[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1434 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1434

  To authorize the sale of certain National Forest System land in the 
                           State of Georgia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 8, 2017

Mr. Collins of Georgia (for himself, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mr. Allen, 
Mr. Loudermilk, and Mr. Ferguson) introduced the following bill; which 
              was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize the sale of certain National Forest System land in the 
                           State of Georgia.

    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 ``Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest 
Land Adjustment Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND DEFINITION.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) certain National Forest System land in the State of 
        Georgia consists of isolated tracts that are inefficient to 
        manage or have lost their principal value for National Forest 
        purposes;
            (2) the disposal of that land would be in the public 
        interest; and
            (3) proceeds from the sale of land authorized by this Act 
        would be used best by the Forest Service to purchase land for 
        National Forest purposes in the State of Georgia.
    (b) Definition of Secretary.--In this Act, the term ``Secretary'' 
means the Secretary of Agriculture.

SEC. 3. LAND CONVEYANCE AUTHORITY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized, under such terms and 
conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, to sell or exchange any or 
all rights, title, and interest of the United States in the National 
Forest System land described in subsection (b).
    (b) Land Authorized for Disposal.--
            (1) In general.--The National Forest System land subject to 
        sale or exchange under this Act are 30 tracts of land totaling 
        approximately 3,841 acres, which are generally depicted on 2 
        maps entitled ``Priority Land Adjustments, State of Georgia, 
        U.S. Forest Service-Southern Region, Oconee and Chattahoochee 
        National Forests, U.S. Congressional Districts 8, 9, 10 & 14'' 
        and dated September 24, 2013.
            (2) Maps.--The maps described in paragraph (1) shall be on 
        file and available for public inspection in the Office of the 
        Forest Supervisor, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, until 
        such time as the land is sold or exchanged.
            (3) Modification of boundaries.--The Secretary may modify 
        the boundaries of the land described in paragraph (1) based on 
        land management considerations.
    (c) Form of Conveyance.--
            (1) Quitclaim deed.--The Secretary shall convey land sold 
        under this Act by quitclaim deed.
            (2) Reservations.--The Secretary may reserve any rights-of-
        way or other rights or interests in land sold or exchanged 
        under this Act that the Secretary considers necessary for 
        management purposes or to protect the public interest.
    (d) Valuation.--
            (1) Market value.--The Secretary may not sell or exchange 
        land under this Act for less than market value, as determined 
        by appraisal or through competitive bid.
            (2) Appraisal requirements.--Any appraisal shall be--
                    (A) consistent with the Uniform Appraisal Standards 
                for Federal Land Acquisitions or the Uniform Standards 
                of Professional Appraisal Practice; and
                    (B) subject to the approval of the Secretary.
    (e) Consideration.--
            (1) Cash.--Consideration for a sale of land or equalization 
        of an exchange shall be paid in cash.
            (2) Exchange.--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 any land exchanged.
    (f) Method of Sale.--
            (1) Options.--The Secretary may sell land under subsection 
        (a) at public or private sale, including competitive sale by 
        auction, bid, or otherwise, in accordance with such terms, 
        conditions, and procedures as the Secretary determines are in 
        the best interest of the United States.
            (2) Solicitations.--The Secretary may--
                    (A) make public or private solicitations for the 
                sale or exchange of land authorized by this Act; and
                    (B) reject any offer that the Secretary determines 
                is not adequate or not in the public interest.
    (g) Brokers.--The Secretary may--
            (1) use brokers or other third parties in the disposition 
        of the land authorized by this Act; and
            (2) from the proceeds of a sale, pay reasonable commissions 
        or fees.

SEC. 4. TREATMENT OF PROCEEDS.

    (a) Deposit.--Subject to section 3(g)(2), the Secretary shall 
deposit the proceeds of a sale or cash equalizations payments 
authorized by this Act in the fund established under Public Law 90-171 
(commonly known as the ``Sisk Act'') (16 U.S.C. 484a).
    (b) Availability.--Subject to subsection (c), amounts deposited 
under subsection (a) shall be available to the Secretary until 
expended, without further appropriation, for the acquisition of land 
for National Forest purposes in the State of Georgia.
    (c) Private Property Protection.--Nothing in this Act authorizes 
the use of funds deposited under subsection (a) to be used to acquire 
land without the written consent of the owner of the land.
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