(a) This chapter shall be known by the title “The Tennessee Scenic Rivers Act of 1968.”

(b) The general assembly finds that certain rivers of Tennessee possess outstanding scenic, recreational, geological, fish and wildlife, botanical, historical, archaeological and other scientific and cultural values of great present and future benefit to the people. The general assembly further finds that the policy that has resulted in dam and other construction on many of the rivers of Tennessee needs to be complemented by a policy that would preserve other valuable selected rivers or sections thereof in their free-flowing natural or scenic condition and protect their water quality and adjacent lands. It is the policy of the general assembly to preserve and, if necessary, reclaim for the benefit of the people selected parts of Tennessee's diminishing resources of free-flowing rivers. It is the policy of the general assembly to maintain a proper balance between reservoirs and free-flowing rivers, to provide, thereby, a desirable variety of scenic, recreational, scientific and other values. It is the policy of the general assembly to preserve, within the scenic river system itself, several different types and examples of river areas, including the mountain streams and deep gorges of east Tennessee, the pastoral rivers of middle Tennessee and the swamp and wildfowl rivers of west Tennessee. For aesthetic as well as ecological and other scientific reasons, priority and especial emphasis shall be given to the preservation of natural, unspoiled, undeveloped river areas. Few of these are left in the eastern United States and the general assembly feels a strong obligation to the American people to protect the remarkably beautiful ones in Tennessee. The general assembly affirms that it must not deny the people of this generation and their descendants the opportunity to refresh their spirits with the infinite beauties of the unspoiled stream. To implement these policies, it is the purpose of this chapter to establish a state scenic rivers system by designating certain scenic river areas for immediate inclusion in the system and by prescribing the procedures and criteria for protecting and administering the system and for adding new components to it. It is not the intent of this chapter to require or to authorize acquisition of all lands within the exterior boundaries of scenic river areas but to assure preservation of the scenic, ecological and other values, and to provide proper management of the recreational, wildlife and other land and water resources. It is the intention of the general assembly that in all planning for the use and development of water and related land resources, consideration shall be given by all local, state and federal agencies involved to potential scenic river areas, and all river basin and project plan reports should discuss any such potential.