

Prescribes implementation requirements for land acquired by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, respectively.

(Sec. 6) Authorizes appropriations.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

Report a correction

Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 4667Related bill

    Tapoco Project Licensing Act of 2004

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.

  1. Oct 18, 2004Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 108-343.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 7, 2004FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 4, 2004FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
  6. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2319.
  7. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  8. FloorFloor · Mr. Gibbons moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  9. Sep 17, 2004FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
  10. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  11. FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  12. Sep 15, 2004FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  13. Jul 7, 2004CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 618.
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Domenici with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 108-299.
  15. Jun 16, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  16. Apr 27, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 108-600.
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by National Parks Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  18. Apr 19, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  19. CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4097-4099)
  20. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

Report a correction

Amendments

No amendments to this bill are on record.

Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

Report a correction

Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.