115 HR 5923 IH: Walnut Grove Land Exchange Act U.S. House of Representatives 2018-05-22 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
I115th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 5923IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMay 22, 2018Mr. Westerman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural ResourcesA BILLTo direct the Secretary of Agriculture to exchange certain public lands in Ouachita National Forest, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Walnut Grove Land Exchange Act.
2.
Definitions
In this Act: (1)
Church
The term Church means the Walnut Grove Church. (2)
Offered Tract
The term Offered Tract means all right, title, and interest of the Church in and to approximately 6.3 acres of non-Federal land identified as Offered Tract 5742on the Detail Map of the Walnut Grove Exchange, Ouachita National Forest Map. (3)
Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture. (4)
Selected Tract
The term Selected Tract means all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to approximately 4 acres identified as Selected Tract 5743 on the Detail Map of the Walnut Grove Exchange, Ouachita National Forest Map. (5)
Service
The term Service means the United States Forest Service.
3.
Exchange of land; equalization of value
(a)
Exchange authorized
Subject to the provisions of this Act, not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, if the Church offers to convey the Offered Tract to the United States, the Secretary shall— (1)convey to the Church all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the Selected Tract; and (2)accept from the Church a conveyance of all right, title, and interest of the Church in and to the Offered Tract. (b)
Requirements
The exchange under subsection (a) shall be— (1)subject to valid existing rights; (2)conditioned on an equalization payment made by the Church in accordance with subsection (c); and (3)conditioned on the payment of the costs described in subsection (g). (c)
Equal value and cash equalization
(1)
In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), the exchange under subsection (a) shall be for equal value or the values shall be equalized by a cash payment. (2)
Exception
If the value of the Offered Tract exceeds the Selected Tract, an equalization payment shall not be required. (d)
Appraisals
(1)
In general
The value of the land to be exchanged under this Act shall be determined by appraisals conducted by one or more independent and qualified appraisers. (2)
Appraisal standards
The appraisals required under paragraph (1) shall be conducted in accordance with nationally recognized appraisal standards, including, as determined appropriate by the Church and Secretary, the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions and the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. (e)
Format
Title and valuation to the land to be exchanged under this Act shall be in a format acceptable to the Secretary and the Church. (f)
Map and legal descriptions
— (1)
In general
As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall finalize a map and legal descriptions of all land to be conveyed under this Act. (2)
Corrections
The Secretary may correct any minor errors in the map or in the legal descriptions. (3)
Map on file
The map and legal descriptions shall be on file and available for public inspection in appropriate offices of the United States Forest Service. (g)
Costs of conveyance
As a condition of conveyance, any costs related to the conveyance under this section shall be paid by the Church.