[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 96 (Thursday, July 1, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8185-S8186]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITY IN SISTERS, OREGON

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 416) to direct the 
Secretary of Agriculture to convey to the city of Sisters, Oregon, a 
certain parcel of land for use in connection with a sewage treatment 
facility, which had been reported from the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources, with amendments, as follows:
  (The parts of the bill intended to be stricken are shown in boldface 
brackets and the parts of the bill intended to be inserted are shown in 
italic.)

                                 S. 416

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

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) the city of Sisters, Oregon, faces a public health 
     threat from a major outbreak of infectious diseases due to 
     the lack of a sewer system;
       (2) the lack of a sewer system also threatens groundwater 
     and surface water resources in the area;
       (3) the city is surrounded by Forest Service land and has 
     no reasonable access to non-Federal parcels of land large 
     enough, and with the proper soil conditions, for the 
     development of a sewage treatment facility;
       (4) the Forest Service currently must operate, maintain, 
     and replace 11 separate septic systems to serve existing 
     Forest Service facilities in the city of Sisters; and
       (5) the Forest Service currently administers 77 acres of 
     land within the city limits that would increase in value as a 
     result of construction of a sewer system.

     SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE.

       (a) In General.--[Not later than 1 year] As soon as 
     practicable and upon completion of any documents or analysis 
     required by any environmental law, but not later than 180 
     days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
     of Agriculture shall convey to the city of Sisters, Oregon, 
     at no cost to the city except the cost of preparation of any 
     documents required by any environmental law in connection 
     with the [conveyance, the parcel of land described in 
     subsection (b).
       [(b) Land Description.--The land described in this 
     subsection is the parcel of land located in--]

     conveyance, an amount of land that is not more than is 
     reasonably necessary for a sewage treatment facility and for 
     the disposal of treated effluent consistent with subsection 
     (c).
       ``(b) Land Description.--The amount of land conveyed under 
     subsection (a) shall be not less than 160 acres and not more 
     than 240 acres from within the following--
       (1) the SE quarter of section 09, township 15 south, range 
     10 west, W.M., Deschutes, Oregon, and the portion of the SW 
     quarter of section 09, township 15 south, range 10 west, 
     W.M., Deschutes, Oregon, that lies east of Three Creeks Lake 
     Road, but not including the westernmost 500 feet of that 
     portion; and
       (2) the portion of the SW quarter of section 09, township 
     15 south, range 10 west, W.M., Deschutes County, Oregon, 
     lying easterly of Three Creeks Lake Road.
       (c) Condition.--The conveyance under subsection (a) shall 
     be made on the condition that the city agree to conduct a 
     public process before the final determination is made 
     regarding land use for the disposition of treated effluent.
       [(d) Special Use Permit.--Not later than 120 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, in compliance with applicable 
     environmental laws (including regulations), the Secretary 
     shall issue a special use permit for the land conveyed under 
     subsection (a) that allows the city access to the land for 
     the purpose of commencing construction of the sewage 
     treatment plant.
       [(e)] (d) Use of Land.--
       (1) In general.--The land conveyed under subsection (a) 
     shall be used by the city for a sewage treatment facility and 
     for the disposal of treated effluent.
       (2) Optional reverter.--If at any time the land conveyed 
     under subsection (a) ceases to be used for a purpose 
     described in paragraph (1), at the option of the United 
     States, title to the land shall revert to the United States.

     [SEC. 3. SALE OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAND.

       [(a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
     enactment of the Act, and notwithstanding any other provision 
     of law, the Secretary shall sell, at fair market value, not 
     less than a total of 6 acres of unimproved land in the city 
     that is currently designated for administrative use. There 
     are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
     to prepare the sale.
       [(b) Deposit of Proceeds.--The Secretary shall deposit the 
     proceeds of a sale under subsection (a) in the fund 
     established by Public Law 90-171 (commonly known as the 
     ``Sisk Act'') (16 U.S.C. 484a).
       [(c) Use of Proceeds.--
       [(1) In general.--Funds deposited under subsection (b) 
     shall be available for expenditure, without further Act of 
     appropriation, as follows:
       [(A) Not more than 25 percent shall be available for 
     administrative improvements at the Sisters Ranger District.
       [(B) The remainder shall be available for purposes that are 
     directly related to improving the long-term condition of the 
     watershed of Squaw Creek, a tributary of the Deschutes River, 
     Oregon.
       [(2) Method of expenditure.--The supervisor of the 
     Deschutes National Forest may expend funds deposited under 
     subsection (b) directly or may provide the funds in the form 
     of grants to local watershed councils, including the Working 
     Group (as defined in section 1025(a) of division I of the 
     Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 (110 
     Stat. 4226)).]

  The committee amendments were agreed to.


                           Amendment No. 1225

      (Purpose: To authorize the acquisition of replacement lands)

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Washington [Mr. Gorton], for Mr. Smith of 
     Oregon, for himself and Mr. Wyden, proposes an amendment 
     numbered 1225.

  The amendment (No. 1225) was agreed to, as follows:
       On page 3, line 12, strike the quotation marks.
       On page 3, line 14, strike ``the following''.
       At the end, add the following:
       ``(e) Authority to Acquire Land in Substitution.--Subject 
     to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall 
     acquire land within Oregon, and within or in the vicinity of 
     the Deschutes National Forest of an acreage equivalent to 
     that of the land conveyed under subsection (a). Any lands 
     acquired shall be added to and administered as part of the 
     Deschutes National Forest.''.

  The bill (S. 426), as amended, was considered read the third time and 
passed, as follows:

                                 S. 416

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

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) the city of Sisters, Oregon, faces a public health 
     threat from a major outbreak of infectious diseases due to 
     the lack of a sewer system;
       (2) the lack of a sewer system also threatens groundwater 
     and surface water resources in the area;
       (3) the city is surrounded by Forest Service land and has 
     no reasonable access to non-Federal parcels of land large 
     enough, and with the proper soil conditions, for the 
     development of a sewage treatment facility;
       (4) the Forest Service currently must operate, maintain, 
     and replace 11 separate septic systems to serve existing 
     Forest Service facilities in the city of Sisters; and
       (5) the Forest Service currently administers 77 acres of 
     land within the city limits that would increase in value as a 
     result of construction of a sewer system.

     SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE.

       (a) In General.--As soon as practicable and upon completion 
     of any documents or analysis required by any environmental 
     law, but not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
     of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall convey to the 
     city of Sisters, Oregon, at no cost to the city except the 
     cost of preparation of any documents required by any 
     environmental law in connection with the conveyance, an 
     amount of land that is not more than is reasonably necessary 
     for a sewage treatment facility and for the disposal of 
     treated effluent consistent with subsection (c).
       (b) Land Description.--The amount of land conveyed under 
     subsection (a) shall be not less than 160 acres and not more 
     than 240 acres from within--
       (1) the SE quarter of section 09, township 15 south, range 
     10 west, W.M., Deschutes, Oregon, and the portion of the SW 
     quarter of section 09, township 15 south, range 10 west, 
     W.M., Deschutes, Oregon, that lies east of Three Creeks Lake 
     Road, but not including the westernmost 500 feet of that 
     portion; and
       (2) the portion of the SW quarter of section 09, township 
     15 south, range 10 west, W.M., Deschutes County, Oregon, 
     lying easterly of Three Creeks Lake Road.
       (c) Condition.--The conveyance under subsection (a) shall 
     be made on the condition that the city agree to conduct a 
     public process before the final determination is made 
     regarding land use for the disposition of treated effluent.
       (d) Use of Land.--
       (1) In general.--The land conveyed under subsection (a) 
     shall be used by the city for a sewage treatment facility and 
     for the disposal of treated effluent.

[[Page S8186]]

       (2) Optional reverter.--If at any time the land conveyed 
     under subsection (a) ceases to be used for a purpose 
     described in paragraph (1), at the option of the United 
     States, title to the land shall revert to the United States.
       (e) Authority to Acquire Land in Substitution.--Subject to 
     the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall 
     acquire land within Oregon, and within or in the vicinity of 
     the Deschutes National Forest, of an acreage equivalent to 
     that of the land conveyed under subsection (a). Any lands 
     acquired shall be added to and administered as part of the 
     Deschutes National Forest.

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