[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1651 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1651

To provide for the exchange of land within the Sierra National Forest, 
                  California, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 7, 2003

 Mr. Radanovich (for himself, Mr. Nunes, and Mr. Dooley of California) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                               Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for the exchange of land within the Sierra National Forest, 
                  California, 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 ``Sierra National Forest Land Exchange 
Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. LAND EXCHANGE, SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST, CALIFORNIA.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means the 
        parcels of land and improvements thereon comprising 
        approximately 160 acres and located in township 9 south, range 
        25 east, section 30, E\1/2\SW\1/4\ and W\1/2\ SE\1/4\, Mt. 
        Diablo Meridian, California.
            (2) Non-federal land.--The term ``non-Federal land'' means 
        a parcel of land comprising approximately 80 acres and located 
        in township 8 south, range 26 east, section 29, N\1/2\NW\1/4\, 
        Mt. Diablo Meridian, California.
    (b) Exchange Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--If, during the one-year period beginning 
        on the date of enactment of this Act, the owner of the non-
        Federal land offers the United States the exchange of the non-
        Federal land, together with a cash equalization payment in 
        accordance with this section, the Secretary shall convey by 
        quit claim deed all right, title, and interest of the United 
        States in and to the Federal land. The conveyance of the 
        Federal land shall be subject to valid existing rights and 
        under such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe.
            (2) Acceptable title.--Title to the non-Federal land shall 
        conform with the title approval standards of the Attorney 
        General applicable to Federal land acquisitions and shall be 
        acceptable to the Secretary.
            (3) Correction and modification of legal descriptions.--The 
        Secretary, in consultation with the owner of the non-Federal 
        land, may make corrections to the legal descriptions of the 
        Federal land and non-Federal land. The Secretary and the owner 
        of the non-Federal land may make minor modifications to such 
        descriptions insofar as such modifications do not affect the 
        overall value of the exchange by more than 5 percent.
    (c) Valuation of Land to Be Conveyed.--For purposes of this 
section, during the period referred to in subsection (b)(1), the value 
of the non-Federal land shall be deemed to be $200,000 and the value of 
the Federal land shall be deemed to be $250,000.
    (d) Equalization of Values.--Notwithstanding section 206(b) of the 
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716(b)), the 
Secretary may accept a cash equalization payment in excess of 25 
percent of the value of the Federal land.
    (e) Administration of Land Acquired by United States.--Once 
acquired, the Secretary shall manage the non-Federal land in accordance 
with the Act of March 1, 1911 (commonly known as the Weeks Act; 16 
U.S.C. 480 et seq.), and in accordance with the other laws and 
regulations pertaining to National Forest System lands.
    (f) Reconveyance.--The conveyance under subsection (b) shall be 
subject to the condition that the recipient of the Federal land agree 
to convey the land, within a time period agreed to by the Secretary and 
the recipient, to the Sequoia Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
    (g) Disposition and Use of Cash Equalization Funds.--The Secretary 
shall deposit any cash equalization payment received under this section 
in the fund established by Public Law 90-171 (commonly known as the 
Sisk Act; 16 U.S.C. 484a). Funds so deposited shall be available to the 
Secretary until expended, without further appropriation, for the 
acquisition of lands and interests in lands for the National Forest 
System in the State of California.
    (h) Cost Collection Funds.--The owner of the non-Federal land shall 
be responsible for all direct costs associated with processing the land 
exchange under this section and shall pay the Secretary the necessary 
funds, which shall be deposited in a cost collection account. Funds so 
deposited shall be available to the Secretary until expended, without 
further appropriation, for the cost associated with the land exchange. 
Any funds remaining after completion of the land exchange, which are 
not needed to cover expenses, shall be refunded to the owner of the 
non-Federal land.
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