[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4285 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4285

      To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain 
 administrative sites for National Forest System lands in the State of 
Texas, to convey certain National Forest System land to the New Waverly 
           Gulf Coast Trades Center, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 13, 2000

  Mr. Turner introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                        Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain 
 administrative sites for National Forest System lands in the State of 
Texas, to convey certain National Forest System land to the New Waverly 
           Gulf Coast Trades Center, and for other purposes.

    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 cited as the ``Texas National Forests Improvement 
Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE OF ADMINISTRATIVE SITES, TEXAS NATIONAL FOREST 
              SYSTEM LANDS.

    (a) Authority To Sell or Exchange.--The Secretary of Agriculture 
may convey, by sale or exchange, under such terms and conditions as the 
Secretary may prescribe, any and all right, title, and interest of the 
United States in and to the following parcels of National Forest System 
land (including improvements thereon) located in the State of Texas:
            (1) Davy Crockett National Forest, Trinity Ranger Quarters 
        #066310 (Tract K-2D), located at State Highway 94, Groveton, 
        Texas, consisting of approximately 3.0 acres, as depicted on 
        the map entitled ``Trinity Ranger Quarters, Tract K-2D'', dated 
        September 1, 1999.
            (2) Davy Crockett National Forest quarters #066380 (Tract 
        K-604), located at 514 Devine Street, Groveton, Texas, 
        consisting of approximately 0.5 acre, as depicted on the map 
        entitled ``Davy Crockett National Forest Quarters, Tract K-
        604'', dated September 1, 1999.
            (3) Sabine National Forest quarters #055250 (Tract S-1391), 
        located at 706 Cartwright Drive, San Augustine, Texas, 
        consisting of approximately 0.5 acre, as depicted on the map 
        entitled ``Sabine National Forest Quarters, Tract S-1391'', 
        dated September 1, 1999.
            (4) Sabine National Forest quarters #055400 (Tract S-1389), 
        located at 507 Planter Drive, San Augustine, Texas, consisting 
        of approximately 1.5 acres, as depicted on the map entitled 
        ``Sabine National Forest Quarters, Tract S-1389'', dated 
        September 1, 1999.
            (5) Sabine National Forest quarters #077070 (Tract S-1388), 
        located at State Highway 87, Hemphill, Texas, consisting of 
        approximately 1.0 acre, as depicted on the map entitled 
        ``Sabine National Forest Quarters, Tract S-1388'', dated 
        September 1, 1999.
            (6) Sabine National Forest quarters #077430 (Tract S-1390), 
        located at FM Road 944, Hemphill, Texas, consisting of 
        approximately 2.0 acres, as depicted on the map entitled 
        ``Sabine National Forest Quarters, Tract S-1390'', dated 
        September 1, 1999.
            (7) Old Yellowpine Work Center site, within the Sabine 
        National Forest, consisting of approximately 1.0 acre, as 
        depicted on the map entitled ``Old Yellowpine Work Center'', 
        dated September 1, 1999.
            (8) Yellowpine Work Center site, within the Sabine National 
        Forest, consisting of approximately 9.0 acres, as depicted on 
the map entitled ``Yellowpine Work Center'', dated September 1, 1999.
            (9) Zavalla Work Center site, within the Angelina National 
        Forest, consisting of approximately 19.0 acres, as depicted on 
        the map entitled ``Zavalla Work Center'', dated September 1, 
        1999.
    (b) Authorized Consideration.--As consideration for a conveyance of 
land under subsection (a), the recipient of the land, with the consent 
of the Secretary, may convey to the Secretary other land, existing 
improvements, or improvements constructed to specifications of the 
Secretary.
    (c) Applicable Law.--Except as otherwise provided in this section, 
any conveyance of land under subsection (a) shall be subject to the 
laws and regulations applicable to the conveyance and acquisition of 
land for the National Forest System.
    (d) Cash Equalization.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
the Secretary may accept a cash equalization payment in excess of 25 
percent of the value of any parcel of land exchanged under subsection 
(a).
    (e) Solicitation of Offers.--The Secretary may solicit offers for 
the conveyance of land under this section on such terms and conditions 
as the Secretary may prescribe. The Secretary may reject any offer made 
under this section if the Secretary determines that the offer is not 
adequate or not in the public interest.

SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF TEXAS NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LAND TO NEW WAVERLY 
              GULF COAST TRADES CENTER.

    (a) Conveyance Authority.--Subject to the terms and conditions 
specified in this section, the Secretary of Agriculture may convey to 
the New Waverly Gulf Coast Trades Center (referred to in this section 
as the ``Center''), all right, title, and interest of the United States 
in and to a parcel of real property (including improvements thereon) 
consisting of approximately 57 acres of land located within the Sam 
Houston National Forest, Walker County, Texas, as depicted on the map 
entitled ``New Waverly Gulf Coast Trades Center'', dated September 15, 
1999. A complete legal description of the property to be conveyed shall 
be available for public inspection at an appropriate office of the Sam 
Houston National Forest and in the Office of the Chief of the Forest 
Service.
    (b) Consideration.--
            (1) Fair market value.--As consideration for the conveyance 
        authorized by this section, the Center shall pay to the 
        Secretary an amount equal to the fair market value of the 
        property, as determined by an appraisal acceptable to the 
        Secretary and prepared in accordance with the Uniform Appraisal 
        Standards for Federal Land Acquisition published by the 
        Department of Justice.
            (2) Appraisal cost.--The Center shall pay the cost of the 
        appraisal of the property.
            (3) Time for payment.--The consideration determined under 
        paragraph (1) shall be paid, at the option of the Center--
                    (A) in full not later than 180 days after the date 
                of conveyance of the property; or
                    (B) in 7 equal annual installments commencing on 
                January 1 of the first year beginning after the 
                conveyance and annually thereafter until the total 
                amount has been paid.
            (4) Interest.--Any payment due for the conveyance of 
        property under this section shall accrue interest, beginning on 
        the date of the conveyance, at an annual rate of 3 percent on 
        the unpaid balance.
    (c) Release.--Subject to compliance with all Federal environmental 
laws prior to conveyance, the Center, upon acquisition of the property 
under this section, shall agree in writing to hold the United States 
harmless from any and all claims to the property, including all claims 
resulting from hazardous materials conveyed on the lands.
    (d) Right of Reentry.--At any time before full payment is made for 
the conveyance of the property under this section, the conveyance shall 
be subject to a right of reentry in the United States if the Secretary 
determines that--
            (1) the Center has not complied with the requirements of 
        this section or the conditions prescribed by the Secretary in 
        the deed of conveyance; or
            (2) the conveyed land is converted to a noneducational or 
        for profit use.
    (e) Alternative Property Disposal Authority.--In the event that the 
Center does not contract with the Secretary to acquire the property 
described in this section within 18 months of the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary may dispose of the property in the manner 
provided in section 2.

SEC. 4. DISPOSITION OF FUNDS.

    (a) Deposit in Sisk Act Fund.--The Secretary shall deposit the 
proceeds of a sale or exchange under this Act in the fund established 
under Public Law 90-171 (16 U.S.C. 484a; commonly known as the Sisk 
Act).
    (b) Use of Proceeds.--Funds deposited under subsection (a) shall be 
available to the Secretary, without further appropriation, for--
            (1) the acquisition, construction, or improvement of 
        administrative facilities for units of the National Forest 
        System in the State of Texas; or
            (2) the acquisition of lands or interests in lands in the 
        State of Texas.
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