[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 141 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12102-S12103]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CONVEYING CERTAIN LANDS TO SAN JUAN COLLEGE

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 2402) to direct the 
Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain lands in San Juan County, 
New Mexico, to San Juan College, which had been reported from the 
Committee on Energy and

[[Page S12103]]

Natural Resources, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting 
clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

     SECTION 1. OLD JICARILLA ADMINISTRATIVE SITE.

       (a) Conveyance of Property.--Not later than one year after 
     the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries of 
     Agriculture and Interior (herein ``the Secretaries'') shall 
     convey to San Juan College, in Farmington, New Mexico, 
     subject to the terms and conditions under subsection (c), all 
     right, title, and interest of the United States in and to a 
     parcel of real property (including any improvements on the 
     land) consisting of approximately ten acres known as the 
     ``Old Jicarilla Site'' located in San Juan County, New Mexico 
     (T29N; R5W; portions of Sections 29 and 30).
       (b) Description of Property.--The exact acreage and legal 
     description of the real property conveyed under subsection 
     (a) shall be determined by a survey satisfactory to the 
     Secretaries and the President of San Juan College. The cost 
     of the survey shall be borne by San Juan College.
       (c) Terms and Conditions.--
       (1) Notwithstanding exceptions of application under the 
     Recreation and Public Purposes Act (43 U.S.C. 869(c)), 
     consideration for the conveyance described in subsection (a) 
     shall be--
       (A) an amount that is consistent with the Bureau of Land 
     Management special pricing program for Governmental entities 
     under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act; and
       (B) an agreement between the Secretaries and San Juan 
     College indemnifying the Government of the United States from 
     all liability of the Government that arises from the 
     property.
       (2) The lands conveyed by this Act shall be used for 
     educational and recreational purposes. If such lands cease to 
     be used for such purposes, at the option of the United 
     States, such lands will revert to the United States.
       (d) Land Withdrawals.--Public Land Order 3443, only insofar 
     as it pertains to lands described in subsections (a) and (b) 
     above, shall be revoked simultaneous with the conveyance of 
     the property under subsection (a).

  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I am very pleased at the Senate's 
passage of S. 2402, the Old Jicarilla Administrative Site Conveyance 
Act of 1998. This legislation allows for transfer by the Secretaries of 
Agriculture and Interior real property and improvements at an abandoned 
and surplus administrative site of the Carson National Forest to San 
Juan College. The site is known as the old Jicarilla Ranger District 
Station, near the village of Gobernador, New Mexico. The Jicarilla 
Station will continue to be used for public purposes, including 
educational and recreational purposes of the college.
  The Forest Service determined that these ten acres are of no further 
use to them, since the Jicarilla District Ranger moved into a new 
administrative facility in the town of Bloomfield, New Mexico. The 
facility has had no occupants for several years, and the Forest Service 
recently testified that the improvements on the site are surplus, and 
endorsed passage of this bill to provide long-term benefits for the 
people of San Juan County and the students and faculty of San Juan 
College.
  Clearly, this legislation deserves prompt approval in the House and 
signature by the President because it is noncontroversial and the land 
can readily be put to good use for San Juan College and the area 
residents. We also need to put this property in the hands of the 
college so it can protect the area from further deterioration and fire.
  Over one third of the land in New Mexico is owned by the federal 
government, and therefore finding appropriate sites for community and 
educational purposes can be difficult. S. 2402 is a win-win bill in 
providing facilities and lands to San Juan College and removing 
unwanted and unused land and facilities from federal ownership. I urge 
prompt passage in the House of Representatives.
  The committee amendment was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 2402), as amended, was considered read the third time 
and passed.
  The title was amended so as to read: ``A bill to direct the 
Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to convey certain lands in San 
Juan County, New Mexico, to San Juan College.''.

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