[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3954 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3954

  To release Federal reversionary interests retained on certain lands 
 acquired in the State of Florida under the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant 
 Act, to authorize the interchange of National Forest System land and 
State land in Florida, to authorize an additional conveyance under the 
  Florida National Forest Land Management Act of 2003, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 28, 2009

    Mr. Boyd (for himself, Mr. Miller of Florida, and Mr. Crenshaw) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                              Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To release Federal reversionary interests retained on certain lands 
 acquired in the State of Florida under the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant 
 Act, to authorize the interchange of National Forest System land and 
State land in Florida, to authorize an additional conveyance under the 
  Florida National Forest Land Management Act of 2003, 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 ``Florida National Forest Land 
Adjustment Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. RELEASE OF DEED RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN LANDS ACQUIRED UNDER 
              THE BANKHEAD-JONES FARM TENANT ACT IN FLORIDA.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Certain lands in the State of Florida were conveyed by 
        the United States to the State under the authority of section 
        32(c) of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act (7 U.S.C. 1011(c)), 
        and now are part of the Blackwater River and Withlacoochee 
        State Forests.
            (2) The lands were conveyed to the State subject to deed 
        restrictions that the lands could be only used for public 
        purposes.
            (3) The deed restrictions impede the ability of the State 
        to remedy boundary and encroachment problems involving the 
        lands.
            (4) The release of the deed restrictions by the Secretary 
        of Agriculture (hereafter referred to as the ``Secretary'') 
        will further the purposes for which the lands are being managed 
        as State forests and will alleviate future Federal 
        responsibilities with respect to the lands.
    (b) Release Required.--Subject to valid existing rights, and such 
reservations as the Secretary considers to be in the public interest, 
the Secretary shall release, convey, and quitclaim to the State of 
Florida, without monetary consideration, all rights, title, and 
remaining interest of the United States in and to those lands within or 
adjacent to the Blackwater River and Withlacoochee State Forests that 
were conveyed to the State under the authority of section 32(c) of the 
Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act (7 U.S.C. 1011(c)) or under any other 
law authorizing conveyance subject to restrictions or reversionary 
interests retained by the United States.
    (c) Terms and Conditions.--The conveyances authorized by subjection 
(b) are subject to the following terms and conditions.
            (1) The State shall cover or reimburse the Secretary for 
        reasonable costs incurred by the Secretary to make the 
        conveyances, including title searches, surveys, deed 
        preparation, attorneys' fees, and similar expenses. The 
        Secretary may not seek reimbursement for administrative 
        overhead costs.
            (2) By accepting the conveyances authorized by this 
        section, the State agrees--
                    (A) that all net proceeds from any sale, exchange, 
                or other disposition of the real property subject to 
                deed restrictions shall be used by the State for the 
                acquisition of lands or interests in lands within or 
                adjacent to units of the state forest and park systems;
                    (B) to affirmatively address and resolve boundary 
                encroachments in accordance with State law for the 
                affected State forests; and
                    (C) to indemnify and hold the United States 
                harmless with regard to any boundary disputes related 
                to any parcel released under this section.

SEC. 3. INTERCHANGE INVOLVING NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LAND AND STATE 
              LAND IN FLORIDA.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) There are intermingled Federal and State lands within 
        units of the National Forest System in Florida that are of 
        comparable quantity and quality and of approximately equal 
        value.
            (2) Interchanging these lands would be in the public 
        interest by facilitating more efficient public land management.
    (b) Approximately Equal Value Defined.--In this section, the term 
``approximately equal value'' means a comparative estimate of the value 
between lands to be interchanged, regarding which, without the 
necessity of an appraisal, the elements of value, such as physical 
characteristics and other amenities, are readily apparent and 
substantially similar.
    (c) Land Interchange Authorized.--
            (1) Authorization.--Subject to valid existing rights, if 
        the State of Florida offers to convey to the United States 
        those State lands designated for interchange on the two maps 
        entitled ``State of Florida--U.S. Forest Service Interchange--
        January, 2009'' and title to such lands is otherwise acceptable 
        to the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary shall convey and 
        quitclaim to the State those National Forest System lands in 
        the Ocala National Forest and the Apalachicola National Forest 
        designated for interchange on the maps.
            (2) Maps.--The maps referenced in paragraph (1) shall be 
        available for public inspection in the office of the Chief of 
        the Forest Service and in the office of the Supervisor of the 
        National Forests in Florida for a period of at least five years 
        after completion of the land interchanges authorized by this 
        section.
    (d) Terms and Conditions.--Any land interchange under this section 
shall be subject to such reservations and rights-of-way as may be 
mutually acceptable to the Secretary and the authorized officer of the 
State.
    (e) Replacement Land.--In the event that any of the designated 
lands are in whole or part found to be unacceptable for interchange 
under this section due to title deficiencies, survey problems, the 
existence of hazardous materials, or for any other reason, the 
Secretary and the authorized officer of the State may substitute or 
modify the lands to be interchanged insofar as it is mutually agreed 
that the lands are of comparable quality and approximately equal value.

SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL LAND DISPOSAL UNDER FLORIDA NATIONAL FOREST LAND 
              MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2003.

    (a) Disposal Authorized.--In accordance with the provisions of the 
Florida National Forest Land Management Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-
152; 117 Stat. 1919), the Secretary of Agriculture may convey, by means 
of sale or exchange, all right, title, and interest of the United 
States in and to a parcel of land comprising approximately 114 acres, 
located within Township 1 South, Range 1 West, section 25, Leon County, 
Florida, and designated as tract W-1979.
    (b) Use of Proceeds.--
            (1) Tract w-1979.--The Secretary shall use the proceeds 
        derived from any sale of tract W-1979, as authorized by 
        subsection (a), only--
                    (A) to acquire lands and interests in land for 
                inclusion in the Apalachicola National Forest; and
                    (B) to cover the disposal costs incurred by the 
                Secretary to carry out the sale of such tract.
            (2) Certain other tracts.--With respect to tract A-943, 
        tract A-944, and tract C-2210, as described in paragraphs (5), 
        (6), and (16) of subsection (b) of section 3 of the Florida 
        National Forest Land Management Act of 2003 and authorized for 
        sale by subsection (a) of such section, being lands having 
        permanent improvements and infrastructure, the Secretary may 
        use the net proceeds derived from any sale of such tracts to 
        acquire, construct, or maintain administrative improvements for 
        units of the National Forest System in Florida.
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