[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 34 (Tuesday, March 24, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H1400-H1402]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONVEYANCE OF CERTAIN LANDS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN VIRGINIA

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3226) to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey 
certain lands and improvements in the State of Virginia, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3226

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

     SECTION 1. PURPOSE.

       The purpose of this Act is to authorize the Secretary of 
     Agriculture (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') to 
     sell or exchange all or part of certain administrative sites 
     and other lands in the George Washington National Forest and 
     the Jefferson National Forest, and to use the value derived 
     therefrom to acquire a replacement site and to construct on 
     the site suitable improvements for national forest 
     administrative purposes.

     SEC. 2. SALE OR EXCHANGE OF LAND.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary may, under such terms and 
     conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, sell or exchange 
     any or all right, title, and interest of the United States in 
     and to the approximately 368 acres contained in the following 
     tracts of land situated in the State of Virginia:
       (1) Tract J-1665 (approximately 101 acres), as shown on the 
     map titled ``Natural Bridge Juvenile Corrections Center, 
     February 4, 1998''.
       (2) Tract G-1312a (approximately 214 acres), Tract G-1312b 
     (approximately 2 acres), and Tract G1312a-I (approximately 10 
     acres), as shown on the plat titled ``George Washington 
     National Forest, Alleghany Construction Company, (1312a,-
     I,b), Alleghany County, Virginia, June 1936''.
       (3) Tract G-1709 (approximately 23 acres), as shown on the 
     plat titled ``James C. Doyle, Alleghany County, Virginia, 
     April 13, 1993''.
       (4) Tract G-1360 (consisting of Lots 31 and 32; 
     approximately .29 acres), Tract G-1361

[[Page H1401]]

     (consisting of Lots 29 and 30; approximately .29 acres), 
     Tract G-1362 (consisting of Lots 22, 23, and 24; 
     approximately .43 acres), and Tract G-1363 (consisting of Lot 
     21; approximately .14 acres), as shown on the plat titled 
     ``Dry River Road, George Washington National Forest, 
     Warehouse Site, Bridgewater, Rockingham County, Virginia, 
     July 1936''.
       (5) Tract G-1524 (consisting of Lot 13; approximately .13 
     acres), as shown on the plat titled ``Vertie E. Beery Tract, 
     Rockingham County, Virginia, February 3, 1966''.
       (6) Tract G-1525 (consisting of Lots 11 and 12; 
     approximately .26 acres), as shown on the plat titled 
     ``Charles F. Simmons Tract 1525, Rockingham County, Virginia, 
     February 3, 1966''.
       (7) Tract G-1486 (consisting of Lots 14, 15, and 16; 
     approximately .39 acres), as shown on the plat shown at Deed 
     Book 133, Page 341 Rockingham Virginia Records of the D.S. 
     Thomas Inc. Addition, Town of Bridgewater.
       (8) Tract N-123a (consisting of Lots 7 and 8; approximately 
     .287 acres), as shown on the plat titled ``George Washington 
     Forest. A.M. Rucker, Tract N-123a, Buena Vista, Virginia''.
       (9) Tract N-123b (consisting of Lots 5 and 6; approximately 
     .287 acres), as shown on the plat titled ``George Washington 
     Unit, A.M. Rucker, N-123b, Rockbridge County, Virginia, city 
     of Buena Vista, dated 1942''.
       (10) Tract G-1417 (approximately 1.2 acres), as shown on 
     the plat titled ``George Washington Unit, R.A. Warren, Tracts 
     (1417-1417a), Bath County, Virginia, May 1940''.
       (11) Tract G-1520 (approximately 1 acre), as shown on the 
     plat titled ``Samuel J. Snead Tract, Bath County, Virginia, 
     February 3, 1966''.
       (12) Tract G-1522a (approximately .65 acres), as shown on 
     the plat titled ``Charles N. Loving Tract, Bath County, 
     Virginia, February 3, 1966''.
       (13) Tract G-1582 (approximately .86 acres), as shown on 
     the plat titled ``Willie I. Haynes Tract, Bath County, 
     Virginia, January 1974''.
       (14) Tract G-1582a (approximately .62 acres), as shown on 
     the plat titled ``Willie I. Haynes, Bath County, Virginia, 
     January 1979''.
       (15) Tract G-1673 (approximately 1.69 acres), as shown on 
     the plat titled ``Erwin S. Solomon Tract, Bath County, 
     Virginia, September 15, 1970''.
       (16) Tract J-1497 (approximately 2.66 acres), as shown on 
     the plat titled ``James A. Williams, Tract 1497, January 24, 
     1990''.
       (17) Tract J-1652 (approximately 1.64 acres), as shown on 
     the plat titled ``United States of America, Tract J-1652, 
     Buchanan Magisterial District, Botetourt County, Virginia, 
     September 4, 1996''.
       (18) Tract J-1653 (approximately 5.08 acres), as shown on 
     the plat titled ``United States of America, Tract J-1653, 
     Peaks Magisterial District, Bedford County, Virginia, 
     November 4, 1996''.

     The Secretary may acquire land, and existing or future 
     administrative improvements, in consideration for the 
     conveyance of the lands designated in this subsection.
       (b) Applicable Authorities.--Except as otherwise provided 
     in this Act, any sale or exchange of all or a portion of the 
     lands designated in subsection (a) shall be subject to 
     existing laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the 
     conveyance and acquisition of lands for National Forest 
     System purposes.
       (c) Cash Equalization.--Notwithstanding any other provision 
     of law, the Secretary may accept cash equalization payments 
     in excess of 25 percent of the total value of the lands 
     designated in subsection (a) from any exchange authorized by 
     subsection (a).
       (d) Solicitations of Offers.--In carrying out this Act, the 
     Secretary may use public or private solicitations of offers 
     for sale or exchange on such terms and conditions as the 
     Secretary may prescribe. The Secretary may reject any offer 
     if the Secretary determines that the offer is not adequate or 
     not in the public interest.

     SEC. 3. DISPOSITION OF FUNDS.

       Any funds received by the Secretary through sale or by cash 
     equalization from an exchange shall be deposited into the 
     fund provided by the Act of December 4, 1967 (16 U.S.C. 
     484a), commonly known as the Sisk Act, and shall be available 
     for expenditure, upon appropriation, for--
       (1) the acquisition of lands, and interests in the lands, 
     in the State of Virginia; and
       (2) the acquisition or construction of administrative 
     improvements in connection with the George Washington and 
     Jefferson National Forests.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goode) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte).
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3226, my bill to convey 
administrative and other lands in the George Washington and Jefferson 
National Forests and to utilize the value derived therefrom to acquire 
replacement sites, where appropriate, and suitable improvements for 
national forest administrative purposes.
  H.R. 3226 grants authority for the Forest Service to sell 200 acres 
of land adjacent to U.S. Interstate 64 to the Allegheny Highlands 
Economic Development Authority for purposes of developing a corporate 
area catering to high tech companies.

                              {time}  1550

  It will be named Innovation Park. Innovation Park should prove to 
have a positive economic impact by bringing high-tech jobs to those 
living in the rural areas. This project will not only address a need 
for good high-paying jobs but also for additional transportation, 
water, and wastewater system development and improvement.
  An environmental impact review is currently underway. Preliminary 
results indicate that Innovation Park will not adversely impact any 
habitats for plant or animal life. A public notice of environmental 
assessment was issued in January and not a single complaint has been 
registered.
  Mr. Speaker, let me say that I have had the opportunity to visit this 
site in Allegheny County in my congressional district. It is an ideal 
location for a transfer of land from the National Forest Service to 
this economic development authority because this land is not contiguous 
with any other land in the national forest and it is located in a place 
where it is particularly suitable for economic development, right along 
an interstate highway.
  The plans for this particular park are very exciting for this area of 
my district, which is a rural area and which needs to have the kind of 
high-tech jobs that this park we think will draw to the Allegheny 
Highlands, one of the most beautiful areas in the entire country, one 
that has a very high quality of life and is in need of higher-paying 
jobs.
  My bill also transfers the Natural Bridge Juvenile Correction Center 
from the Forest Service to the Commonwealth of Virginia, along with 
nearly 20 other administrative land tracts or land tracts that lost 
their natural forest character because of proximity to interstate 
highways. The largest of these tracts is 1.69 acres, but the majority 
of them are about a third of an acre. They are either residential 
sites, vacant lots or the lands are not manageable as forestlands and 
are no longer necessary for administrative purposes.
  The Forest Service does not object to the land transfers and has been 
very cooperative in this attempt to gain transfer authority. They 
believe that the property included in my bill is more conducive to 
economic development than forest management and therefore are anxious 
to remove it from their need to manage inventory.
  I would like to offer special recognition to Glynn Loope, the 
executive director of the Economic Development Authority. The 
Innovation Park project would not have made it as far as it has without 
his perseverance and enthusiasm.
  This is just the first step in a long journey to bring major economic 
and high-tech development to the Allegheny Highlands as well as the 
greater Rockbridge area, Bath, Botecort, and Craig counties in 
Virginia. I am proud to sponsor and support this bill. I am confident 
of its success and look forward to being of continued assistance to the 
Innovation Park project.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOODE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I 
rise in support of H.R. 3226 authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture 
to convey certain lands and improvements in the State of Virginia. I 
would like to begin by commending the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Goodlatte) for his leadership and hard work on this legislation. This 
bill will clear the way for George Washington and Jefferson National 
Forests to sell 368 acres to the Commonwealth of Virginia in exchange 
for cash and land. All sales or exchanges would be for fair market 
value.
  The Natural Bridge Juvenile Correctional Center is located in 
Rockbridge County. It has been under the maintenance and supervision of 
the Commonwealth since 1964 and, having seen that facility, in my 
opinion it is highly appropriate that it be conveyed to the 
Commonwealth.
  This legislation also authorizes the sale of over 200 acres along 
Interstate 64. This tract will be sold to the Allegheny Highland 
Economic Development Authority which will develop the

[[Page H1402]]

land into a separate area called Innovative Park. Additionally, this 
bill authorizes the sale of several other small tracts of land which 
are close to I-64 and which have lost their natural forest 
characteristics. The proceeds from the sale will be used for the 
acquisition of other lands in Virginia that still have forest 
characteristics.
  The George Washington National Forest, the Jefferson National Forest 
and the U.S. Forest Service have expressed their support for this 
legislation. I strongly support the measure and urge its passage by the 
House.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume 
simply to thank my colleague from my neighboring district for his 
support for this legislation, which hopefully will also yield some 
benefits further across the State to his district as well. This is 
something that is responsible use of National Forest Service land and 
good for economic development in Virginia, it is something that has the 
strong support of the National Forest Service, and I urge my colleagues 
to adopt this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Foley). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3226.
  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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