[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10432 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 10432
To provide for a land exchange between the city of Greeley, Colorado,
and the Forest Service, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 16, 2026
Mr. Evans of Colorado introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for a land exchange between the city of Greeley, Colorado,
and the Forest Service, 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 ``Greeley Land Exchange Act''.
SEC. 2. LAND EXCHANGE BETWEEN CITY OF GREELEY, COLORADO, AND THE FOREST
SERVICE.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) City.--The term ``City'' means the city of Greeley,
Colorado.
(2) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means the
approximately 78 acres of National Forest System land
administered by the Forest Service and generally depicted as
``USFS Property'' on the Map.
(3) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map titled ``Greeley
Land Exchange Act'' and dated May 3, 2026.
(4) Non-federal land.--The term ``non-Federal land''
means--
(A) the approximately 40 acres of land owned by the
City and generally depicted as ``City of Greeley, Water
Utilities Property'' on the Map; and
(B) excludes all water rights owned by the City.
(5) Seaman reservoir trail.--The term ``Seaman Reservoir
Trail'' means--
(A) the road labeled ``Seaman Reservoir Trl'' on
the Map; and
(B) as of the date of the enactment of this Act,
referred to as ``Seaman Road #547'' in the Forest
Service database.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
(7) Wintersteen trail.--The term ``Wintersteen Trail''
means the unnumbered, non-system road generally depicted on the
Map that branches from the Seaman Reservoir Road and provides
access to the southwest corner of Seaman Reservoir.
(b) Exchange of Land.--Subject to subsection (c), if the City
offers to convey to the United States all right, title, and interest of
the City in and to the non-Federal land, excluding all water rights
owned by the City, the Secretary shall, not later than 3 years after
the date on which the Secretary receives the offer, or such later date
as the Secretary and the City mutually agree, simultaneously--
(1) convey to the City all right, title, and interest of
the United States in and to the Federal land and excepting and
reserving to the United States--
(A) a perpetual, non-exclusive easement for public
nonmotorized access over the Seaman Reservoir Trail and
the Wintersteen Trail to adjacent National Forest
System land that is consistent with the nature and
extent of public access in effect on the date of the
enactment of this Act; and
(B) a perpetual, nonexclusive easement for
motorized and nonmotorized access by the United States
and its agents for administrative, emergency,
inspection, maintenance, repair, reconstruction, and
resource-management purposes; and
(2) accept from the City all right, title, and interest of
the City in and to the non-Federal land, excluding all water
rights owned by the City.
(c) Requirements.--The exchange under subsection (b) shall be--
(1) conditioned on title approval for the non-Federal land,
excluding all water rights owned by the City, conveyed under
subsection (d)(3) by the Secretary in accordance with
subsection (e);
(2) conditioned on equalization of value in accordance with
subsection (d) if, under the appraisals conducted in accordance
with this section, it is determined that the value of the
Federal land exceeds the value of lands to be conveyed by the
City;
(3) conditioned on the satisfactory completion, for each
parcel to be conveyed to the United States, of a Phase I
Environmental Site Assessment that is provided by the City and
acceptable to the Secretary;
(4) subject to valid existing rights; and
(5) subject to any other terms and conditions, including
reservations, covenants, restrictions, and easements, that the
Secretary determines appropriate.
(d) Equal Value and Cash Equalization.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
exchange under subsection (b) shall be for equal value, with
any difference in value equalized by the conveyance of
additional land under paragraph (3), a cash payment under
paragraph (4), or a combination thereof.
(2) Waiver for surplus value of non-federal land.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the appraised
value of the non-Federal land to be conveyed to the United
States exceeds the appraised value of the Federal land, a cash
equalization payment by the United States to the City is hereby
waived and the amount of such waived payment shall be
considered a donation by the City to the United States for all
purposes of law.
(3) Optional additional acreage conveyance by city.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraphs (B) and
(C), if the appraised value of the Federal land exceeds
the appraised value of the non-Federal land, the City
may, subject to agreement by the Secretary, convey to
the United States additional land owned by the City
that the Secretary determines is suitable for addition
to and administration as part of the National Forest
System, for the purpose of equalizing appraised values,
exclusive of any water rights.
(B) Acreage limit.--The total acreage of additional
land conveyed under subparagraph (A) may not exceed 40
acres.
(C) Appraisal; title.--Any additional land conveyed
under this paragraph shall be appraised in accordance
with subsection (e), and be acceptable in title and
condition to the Secretary. All water rights held by
the City will be expressly reserved from conveyance.
(4) Cash equalization payment by city.--In accordance with
section 206(b) of the Federal Land Policy Management Act of
1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716(b)), if the difference between the
appraised value of the Federal land and the sum of the
appraised value of the non-Federal land plus the appraised
value of additional land conveyed to the United States under
paragraph (3) is greater than zero, the City shall pay the
Secretary a cash payment equal to such difference.
(e) Appraisals.--
(1) In general.--The value of the land to be exchanged
under this section shall be determined by appraisals conducted
by an independent and qualified appraiser mutually agreed to by
the Secretary and the City. Each appraisal shall be reviewed
and approved by the Secretary.
(2) Appraisal standards.--The Secretary shall complete
appraisals of the land to be exchanged under this section in
accordance with Forest Service policy and--
(A) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal
Land Acquisitions; and
(B) the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal
Practice.
(f) Format.--Title to lands owned by the City and conveyed to the
United States under this section shall be approved in accordance with
section 3111 of title 40, United States Code.
(g) Management of Acquired Land.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and
(3), any lands or interests in lands acquired by the United
States under this section shall become part of the Roosevelt
National Forest and shall be managed in accordance with the
laws and regulations applicable to National Forest System.
(2) Cache la poudre wilderness.--Any land or interest in
land acquired by the United States under this section that is
within the boundary of the Cache la Poudre Wilderness shall--
(A) become part of the Cache la Poudre Wilderness;
and
(B) be managed in accordance with the Wilderness
Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and any other applicable
law.
(3) Cache la poudre wild and scenic river.--Any land or
interest in land acquired by the United States under this
section that is within the boundary of the Cache la Poudre Wild
and Scenic River shall--
(A) become part of the Cache la Poudre Wild and
Scenic River; and
(B) be managed in accordance with the Wild and
Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.) and any
other applicable law.
(h) Survey.--
(1) In general.--The exact acreages and legal descriptions
of the Federal land and the non-Federal land to be exchanged
under subsection (b), and any additional lands conveyed under
subsection (d)(3), and each easement reserved under
subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (b)(1) shall be
determined by surveys satisfactory to the Secretary.
(2) Costs of survey.--The City shall bear all costs
associated with each survey under paragraph (1).
(i) Map and Legal Descriptions.--
(1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall finalize the Map
and the legal descriptions of all lands to be conveyed under
this section, including any additional lands conveyed under
subsection (d)(3) and the easements reserved under subsection
(b)(1).
(2) Controlling document.--With respect to lands to be
conveyed under this section, if there is a discrepancy between
a Map and a legal description, the Map shall control.
(3) Corrections.--The Secretary and the City, by mutual
agreement, may correct any minor errors in the Map, or the
legal descriptions, including with respect to the boundaries of
the Federal land and the non-Federal land.
(4) Map on file.--The Map, and the legal descriptions of
all lands to be conveyed under this section, including any
additional lands conveyed under subsection (d)(3), shall be on
file and available for public inspection in the appropriate
offices of the Forest Service.
(j) Costs.--As a condition for the exchange under subsection (b),
the City shall pay all costs associated with the exchange, including
costs for--
(1) appraisals and appraisal review;
(2) surveys and preparation of legal descriptions;
(3) mineral examinations;
(4) title searches, title insurance, and title-curative
work;
(5) attorneys fees and recording fees;
(6) environmental assessments and resource surveys required
under Federal law or regulation; and
(7) escrow, recording, and other closing expenses.
(k) Applicable Law.--Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
section, the Secretary shall carry out the exchange under this section
in accordance with section 206 of the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716) and subpart A of part 254 of
title 36, Code of Federal Regulations.
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