[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 104 (Tuesday, July 22, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H5503-H5504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            WARNER CANYON SKI HILL LAND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1997

  Mrs. CHENOWETH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1944) to provide for a land exchange involving the Warner 
Canyon Ski Area and other land in the State of Oregon.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1944

       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 ``Warner Canyon Ski Hill Land 
     Exchange Act of 1977''.

     SEC. 2. LAND EXCHANGE INVOLVING WARNER CANYON SKI AREA AND 
                   OTHER LAND IN OREGON.

       (a) Authorization of Exchange.--If title acceptable to the 
     Secretary for non-Federal land described in subsection (b) is 
     conveyed to the United States, the Secretary of Agriculture 
     shall convey to Lake County, Oregon, subject to valid 
     existing rights of record, all right, title, and interest of 
     the United States in and to a parcel of Federal land 
     consisting of approximately 295 acres within the Warner 
     Canyon Ski Area of the Freemont National Forest, as generally 
     depicted on the map entitled ``Warner Canyon Ski Hill Land 
     Exchange'', dated June 1997.
       (b) Non-Federal Land.--The non-Federal land referred to in 
     subsection (a) consists of--
       (1) approximately 320 acres within the Hart Mountain 
     National Wildlife Refuge, as generally depicted on the map 
     referred to in subsection (a); and
       (2) such other parcels of land owned by Lake County, 
     Oregon, within the Refuge as are necessary to ensure that the 
     values of the Federal land and non-Federal land to be 
     exchanged under this section are approximately equal in 
     value, as determined by appraisals.
       (c) Acceptable Title.--Title to the non-Federal land 
     conveyed to the United States under subsection (a) shall be 
     such title as is acceptable to the Secretary of the Interior, 
     in conformance with title approval standards applicable to 
     Federal land acquisitions.
       (d) Valid Existing Rights.--The conveyance shall be subject 
     to such valid existing rights of record as may be acceptable 
     to the Secretary of the Interior.
       (e) Applicability of Other Laws.--Except as otherwise 
     provided in this section, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
     process the land exchange authorized by this section in the 
     manner provided in subpart 2200 of title 43, Code of Federal 
     Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this 
     Act).
       (f) Map.--The map referred to in subsection (a) shall be on 
     file and available for inspection in 1 or more local offices 
     of the Department of the Interior and the Department of 
     Agriculture.
       (g) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary of the 
     Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture may require such 
     additional terms and conditions in connection with the 
     conveyances under this section as either Secretary considers 
     appropriate to protect the interests of the United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Idaho [Mrs. Chenoweth] and the gentleman from American Samoa [Mr. 
Faleomavaega], each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes gentlewoman from Idaho [Mrs. Chenoweth].
  Mrs. CHENOWETH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 1944, introduced by the gentleman from Oregon [Mr. Smith], 
provides for a land exchange involving the Warner Canyon Ski Area and 
other land in the State of Oregon. I commend Chairman Bob Smith for 
bringing this bill before us today.
  H.R. 1944 deeds approximately 290 acres of Forest Service land 
comprising the Warner Canyon Ski Hill to Lake County, Oregon. In 
exchange, Lake County will deed approximately 320 acres of land that is 
currently owned by Lake County within the Hart Mountain National 
Antelope Refuge to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The specific 
acreage offered by Lake County will be dependent upon an appraisal of 
all the lands to determine what amounts to an equal value trade in this 
exchange.
  The Warner Canyon Ski Hill has been operated by the nonprofit group, 
the Fremont Highlanders Ski Club, since 1938. It is one of America's 
last nonprofit ski hills, the kind I learned to ski on, and I love 
them. The Warner Canyon Ski Hill anticipates many benefits by the trade 
including the reduction in the cost of liability insurance as well as 
better management of the ski area. The Forest Service will benefit by 
reducing the cost of managing this recreational property.
  H.R. 1944 is noncontroversial and supported by all interested 
parties. This legislation is good for national taxpayers as well as the 
local taxpayers in Oregon. I would urge support for this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page H5504]]

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the 
legislation introduced by the gentleman from Oregon [Mr. Smith]. H.R. 
1944 directs the Forest Service to convey about 295 acres of Federal 
land within the Warner Canyon Ski Area of Fremont National Forest to 
Lake County, Oregon. In exchange, the county would convey to the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service about 320 acres of inholdings within the Hart 
Mountain National Wildlife Refuge. Significantly, the bill provides 
that this exchange would be of equal value, subject to appraisals, and 
under terms acceptable to both the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
Secretary of the Interior.
  The administration has support and testified in support of this 
legislation. The Forest Service property contains a small ski area that 
costs the Federal Government about $10,000 per year to administer but 
generates only $400 in ski fees to the U.S. Treasury. The proposed 
exchange appears to be a good deal, Mr. Speaker, both for the Lake 
County, which wants the ski area to continue to operate for the benefit 
of community residents, and for the Federal Government, which would 
receive additional lands for the wildlife refuge.
  Mr. Speaker, I do compliment the gentleman from Oregon on his 
legislation and urge Members to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHENOWETH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Oregon [Mr. Smith].
  (Mr. SMITH of Oregon asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SMITH of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for 
yielding me the time and my dear friend, the gentleman from American 
Samoa, for his support. This is, as has been identified, a very small 
land exchange which can assist in a time of need, a very small county 
in the southern part of the State of Oregon in the southeast suffering 
from what we have suffered from in the West in many areas, the problem 
with the lack of timber receipts because we cannot harvest timber any 
longer for various reasons, including the spotted owl and other Federal 
management objections.
  Just to give an example, this little county received about $6.5 
million in 1993 from forest receipts. Now it is receiving about $1.2 
million from forest receipts. And with 75 percent of the county owned 
by the Federal Government, we can see the pinch that results in how in 
the world these people can provide for their infrastructure. One 
opportunity is with a little more tourism. One of those opportunities 
is with this land exchange, which could in fact expand the ski area.
  I thank both of my friends for helping in this effort for a very good 
group of people and a very small county in America.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank you for allowing this bipartisan, 
noncontroversial bill to come to the floor today. H.R. 1944 is 
supported by Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith, the Forest 
Service, and the good people of Lake County, OR. Hopefully, with your 
assistance, we can move this bill in an expeditious manner so that Lake 
County will enjoy its benefits when the ski season begins again in the 
fall.
  H.R. 1944 deeds approximately 290 acres of Fremont National Forest 
land from the U.S. Forest Service, comprising the Warner Canyon Ski 
Hill, to Lake County. In exchange, the county will deed roughly 320 
acres of land within the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge to the 
Federal Government. The specific acreage offered by the county will be 
determined upon appraisal of all lands in order to facilitate an equal 
trade.
  Lake County has been devastated over the last 4 years by this 
administration's policy of drastically reducing the amount of available 
timber in the Northwest. In 1993, there was $6.5 million brought into 
the Lake County treasury from timber receipts. By last year that figure 
had dropped to $1.2 million. This has had an extremely negative effect 
on local schools, law enforcement and county services. In addition, 
mills have been closed and hundreds of good, hard-working people have 
been forced to relocate and find new jobs causing further erosion of 
the tax base. This bill will provide a shot in the arm to the local 
economy by increasing seasonal employment and boosting tourism.
  The Warner Canyon Ski Hill has been operated by the nonprofit Fremont 
Highlanders Ski Club since 1938. It is one of America's last nonprofit 
ski hills and has 780 vertical feet of skiing and one lift--a T-bar. 
The ski area is about 5 miles from the town of Lakeview, which has a 
population of roughly 2,500.
  The benefits of transferring this small parcel of Federal land to the 
county are numerous. First, the Fremont National Forest will save about 
$2,600 per year. The cost of administering the ski area permit for 
Warner Canyon is about $3,000 per year, while the revenues generated by 
the ski area average about $400 annually. The U.S. Treasury is forced 
to absorb that additional cost. Second, the Fremont Highlanders Ski 
Club is currently responsible for providing liability insurance for 
Warner Canyon Ski Hill. Unfortunately, because it is Forest Service 
land, the Federal Government is forced to be coinsured on the property. 
This raises the cost of annual liability insurance to about $8,000. If 
the land were deeded to Lake County, which already has a liability 
insurance policy, this cost would be negated.
  In short, H.R. 1944 is a ``win-win'' proposal that will benefit the 
U.S. Treasury, Lake County, and the recreationists who have been 
enjoying Warner Canyon Ski Hill for decades. I urge my colleagues in 
the House to support the bill.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHENOWETH. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Idaho [Mrs. Chenoweth] that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1944.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground 
that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum 
is not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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