[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 999 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 999

To provide for the Secretary of Agriculture to release the reversionary 
 interest of the United States on certain land in the State of Florida 
 if encroachments and trespassing have occurred on that land, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 12, 2007

Mr. Miller of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                    to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for the Secretary of Agriculture to release the reversionary 
 interest of the United States on certain land in the State of Florida 
 if encroachments and trespassing have occurred on that land, 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. BLACKWATER RIVER AND WITHLACOOCHEE STATE FORESTS, FLORIDA.

    (a) Release.--If the State of Florida, not later than 10 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, notifies the Secretary of 
Agriculture that encroachments by improvements or occupation have 
occurred before July 13, 2006, on one or more of the parcels of real 
property described in subsection (b), the Secretary shall release to 
Florida all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to 
any identified parcel, such right, title, and interest consisting of 
the reversionary interest of the United States on the affected areas 
within any identified parcel without further Federal administrative 
review or analysis.  
    (b) Original Deeded Land Descriptions.--
            (1) The parcel of real property described in a deed dated 
        November 4, 1955, conveying certain lands in Santa Rosa County 
        to the State of Florida.
            (2) The parcel of real property described in a deed dated 
        April 11, 1957, conveying certain lands in Santa Rosa County to 
        the State of Florida.
            (3) The parcel of real property described in a deed dated 
        November 4, 1955, conveying certain lands in Okaloosa County to 
        the State of Florida.
            (4) The parcel of real property described in a deed dated 
        November 26, 1982, conveying certain lands in Citrus, Hernando, 
        Pasco, and Sumter Counties to the State of Florida.
    (c) Deeds.--The 4 deeds referred to in subsection (b) are recorded 
as follows:
            (1) Deed Book 122, pages 397-437, Santa Rosa County, 
        Florida.
            (2) Deed Book 133, pages 333-337, Santa Rosa County, 
        Florida.
            (3) Deed Book 121, pages 511-528, Okaloosa County, Florida.
            (4) Official Record Book 610, pages 1228-1237, Citrus 
        County, Florida.
            (5) Official Record Book 517, pages 491-500, Hernando 
        County, Florida.
            (6) Official Record Book 269, pages 126-135, Sumter County, 
        Florida.
            (7) Official Record Book 1240, pages 1065-1074, Pasco 
        County, Florida.
    (d) Consideration.--The United States shall receive no funds as 
consideration for the release of the reversionary interests under 
subsection (a). As consideration for such release, the State of Florida 
shall agree to the following:
            (1) Use of proceeds.--All net proceeds from the sale, 
        exchange, or other disposition of the real property subject to 
        the reversionary interests shall be used by the State of 
        Florida for the acquisition of other lands within or adjacent 
        to the exterior boundaries of Blackwater River State Forest and 
        Withlacoochee State Forest.
            (2) Use of acquired lands.--Any lands acquired by the sale, 
        exchange, or other disposition of the real property subject to 
        the reversionary interests shall become a part of the State 
        forest in which the acquired lands are located and shall be 
        subject to the condition that the acquired lands be used for 
        public purposes.
            (3) Retention of land base.--The total land base of such 
        State forests shall not be reduced below the original acreage 
        of the real property included in the conveyances described in 
        subsection (a), except in the case of any lands conveyed at the 
        request of the United States, and the total land base shall be 
        managed in perpetuity as State forest land.
            (4) Fund; records.--All net proceeds from the sale, 
        exchange, or other disposition of the real property subject to 
        the reversionary interests shall be maintained by the State of 
        Florida in a separate fund prior to use under paragraph (1). 
        The record of all transactions involving such fund shall be 
        open to inspection by the Secretary of Agriculture.
            (5) Indemnification.--The State of Florida shall agree to 
        indemnify and hold the United States harmless with regard to 
        any boundary disputes related to any parcel released under this 
        section.
            (6) Survey; maps.--Before any release of a reversionary 
        interest under subsection (a), the State of Florida shall 
        provide to the Secretary, at the expense of the State of 
        Florida, a survey and a map acceptable to the Secretary of the 
        areas encroached upon by improvements or occupied to be 
        identified and for which a release under subsection (a) is 
        requested.
    (e) Instrument of Release.--Not later than 90 days after receipt 
from the State of Florida of an identified parcel under subsection (a), 
the Secretary of Agriculture shall execute and file in the appropriate 
office or offices a deed of release, amended deed, or other appropriate 
instrument effectuating the release of the reversionary interests on 
that parcel.
    (f) Availability of Records.--The survey and maps required under 
subsection (d)(6), deeds, and other relevant legal records related to 
any release of a reversionary interest under subsection (a) shall be 
kept on file and available for public inspection at the approprate 
office of the Department of Agriculture.
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