[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 48 (Thursday, March 25, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3573-S3574]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    LEGISLATION TO TRANSFER PROPERTY IN SAN JUAN COUNTY, NEW MEXICO

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 293) to direct the 
Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior and to convey certain lands in 
San Juan County, New Mexico, to San Juan College.
  The amendment (No. 250) was agreed to, as follows:

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. OLD JICARILLA ADMINISTRATIVE SITE.

       (a) Conveyance of Property.--Not later than one year after 
     the date of completion of the survey referred to in 
     subsection (b), the Secretary of the Interior shall convey to 
     San Juan College, in Farmington, New Mexico, subject to the 
     terms, conditions, and reservations 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) not to exceed 20 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 
     Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Agriculture, and the 
     President of San Juan College. The cost of the survey shall 
     be borne by San Juan College.
       (c) Terms, Conditions, and Reservations.----
       (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----

[[Page S3574]]

       (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 of the Interior 
     and Agriculture 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.
       (3) The Secretary of Agriculture shall identify any 
     reservations of rights-of-way for ingress, egress, and 
     utilities as the Secretary deems appropriate.
       (4) The conveyance described in subsection (a) shall be 
     subject to valid existing rights.
       (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).

  The bill was ordered to the engrossed for a third reading, read the 
third time, and passed.
  (The text of the bill will be printed in a future edition of the 
Record.)
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I am pleased my colleagues have again 
passed this important legislation allowing for transfer of an unwanted 
piece of federal property to an educational institution which needs it. 
The Old Jicarilla Site Conveyance Act of 1999 allows for transfer by 
the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior real property and 
improvements at an abandoned and surplus ranger station to San Juan 
College. This college, located in a county that amazingly is 90% in 
federal ownership, has been waiting for use of this land.
  Finding appropriate sites for community and educational purposes can 
be difficult in predominantly federally-owned areas. The site that is 
the subject of this legislation is in the Carson National Forest near 
the village of Gobernador, New Mexico. The Jicarilla Site will continue 
to be used for public purposes, including educational and recreational 
purposes of the college.
  The Forest Service determined that the acreage is of no further use 
to them because a new administrative facility has been located in the 
town of Bloomfield, New Mexico. In fact, the facility has had no 
occupants for several years, and the Forest Service testified last year 
that enactment of this bill would ``provide long-term benefits for the 
people of San Juan County and the students and faculty of San Juan 
College.''
  While an identical bill passed the Senate last Congress, and was 
reintroduced this January, the Forest Service last week indicated it 
wished to make some last minute changes. The substitute amendment 
incorporates these technical corrections as to the acreage, and I hope 
the House of Representatives will quickly act on this noncontroversial 
bill 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 soon so it can protect the area from further 
deterioration and fire.

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