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<bill bill-stage="Introduced-in-Senate" dms-id="A1" public-private="public" slc-id="S1-RYA25202-N0D-3T-9TK"><metadata xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
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<dc:title>119 S2440 IS: To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain National Forest System land located in Franklin County, Mississippi, and for other purposes.</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. Senate</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>2025-07-24</dc:date>
<dc:format>text/xml</dc:format>
<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>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.</dc:rights>
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<distribution-code>II</distribution-code><congress>119th CONGRESS</congress><session>1st Session</session><legis-num>S. 2440</legis-num><current-chamber>IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES</current-chamber><action><action-date date="20250724">July 24, 2025</action-date><action-desc><sponsor name-id="S395">Mrs. Hyde-Smith</sponsor> introduced the following
                bill; which was read twice and referred to the <committee-name committee-id="SSAF00">Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
                Forestry</committee-name></action-desc></action><legis-type>A BILL</legis-type><official-title>To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain National Forest
            System land located in Franklin County, Mississippi, and for other
            purposes.</official-title></form><legis-body><section id="PH71A7C6ECCFC0434E90DC4FBEA6D183C5" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="section-one"><enum>1.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Okhissa Lake rural economic development land
 conveyance</header><subsection id="PHAA8425A0D14349FA9C422F8F100F2AB8" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id120ce31a6a3a4b89b900365bc4e8e79c"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Alliance</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>Alliance</term> means the Scenic Rivers Development Alliance.</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3a908ac85c54474ca9116aba4cae36ff"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Secretary</header><text>The term <term>Secretary</term> means the Secretary of Agriculture.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="PHEC49C006B1D444DFA1292B1868BF3E1F" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Request</header><text>Subject to the requirements of this section, if the Alliance submits a written request for conveyance by not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act and the Secretary determines that it is in the public interest to convey the National Forest System land described in subsection (c), the Secretary shall convey to the Alliance all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the National Forest System land described in subsection (c) by quitclaim deed through a public or private sale, including a competitive sale by auction or bid.</text></subsection><subsection id="PH09D56523A8FC42F38464FE19833B90FB" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Description of National Forest System land</header><paragraph id="PHACDAD9826A8B4A88B5B53E62CEAC9CBD"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Subject to paragraph (2), the National Forest System land referred to in subsection (b) is—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id551f548ffaff4a5d80d2a20d77ec243a"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the approximately 137.7 acres of real property located in secs. 5 and 6, T. 5 N., R. 4 E., and sec. 31, T. 6 N., R. 4 E., Franklin County, Mississippi, as depicted on the map prepared for the Alliance by Marling Surveying, LLC, entitled <quote>Map of Survey of a 137.70 Acre Tract, a Portion of U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Homochitto National Forest Tracts H–41g &amp; H–307</quote>, and dated September 16, 2024; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id485899974b4b4996a21baee8aa2e317a"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the approximately 173 acres of real property located in secs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, T. 5 N., R. 4 E., Franklin County, Mississippi, as depicted on the map prepared for the Alliance by Marling Surveying, LLC, entitled <quote>Map of Survey of a +/− 173 Acre Tract, a Portion of U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Homochitto National Forest Tracts H–1, H–3b, H–41g &amp; H–307</quote>, and dated September 16, 2024.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="PH6C5B9C70E76B42B790F39300477A4187"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Survey</header><text>The exact acreage and legal description of the National Forest System land to be conveyed under this section shall be determined by a survey satisfactory to the Secretary.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="PH9A89C8DB858E4FA788D1B26B1D2CA1A6" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Consideration</header><paragraph id="PHEE57F463854A49139F891B49627637DC"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The consideration for the conveyance of any National Forest System land under this section shall be—</text><subparagraph id="PHAEAD4D7F12CD45178989C758F7464F3F"><enum>(A)</enum><text>provided in the form of cash; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="PH96550F272AFA4A749B304A94400BC289"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in an amount equal to the fair market value of the National Forest System land being conveyed, as determined under paragraph (2).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="PH8DE00513C29D445487F81AAE695E1BBD"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Fair market value determination</header><text>The fair market value of the National Forest System land conveyed under this section shall be determined—</text><subparagraph id="PH0F2223446F954B05926336496B360F78"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the case of a method of conveyance described in subsection (b), by an appraisal that is—</text><clause id="PHA6F2768D382E444088A638256A8E48D0"><enum>(i)</enum><text>conducted in accordance with the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions; and</text></clause><clause id="PHAA958226A12B486293C3286ED4F4711E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>approved by the Secretary; or</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="PH1E74AACD880D495EBE245F9DDDAF4AA6"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in the case of a conveyance by a method other than a method described in subsection (b), by competitive sale.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="PHFEAA3B9301A74EBCA54B3667E695B74F" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Terms and conditions</header><text>The conveyance under this section shall be subject to—</text><paragraph id="PHCE2A246079E84890BDF3F98A7A7BA2CA"><enum>(1)</enum><text>valid existing rights; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="PH1239FCE9576E44519CB032F5FE7238C1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>such other terms and conditions as the Secretary considers to be appropriate to protect the interests of the United States.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="PHC112E77FA456423C930F46DC1E929775" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Proceeds from sale</header><text>The Secretary shall deposit the proceeds of the conveyance of any National Forest System land under this section in the fund established under <external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/90/171">Public Law 90–171</external-xref> (commonly known as the <quote>Sisk Act</quote>) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/484a">16 U.S.C. 484a</external-xref>).</text></subsection><subsection id="PH0D1AC1A2152A42EABFEE5350B9F87336" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Costs</header><text>As a condition for the conveyance under this section, the Secretary shall require the Alliance to pay at closing—</text><paragraph id="PHB475AA5C258243AC9E84D365956CEA49"><enum>(1)</enum><text>any reasonable appraisal costs; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="PHF2539EA3DB3F4E9FA12B8B3A62C964B4"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the costs of any administrative or environmental analysis required by applicable law (including regulations).</text></paragraph></subsection></section></legis-body></bill>


