[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4559 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4559
To provide for the conveyance of certain National Forest System land to
the towns of Laona and Wabeno, Wisconsin, to authorize the Secretary of
Agriculture to convey certain isolated parcels of National Forest
System land in Florence and Langlade Counties, Wisconsin, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 15, 2005
Mr. Green of Wisconsin introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the conveyance of certain National Forest System land to
the towns of Laona and Wabeno, Wisconsin, to authorize the Secretary of
Agriculture to convey certain isolated parcels of National Forest
System land in Florence and Langlade Counties, Wisconsin, 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. CONVEYANCE OF CHEQUAMEGON-NICOLET NATIONAL FOREST LAND TO
TOWNS OF LAONA AND WABENO, WISCONSIN.
(a) Conveyance to Town of Laona.--
(1) Conveyance.--At the request of the town of Laona,
Wisconsin (referred to in this subsection as the ``town''), the
Secretary of Agriculture shall convey to the town all right,
title, and interest of the United States in and to the parcel
of National Forest System land in Forest County, Wisconsin,
consisting of approximately 176 acres, as further described in
paragraph (2), for the purpose of permitting the town to use
the parcel as a site for an industrial park and for other
purposes.
(2) Legal description.--The parcel of land referred to in
paragraph (1) consists of the N\1/2\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\,
S\1/2\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, and that part of the W\1/2\NE\1/4\ lying
south of the Rat River, excluding Lot #1 of Forest County
Certified Survey Map #157861 and a 100-foot wide former rail
road right-of-way running through the W\1/2\NE\1/4\, all in
section 6, township 35 north, range 15 east, Laona Township,
Forest County, Wisconsin.
(3) Consideration.--As consideration for the conveyance
under this subsection, the town shall pay to the Secretary an
amount equal to $300,000, which is the appraised fair market
value of the parcel of National Forest System land to be
conveyed.
(b) Conveyance to Town of Wabeno.--
(1) Conveyance.--At the request of the town of Wabeno,
Wisconsin (referred to in this subsection as the ``town''), the
Secretary of Agriculture shall convey to the town all right,
title, and interest of the United States in and to the parcel
of National Forest System land in Forest County, Wisconsin,
consisting of approximately 173 acres, as further described in
paragraph (2), for the purpose of permitting the town to use
the parcel as a site for an industrial park and for other
purposes.
(2) Legal description.--The parcel of land referred to in
paragraph (1) consists of the S\1/2\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, and
east 17.30 acres of the NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, excluding a 100-foot
wide former rail road right-of-way running through the NE\1/
4\SW\1/4\ and SE\1/4\NW\1/4\ and a 0.02 acre parcel in the
SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, a 0.93 acre parcel in the SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and a
2.36 acre parcel in the E\1/2\SW\1/4\ reserved for highway
purposes, as described in volume 7, 276-277, Forest County
Records, and all in section 7, township 34 north, range 15
east, Wabeno Township, Forest County, Wisconsin.
(3) Consideration.--As consideration for the conveyance
under this subsection, the town shall pay to the Secretary an
amount equal to $320,000, which is the appraised fair market
value of the parcel of National Forest System land to be
conveyed.
(c) Survey.--If necessary, the exact acreage and legal description
of the lands to be conveyed under subsections (a) and (b) shall be
determined by surveys satisfactory to the Secretary. The cost of a
survey shall be borne by the recipient of the land.
(d) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary may require
such additional terms and conditions in connection with the conveyances
under this section as the Secretary considers appropriate to protect
the interests of the United States.
SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO SELL CERTAIN CHEQUAMEGON-NICOLET NATIONAL FOREST
LANDS IN FLORENCE AND LANGLADE COUNTIES, WISCONSIN.
(a) Authority to Convey.--The Secretary of Agriculture may sell all
right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the parcels
of National Forest System land described in subsection (b), which are
located outside of the contiguous boundary of the Chequamegon-Nicolet
National Forest in Florence County and Langlade County, Wisconsin.
(b) Covered Parcels.--
(1) Legal description.--The parcels of land referred to in
subsection (a) consist of the following:
(A) Approximately 480 acres in the NE\1/4\NE\1/4\
and the S\1/2\NE\1/4\ of section 9, the S\1/2\NE\1/4\
of section 25, and the NE\1/4\, the SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, and
the E\1/2\NW\1/4\ of section 36, township 39 north,
range 16 east, Florence County, Wisconsin.
(B) Approximately 80 acres in the E\1/2\NW\1/4\ of
section 22, township 33 north, range 9 east, Langlade
County, Wisconsin.
(2) Modification.--For the purpose of soliciting offers for
the purchase of the land authorized to be sold under this
section, the Secretary may modify the legal descriptions
specified in paragraph (1) based on a survey of the land or a
determination by the Secretary that the modification would be
in the best interest of the public.
(c) Methods of Sale.--The Secretary may sell the land authorized to
be sold under this section at public or private sale, including at
auction, in accordance with such terms, conditions, and procedures as
the Secretary determines to be appropriate. The Secretary may reject
any offer received under this section if the Secretary determines that
the offer is not adequate or is not in the public interest. To
facilitate the sale of the land, the Secretary may use a real estate
broker and pay the real estate broker a commission in an amount that is
comparable to the amounts of commission generally paid for real estate
transactions in the area in which the sale occurs.
(d) Consideration.--As consideration for the purchase of land under
this section, the purchaser shall pay to the United States an amount
equal to the fair market value of the land, as determined by an
appraisal satisfactory to the Secretary and conforming to the Uniform
Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions.
(e) Deposit and Use of Proceeds.--
(1) Deposit.--The Secretary shall deposit the proceeds from
the sale of land under this section in the fund established
under Public Law 90-171 (commonly known as the Sisk Act; 16
U.S.C. 484a).
(2) Use.--Funds deposited pursuant to paragraph (1) shall
be available to the Secretary, without further appropriation
and until expended--
(A) to acquire land and interests in land for
inclusion in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in
Wisconsin; and
(B) to reimburse costs incurred by the Secretary in
carrying out land sales under this section, including
the payment of real estate broker commissions under
subsection (c).
(3) Administration.--The lands acquired under this section
shall be included in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
and administered in accordance with the laws applicable to that
National Forest.
(f) Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights, the land
authorized to be sold under subsection (a) is withdrawn from location,
entry, and patent under the public land laws, mining laws, and mineral
leasing laws, including geothermal leasing laws.
(g) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary may require
such additional terms and conditions in connection with a sale of land
under this section as the Secretary considers appropriate to protect
the interests of the United States.
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