[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 29, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E942-E943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            LAND CONVEYANCE

                                 ______


                           HON. J.D. HAYWORTH

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 29, 1996

  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to 
convey 40 acres of U.S. Forest Service controlled land in Apache 
County, AZ, to the Alpine Elementary School District.

[[Page E943]]

  This 40 acres is needed by the Alpine Elementary School District to 
construct school facilities and related playing fields. The U.S. Forest 
Service has the authority, under the Townsite Act of 1958, to sell this 
acreage to the school district because no private lands exist for 
purchase. The school district is very willing to purchase these lands, 
however, the prohibitive costs of $7,500 per acre prevents the district 
from buying the needed acreage.
  Eight-five percent of Apache County is federally controlled land. As 
a result, school districts rely heavily on proceeds from timber 
harvesting. Unfortunately, with the continued success of extreme 
preservationist efforts to halt all logging in most Western States, the 
Alpine Elementary School District's revenues have fallen sharply. 
Without this conveyance, they would not be able to afford to construct 
any facilities after acquiring the land.
  My legislation stipulates that the school district can only use this 
land for school facilities. In addition, the school district will bear 
the costs of performing a survey to determine the exact acreage and 
legal description of the property.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important 
legislation.

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