[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 175 (Tuesday, November 7, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H11799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page H 11799]]


             MODOC NATIONAL FOREST BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT

  Mr. COOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 1585) to expand the boundary of the Modoc National 
Forest to include lands presently owned by the Bank of California, N.A. 
Trustee, to facilitate a land exchange with the Forest Service, and for 
other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1585

       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 ``Modoc National Forest 
     Boundary Adjustment Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds the following:
       (1) Certain private lands presently owned by the Bank of 
     California, N.A. Trustee, are adjacent to the Modoc National 
     Forest and are logical extensions of the forest.
       (2) A boundary adjustment will facilitate a land exchange 
     which involves approximately 4,240 acres of National Forest 
     land and 11,804 acres of private land, of which only 760 
     acres are outside the present Modoc National Forest boundary.
       (3) Bank of California, N.A. Trustee, and the Forest 
     Service are prepared to exchange these lands under existing 
     authority of the Secretary of Agriculture which will benefit 
     both the private landowners and the United States by 
     consolidating their respective landownership patterns, 
     providing reduced costs for each party in implementing their 
     land management objectives, providing increased recreation 
     opportunities and fishery habitat for the American public, 
     and providing commercial timber lands to the private 
     landowners.

     SEC. 3. BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT.

       (a) In General.--The boundary of the Modoc National Forest 
     is hereby modified to include and encompass 760 acres, more 
     or less, on the following described lands: Mount Diablo 
     Meridian, Lassen County, California, T. 38 N., R. 10 E., sec. 
     5, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\; sec. 8, E\1/2\NE\1/4\, 
     NE\1/4\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, sec, 16, W\1/2\; sec, 25, 
     Lots 13, 14 and 15 (S\1/2\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\); T. 37 N., 
     R. 11 E., Sec. 20, NW\1/4\SE\1/4\.
       (b) Rule for Land and Water Conservation Fund.--For the 
     purposes of section 7 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund 
     Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-9), the boundary of the Modoc 
     National Forest, as modified by this Act, shall be considered 
     to be the boundary of that National Forest as of January 1, 
     1965.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Oregon [Mr. Cooley] and the gentleman from New Mexico [Mr. Richardson] 
each will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon [Mr. Cooley].
  (Mr. COOLEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. COOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1585, sponsored by Mr. Herger, 
which would expand the boundary of the Modoc National Forest to include 
lands presently owned by the Bank of California, N.A., Trustee, and to 
facilitate a land exchange with the Forest Service.
  The Ash Creek Exchange was entered into by the Bank of California, 
N.A., Trustee [BankCal], and the Forest Service to consolidate their 
respective holdings in parts of the Lassen, Modoc, and Plumas National 
Forests. Because certain private lands subject to the exchange were 
outside but contiguous to the boundary of the Modoc National Forest, 
the exchange was structured in two phases.
  The first phase was completed in June 1993. In phase 1 of the 
transaction, 11,044 acres of private land were exchanged for 3,757 
acres of Forest Service land. Phase 2 of the transaction, which is the 
subject of this legislation, would transfer approximately 11,804 acres 
of private land to the Forest Service and approximately 4,240 acres of 
Forest Service land to private ownership.
  The remaining 760 acres of private land is located outside, but 
contiguous to, the proclamation boundary of the Modoc National Forest. 
The proposed boundary adjustment will provide for these lands to be 
acquired by the Forest Service.
  H.R. 1585 was favorably reported by the Committee on Resources by 
unanimous voice vote. I commend the work of my friend, Mr. Herger, on 
this measure and urge the Members of the House to support this bill.

                              {time}  1530

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. RICHARDSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, this authorization will authorize the 
final phase of a two-step process to consolidate lands in parts of the 
Lassen, Modoc, and Plumas National Forests. It will facilitate the 
transfer of approximately 11,804 acres of private land to the Forest 
Service in exchange for the 4,240 acres of Forest Service land to be 
transferred to private ownership. This bill has been worked out with 
all interested parties and is supported by the administration.
  It is a good bill, introduced by the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Herger], who has worked very hard on this issue. We welcome passing 
this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Herger], the sponsor of this bill.
  Mr. HERGER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1585. I would like to thank 
the gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen] and the gentleman from Oregon [Mr. 
Cooley] for their strong support, and also the gentleman from New 
Mexico [Mr. Richardson] on the minority side.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a noncontroversial bill that completes an equal 
value land exchange between the Modoc National Forest and the Bank of 
California. This legislation enjoys strong support from the Forest 
Service and local communities in the Lassen and Modoc Counties of 
northern California.
  The land exchange was commenced by the Bank of California and the 
Forest Service to consolidate their respective holdings in parts of the 
Lassen, Modoc, and Plumas National Forests. Because the transaction 
would require a boundary change in the Modoc National Forest, the 
exchange was structured in two phases. The first phase was completed in 
June 1993. This legislation will help complete phase 2 of the 
transaction. The land that will be added to the Modoc National Forest 
is currently used for grazing and tree production, both of which are 
consistent with the current land management plan.
  Mr. Speaker, this exchange will not adversely affect any existing 
property or land use rights, and will complete a reasonable and fair 
transaction. By consolidating Federal landholdings, it will reduce land 
management costs, increase fishery habitat, and provide additional 
recreational opportunities within the Modoc National Forest.
  Mr. Speaker, I give this bill my full endorsement, and strongly urge 
my colleagues to vote in favor of final passage.
  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shays). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Oregon [Mr. Cooley] that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1585.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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