[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1526 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1526

 To authorize an exchange of land between the Secretary of Agriculture 
   and the Secretary of the Interior and the Big Sky Lumber Company.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 13, 1997

   Mr. Burns introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize an exchange of land between the Secretary of Agriculture 
   and the Secretary of the Interior and the Big Sky Lumber Company.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be referred to as the ``Gallatin Range Consolidation 
Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) the land north of Yellowstone National Park possesses 
        outstanding natural characteristics and wildlife habitats that 
        would make the land a highly valuable addition to the National 
        Forest System; and
            (2) it is in the interest of the United States for the 
        Secretary of Agriculture to enter into an option agreement with 
        Big Sky Company for the acquisition of land by the Secretary to 
        meet the intent of the directive made in the Gallatin Range 
        Consolidation and Protection Act of 1993 (107 Stat. 987).

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Big sky.--The term ``Big Sky'' means the Big Sky Lumber 
        Company, a corporation, and its successors and assigns.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.

SEC. 4. BIG SKY LUMBER LAND EXCHANGE.

    (a) In General.--If Big Sky offers to the United States acceptable 
fee title, including mineral interests, to the land to be described--
            (1) the Secretary shall accept a warranty deed to the land; 
        and
            (2)(A) the Secretary shall convey to Big Sky, subject to 
        valid existing rights and to such other terms, conditions, 
        reservations, and exceptions as may be agreed on by the 
        Secretary and Big Sky, the land to be described; and
            (B) the Secretary of the Interior shall convey to Big Sky, 
        by patent, subject to valid existing rights and to such other 
        terms, conditions, reservations, and exceptions as may be 
        agreed on by the Secretary of the Interior and Big Sky, fee 
        title to the land to be described.
    (b) Land Descriptions.--
            (1) Land to be conveyed by big sky.--The land described in 
        this paragraph is the land comprising approximately 54,720 
        acres of land by Big Sky.
            (2) Land to be conveyed by the secretaries.--
                    (A) The secretary.--The land to be described.
                    (B) The secretary of the interior.--The land 
                described shall comprise approximately 24,627 acres.
    (c) Easements.--As a part of the land exchange under subsection 
(a)--
            (1) the Secretary, under the authority of section 2 of 
        Public Law 88-257 (commonly known as the ``National Forest 
        Roads and Trails Act'') (16 U.S.C. 533) and the Federal Land 
        Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), 
        convey to Big Sky such easements in or other rights-of-way over 
        federally owned land as may be agreed to by the Secretary and 
        Big Sky; and
            (2) Big Sky shall convey to the United States such 
        easements in or rights-of-way over land conveyed to Big Sky 
        under subsection (a) as may be agreed to by the Secretary and 
        Big Sky.

SEC. 4. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

    (a) Lands.--Lands noted for exchange shall be determined prior to 
committee hearing, in agreement with the Secretary of Agriculture and 
the Secretary of the Interior and Big Sky.
    (b) Inclusion in National Forest System.--All land conveyed to the 
United States under this Act shall be added to and administered as part 
of the Gallatin National Forest in accordance with the law pertaining 
to the National Forest System.
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