[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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