[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 179 (Monday, November 13, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H12144-H12145]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN TRANSFERS OF NATIONAL FOREST LANDS

  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 924) to prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture from 
transferring any national forest system lands in the Angeles National 
Forest in California out of Federal ownership for use as a solid waste 
landfill.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 924

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

     SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN TRANSFERS OF NATIONAL 
                   FOREST LANDS.

       After the date of the enactment of this Act the Secretary 
     of Agriculture shall not transfer (by exchange or otherwise) 
     any lands owned by the United States and managed by the 
     Secretary as part of the Angeles National Forest to any 
     person unless the instrument of conveyance contains a 
     restriction, enforceable by the Secretary, on the future use 
     of such land prohibiting the use of any portion of such land 
     as a solid waste landfill. Such restriction shall be promptly 
     enforced by the Secretary when and if a violation of the 
     restriction occurs.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah [Mr. Hansen] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the gentleman 
from California [Mr. Miller] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen].
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. HANSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 924 was introduced by Representative 
Buck McKeon and would prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture from 
transferring lands within the Angeles National Forest out of Federal 
ownership for use as a solid waste landfill. H.R. 924 addresses a 
concern raised by residents of southern California over efforts to 
construct a 190 million ton solid waste landfill in an area of the 
Angeles National Forest known as Elsmere Canyon. A private company is 
currently seeking to obtain 1,643 acres of land within the Angeles 
National Forest to facilitate construction of what would be the largest 
landfill in the United States. The Forest Service previously issued a 
recommendation against this exchange in a January 1995 draft 
environmental impact statement and also rejected a similar request made 
by the same company in 1986.
  The Angeles National Forest is within a 2-hour drive of more than 20 
million Californians and ranks second in the Nation in recreation use 
with 32 million visits annually. An enormous solid waste landfill, 
which the Forest Service has rejected on two occasions, is clearly not 
compatible with public use of the Angeles National Forest, which 
compromises 72 percent of the open space within Los Angeles County.
  To sacrifice a prime area of the Angeles National Forest for a 
questionable landfill project is clearly not within the public's 
interest. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 924 and commend Mr. 
McKeon for his success with this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  (Mr. MILLER of California asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I think the gentleman from 
Utah [Mr. Hansen] and the author of this bill, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. McKeon] have it about right. We agree with the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I am a cosponsor of H.R. 924 Representative McKeon asked 
myself and others to cosponsor this bill because of his deep concern 
that the placement of the proposed Elsemere Canyon solid waste landfill 
could negatively his constituents and the local communities. It is 
obvious from the Resources Committee hearing that this proposed 
landfill is very controversial. The proposed landfill would be 
developed on land that is now part of the Angeles National Forest, land 
that would be acquired through a land exchange between the landfill 
operator and the Forest Service. While it appears highly likely that 
the proposed landfill will be rejected under the existing 
administrative procedures of the Forest Service, House passage of this 
legislation which will legislatively end any chance of this project 
going forward.
  Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 924 and recommend its adoption by the 
House.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California [Mr. McKeon], the sponsor of this 
legislation.
  Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 924. This 
legislation would prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture from 
transferring land within the Angeles National Forest out of Federal 
ownership for use as a solid waste landfill. I introduced this bill in 
response to concerns raised by residents of southern California over 
efforts to construct a 190-million-ton solid waste landfill in the 
section of the Angeles National Forest known as Elsmere Canyon. I am 
also pleased that most of the Members from the California delegation 
have joined me in supporting this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, on at least two previous occasions the Forest Service 
has rejected proposals to construct a landfill within the Angeles 
National Forest. A similar proposal is currently under consideration 
where a private company would acquire through exchange 1,643 acres of 
land within the Angeles National Forest to facilitate construction 

[[Page H 12145]]
of what would be the largest landfill in the country. The Forest 
Service has already issued a draft environmental impact statement that 
has recommended against accepting this exchange, and is in the process 
of completing a final report on this issue.
  There are several reasons to support passage of this legislation 
today. As many southern Californians know, the Angeles National Forest 
is our version of Central Park, occupying 72 percent of the open land 
in Los Angeles County. In addition, the forest is within a 2-hour drive 
for more than 20 million Californians and ranks second in the Nation in 
recreation use with more than 32 million annual visits--which is 
approximately equal to one visit per year for every person in 
California. Moreover, although the tract proposed for the landfill is 
on the western edge of the Angeles National Forest, it is an integral 
part of the forest's ecosystem and provides unique and spectacular 
educational and recreational opportunities for visitors to the forest. 
Finally, several tracts of land that the Forest Service is slated to 
acquire in an eventual exchange have already been obtained by the trust 
for public land through receipts act funding, which will reduce the 
value of an exchange to the Federal Government.
  Mr. Speaker, I am not involved in the issue to express arguments 
against landfills, since there are already several in my district. 
However, it is important to realize that the State of California is 
making great strides in promoting safer and more practical landfill 
alternatives. New developments in solid waste disposal technology 
already exist that will soon diminish the need for expensive and 
potentially unsafe new landfills. These technologies include combustion 
alternatives that do not adversely affect air quality as well as 
various recycling endeavors.

  Mr. Speaker, all of us in this Chamber have a responsibility to 
protect public land which belongs to our citizens. To sacrifice a prime 
area of National Forest land for a questionable landfill project is 
clearly not in the public's interest. The legislation before us will 
carry out our intent to further prevent forever the construction of a 
landfill within the Angeles National Forest, and I urge its adoption.
  Before concluding, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues who 
have supported this effort, especially my good friend, Mr. Hansen, the 
chairman of the National Parks, Forests, and Lands Subcommittee as well 
as another friend, Mr. Richardson, the ranking member of the 
subcommittee who is an original cosponsor of the legislation. I also 
want to express my appreciation to my colleague from California, Mr. 
Miller the ranking member of the full committee and my friend from 
Alaska, Mr. Young chairman of the full committee, for their efforts, 
along with the counsel of the National Parks Subcommittee, Allen 
Freemyer, and the subcommittee staff for their guidance and assistance 
throughout this process.
  Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank my colleague and mentor, the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Moorhead]. He was the first Congressman 
I met in my life, and he has been a great example to me of what we 
should be in this House of the people. He represents the area covered 
in this bill and has been a great partner in getting to this point.
  I express my appreciation also for the efforts of the residents of 
the city of Santa Clarita, CA, who have worked tirelessly to bring this 
issue to have the public's attention.
  I urge support of this measure this day, H.R. 924.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
distinguished gentleman from California [Mr. Moorhead].
  (Mr. MOORHEAD asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. MOORHEAD. Mr. Speaker, this is a very important piece of 
legislation for the people of southern California. It is one that we 
have fought for a long period of time as we have fought against a trash 
dump that would destroy one of the most beautiful areas of southern 
California.
  I do not think many people know it, but we have got the finest 
waterfall that I know of in southern California within Elsmere Canyon. 
It is a lovely area. It is an area that is adjacent to large population 
areas.
  Our biggest problem in the national forest has been fires and the 
floods that followed. We have tried to provide recreational facilities 
for the people of southern California in those woods and forests that 
are a part of them. If a trash dump was built on this site, it would be 
a danger for fires. It would endanger the water supply of the people of 
Santa Clarita. It would endanger the quality of air that we have in 
that part of the county. It would not be a good place for a trash dump.
  I am very, very grateful to the gentleman from California [Mr. 
McKeon] for bringing this legislation to this Congress. It is an area 
that I cherish and I want to keep pure, and I think that this 
legislation is the only thing that is going to do it.
  I ask all Members to vote for this bill.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen] that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 924.
  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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