[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 125 (Monday, July 31, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H8001-H8002]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




AUTHORIZING THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE TO CONVEY LANDS TO THE CITY OF 
                               ROLLA, MO

  Mr. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up from the 
Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 701) to authorize the Secretary of 
Agriculture to convey lands to the city of Rolla, MO, and ask for its 
immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Missouri?
  Mr. STENHOLM. Reserving the right to object, Mr. Speaker, I shall not 
object, but I yield to the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Emerson] for an 
explanation of the bill.
  (Mr. EMERSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding under 
his reservation.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this measure, H.R. 
701, which is vital to the rural economic development efforts of 
southern Missouri. This legislation will authorize the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture to convey land within the Mark Twain National Forest to 
the city and citizens of Rolla, MO. This same bill was approved by the 
full House in the 103d Congress; however, procedural obstacles in the 
U.S. Senate on the last day of the 2d session, unrelated to the merits 
of this legislation, blocked further consideration and eventual 
passage.
  The city of Rolla has been diligent in its plan to utilize the U.S. 
Forest Service's district ranger office site in the development and 
construction of a regional tourist center. I feel its important to note 
that tourism is the second largest industry in Missouri and this 
tourist center has already attracted great interest along with 
injecting needed dollars into the regional Rolla economy.
  Clearly, this project is a prime example of a local community 
exercising its own rural development plan for local expansion and job 
creation. In these times of reduced Federal support for rural 
community-based economic enterprises, the city of Rolla is a shining 
example and model of both involvement and initiative that other 
communities around the country can clearly emulate.
  For over a year now, the city of Rolla has been collecting a 3-
percent tax on local hotels in the attempt to finance this project 
independent of any assistance from the Federal Government. Indeed, this 
land transfer arrangement is a very unique partnership for both Rolla 
and the Mark Twain National 

[[Page H 8002]]
Forest. Several of Missouri's proud historical landmarks, which are 
important elements of this site, will be maintained and preserved for 
current and future generations through the efforts of the city of 
Rolla--at a substantially reduced cost to State and Federal taxpayers.
  This is particularly important to bear in mind, since this facility 
would have no further commercial viability without the direct 
involvement of the city of Rolla. So now, two worthy goals can be 
achieved--economic development and historical preservation. Indeed, 
there are other facilities that would serve the city's need for a 
tourist center, but the local community and its leaders have had the 
vision to realize this is a prime opportunity to help themselves and 
relieve Federal taxpayers from the burden of maintaining these Forest 
Service buildings and related facilities within the city of Rolla.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend the leadership efforts of the Mark Twain 
National Forest and the city of Rolla. I urge the expeditious approval 
of this measure in order that the citizens of Rolla can get on with the 
business of economic development and job creation.
  Mr. de la GARZA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 701, a bill 
to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey lands to the city 
of Rolla, MO. H.R. 701 is nearly identical to H.R. 3426 that was 
introduced in the 103d Congress by Congressman Emerson. H.R. 3426 was 
passed by unanimous consent in the House after being discharged by the 
Agriculture Committee at the very end of the session. The Senate took 
no action on the bill before adjournment.
  H.R. 701 authorizes the city of Rolla to pay fair market value for 
the lands described by the bill. The city may pay for the land in full 
within 6 months of conveyance or, at the option of the city, pay for 
land in annual payments over 20 years with no interest. If the 20-year 
option is taken, the payments must be put in a Sisk Act Fund where they 
will be available, subject to appropriation, until expended by the 
Secretary. The bill also releases the U.S. Forest Service from 
liability due to hazardous wastes found on the property that were not 
identified prior to conveyance and requires the preservation of 
historic resource on the property.
  Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the bill, as follows:

                                H.R. 701

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. LAND CONVEYANCE, ROLLA RANGER DISTRICT 
                   ADMINISTRATIVE SITE, ROLLA, MISSOURI.

       (a) Conveyance Authorized.-- Subject to the terms and 
     conditions specified in this section, the Secretary of 
     Agriculture may sell to the city of Rolla, Missouri (in this 
     section referred to as the ``City''), all right, title, and 
     interest of the United States in and to the following:
       The property identified as the Rolla Ranger District 
     Administrative site of the Forest Service located in Rolla, 
     Phelps County, Missouri, encompassing ten acres more of less, 
     the conveyance of which by C.D. and Oma A. Hazlewood to the 
     United States was recorded on May 6, 1936, in book 104, page 
     286 of the Record of Deeds of Phelps County, Missouri.
       (b) Consideration.--As consideration of the conveyance 
     under subsection (a), the City shall pay to the Secretary an 
     amount equal to the fair market value of the property as 
     determined by an appraisal acceptable to the Secretary and 
     prepared in accordance with the Uniform Appraisal Standards 
     for Federal Land Acquisition as published by the Department 
     of Justice. Payment shall be due in full within six months 
     after the date the conveyance is made or, at the option of 
     the City, in twenty equal annual installments commencing on 
     January 1 of the first year following the conveyance and 
     annually thereafter until the total amount due has been paid.
       (c) Deposit of Funds Received.--Funds received by the 
     Secretary under subsection (b) as consideration for the 
     conveyance shall be deposited into the special fund in the 
     Treasury authorized by the Act of December 4, 1967 (16 U.S.C. 
     484a, commonly known as the Sisk Act). Such funds shall be 
     available, subject to appropriation, until expended by the 
     Secretary.
       (d) Release.--Subject to compliance with all Federal 
     environmental laws prior to transfer, the City, upon 
     conveyance of the property under subsection (a), shall agree 
     in writing to hold the United States harmless from any and 
     all claims relating to the property, including all claims 
     resulting from hazardous materials on the conveyed lands.
       (e) Right of Reentry.--The conveyance to the City under 
     subsection (a) shall be made by quitclaim deed in fee simple, 
     subject to a right of reentry in the United States if the 
     Secretary determines that the City is not in compliance with 
     the compensation requirements specified in subsection (b) or 
     other condition prescribed by the Secretary in the deed of 
     conveyance.
       (f) Conservation of Historic Resources.--In consultation 
     with the State Historic Preservation Office of the State of 
     Missouri, the Secretary shall ensure that the historic 
     resources on the property to be conveyed are conserved by 
     requiring, at the closing on the conveyance of the property, 
     that the City convey an historic preservation easement to the 
     State of Missouri assuring the right of the State to enter 
     the property for historic preservation purposes. The historic 
     preservation easement shall be negotiated between the State 
     of Missouri and the City, and the conveyance of the easement 
     shall be a condition to the conveyance authorized under 
     subsection (a). The protection of the historic resources on 
     the conveyed property shall be the responsibility of the 
     State of Missouri and the City, and not that of the 
     Secretary.

  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read 
the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

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