[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 152 (Tuesday, November 4, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H9927]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HINSDALE COUNTY, COLORADO LAND EXCHANGE

  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 587) to require the Secretary of the Interior to 
exchange certain lands located in Hinsdale County, Colorado.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                 S. 587

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

     SECTION 1. LARSON AND FRIENDS CREEK EXCHANGE.

       (a) In General.--In exchange for conveyance to the United 
     States of an equal value of offered land acceptable to the 
     Secretary of the Interior that lies within, or in proximity 
     to, the Handies Peak Wilderness Study Area, the Red Cloud 
     Peak Wilderness Study Area, or the Alpine Loop Backcountry 
     Bi-way, in Hinsdale County, Colorado, the Secretary of the 
     Interior shall convey to Lake City Ranches, Ltd., a Texas 
     limited partnership (referred to in this section as ``LCR''), 
     approximately 560 acres of selected land located in that 
     county and generally depicted on a map entitled ``Larson and 
     Friends Creek Exchange'', dated June 1996.
       (b) Contingency.--The exchange under subsection (a) shall 
     be contingent on the granting by LCR to the Secretary of a 
     permanent conservation easement, on the approximately 440-
     acre Larson Creek portion of the selected land (as depicted 
     on the map), that limits future use of the land to 
     agricultural, wildlife, recreational, or open space purposes.
       (c) Appraisal and Equalization.--
       (1) In general.--The exchange under subsection (a) shall be 
     subject to--
       (A) the appraisal requirements and equalization payment 
     limitations set forth in section 206 of the Federal Land 
     Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 .S.C. 1716); and
       (B) reviews and approvals relating to threatened species 
     and endangered species, cultural and historic resources, and 
     hazardous materials under other Federal laws
       (2) Costs of appraisal and review.--The costs of appraisals 
     and reviews shall be paid by LCR.
       (3) Crediting.--The Secretary may credit payments under 
     paragraph (2) against the value of the selected land, if 
     appropriate, under section 206(f) of the Federal Land Policy 
     and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716(f)).
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah [Mr. Hansen] and the gentleman from American Samoa [Mr. 
Faleomavaega] each will control 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, the companion bill to S. 587, H.R. 591, was 
introduced by the gentleman from Colorado [Mr. McInnis]. The gentleman 
from Colorado has assembled a bill that is agreeable to the 
administration, to the environmental community and to private property 
owners. I would also like to commend the gentleman from Texas [Mr. 
Thornberry], who has added his support to this bill. This bill 
authorizes an uncomplicated land exchange and is noncontroversial.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  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 support of this legislation. 
This is one of the four Colorado-related bills on today's calendar 
which started in the House and have returned with the Senate numbers. 
In this case the House passed H.R. 591 on July 8, 1997, and we have 
before us the same bill in the form of Senate bill 587.

                              {time}  1615

  Senate bill 587 directs the Secretary of the Interior to transfer 
about 560 acres of land located in Hinsdale County in Colorado and 
currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The exchange is 
contingent upon Department of Conservation easement being placed on 400 
of these acres. In exchange, the Bureau of Land Management will receive 
high-priority lands of equal value within the Handies Peak Wilderness 
study area, the Red Cloud Peak Wilderness study area, or the Alpine 
Loop Backcountry Bi-way. According to the Bureau of Land Management, 
these areas have important wilderness, wildlife, and recreational 
values. The exchange is subject to appraisals and other requirements 
under Federal law and must meet the approval of the Secretary of the 
Interior.
  This bill is supported by the administration, and I am not aware of 
any opposition.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill has very wide community support, and I urge 
all my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kingston). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen] that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 587.
  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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