[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 100 (Thursday, July 27, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S7796]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONVEYANCE OF LAND IN WASHAKIE COUNTY AND BIG HORN COUNTY, WYOMING TO 
               THE WESTSIDE IRRIGATION DISTRICT, WYOMING

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 610) to direct the 
Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land under the jurisdiction 
of the Bureau of Land Management in Washakie County and Big Horn 
County, Wyoming, to the Westside Irrigation District, Wyoming, and for 
other purposes, which had been reported by the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources with an amendment to strike all after the enacting 
clause and insert the part printed in italic:

     SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE.

       (a) In General.--On completion of an environmental analysis 
     under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
     U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Secretary of the Interior, acting 
     through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management 
     (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary''), shall convey 
     to the Westside Irrigation District, Wyoming (referred to in 
     this Act as ``Westside''), all right, title, and interest 
     (excluding the mineral interest) of the United States in and 
     to such portions of the Federal land in Big Horn County and 
     Washakie County, Wyoming, described in subsection (c), as the 
     district enters into an agreement with the Secretary to 
     purchase.
       (b) Price.--The price of the land conveyed under subsection 
     (a) shall be equal to the appraised value of the land, as 
     determined by the Secretary.
       (c) Land Description.--
       (1) In general.--The land referred to in subsection (a) is 
     the approximately 16,500 acres of land in Big Horn County and 
     Washakie County, Wyoming, as depicted on the map entitled 
     ``Westside Project'' and dated May 9, 2000.
       (2) Adjustment.--On agreement of the Secretary and 
     Westside, acreage may be added to or subtracted from the land 
     to be conveyed as necessary to satisfy any mitigation 
     requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 
     1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
       (d) Use of Proceeds.--Proceeds of the sale of land under 
     subsection (a) shall be deposited in a special account in the 
     Treasury of the United States and shall be available to the 
     Secretary of the Interior, without further Act of 
     appropriation, for the acquisition of land and interests in 
     land in the Worland District of the Bureau of Land Management 
     in the State of Wyoming that will benefit public recreation, 
     public access, fish and wildlife habitat, or cultural 
     resources.

  The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 610), as amended, was read the third time and passed.

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