[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 122 (Tuesday, September 26, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H7374-H7375]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROVIDING FOR CONVEYANCE OF CERTAIN NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LAND TO
LAONA AND WABENO, WISCONSIN
Mr. GOODLATTE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 4559) to provide for the conveyance of National Forest
System land to the towns of Laona and Wabeno, Wisconsin, to authorize
the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain isolated parcels of
National Forest System land in Florence and Langlade Counties,
Wisconsin, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 4559
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF CHEQUAMEGON-NICOLET NATIONAL FOREST
LAND TO TOWNS OF LAONA AND WABENO, WISCONSIN.
(a) Conveyance to Town of Laona.--
(1) Conveyance.--At the request of the town of Laona,
Wisconsin (referred to in this subsection as the ``town''),
the Secretary of Agriculture shall convey to the town all
right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the
parcel of National Forest System land in Forest County,
Wisconsin, consisting of approximately 176 acres, as further
described in paragraph (2), for the purpose of permitting the
town to use the parcel as a site for an industrial park and
for other purposes.
(2) Legal description.--The parcel of land referred to in
paragraph (1) consists of the N\1/2\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\,
S\1/2\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, and that part of the W\1/2\NE\1/4\
lying south of the Rat River, excluding Lot #1 of Forest
County Certified Survey Map #157861 and a 100-foot wide
former rail road right-of-way running through the W\1/2\NE\1/
4\, all in section 6, township 35 north, range 15 east, Laona
Township, Forest County, Wisconsin.
(3) Consideration.--As consideration for the conveyance
under this subsection, the town shall pay to the Secretary an
amount equal to $300,000, which is the appraised fair market
value of the parcel of National Forest System land to be
conveyed.
(b) Conveyance to Town of Wabeno.--
(1) Conveyance.--At the request of the town of Wabeno,
Wisconsin (referred to in this subsection as the ``town''),
the Secretary of Agriculture shall convey to the town all
right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the
parcel of National Forest System land in Forest County,
Wisconsin, consisting of approximately 173 acres, as further
described in paragraph (2), for the purpose of permitting the
town to use the parcel as a site for an industrial park and
for other purposes.
(2) Legal description.--The parcel of land referred to in
paragraph (1) consists of the S\1/2\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\,
and east 17.30 acres of the NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, excluding a 100-
foot wide former rail road right-of-way running through the
NE\1/4\SW\1/4\ and SE\1/4\NW\1/4\ and a 0.02 acre parcel in
the SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, a 0.93 acre parcel in the SE\1/4\SW\1/4\,
and a 2.36 acre parcel in the E\1/2\SW\1/4\ reserved for
highway purposes, as described in volume 7, 276-277, Forest
County Records, and all in section 7, township 34 north,
range 15 east, Wabeno Township, Forest County, Wisconsin.
(3) Consideration.--As consideration for the conveyance
under this subsection, the town shall pay to the Secretary an
amount equal to $320,000, which is the appraised fair market
value of the parcel of National Forest System land to be
conveyed.
(c) Survey.--If necessary, the exact acreage and legal
description of the lands to be conveyed under subsections (a)
and (b) shall be determined by surveys satisfactory to the
Secretary. The cost of a survey shall be borne by the
recipient of the land.
(d) Deposit and Use of Proceeds.--
(1) Deposit.--The Secretary shall deposit the proceeds from
the conveyance of land under this section in the fund
established
[[Page H7375]]
under Public Law 90-171 (commonly known as the Sisk Act; 16
U.S.C. 484a).
(2) Use.--Funds deposited pursuant to paragraph (1) shall
be available to the Secretary, without further appropriation
and until expended--
(A) to acquire land and interests in land for inclusion in
the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin; and
(B) to reimburse costs incurred by the Secretary in
carrying out the conveyances under this section, including
the payment of any real estate broker commissions.
(3) Administration.--The lands acquired under paragraph
(2)(A) shall be included in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National
Forest and administered in accordance with the laws
applicable to that National Forest.
(e) Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights, the land
to be conveyed under this section is withdrawn from location,
entry, and patent under the public land laws, mining laws,
and mineral leasing laws, including geothermal leasing laws.
(f) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary may
require such additional terms and conditions in connection
with the conveyances under this section as the Secretary
considers appropriate to protect the interests of the United
States.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr.
Peterson) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4559. This bill simply
provides the Forest Service with the required legislative authority to
sell two tracts in Wisconsin to neighboring towns for a set price which
the Forest Service and the towns agree represents fair market value.
The intent of the land sale is to spur economic development by
providing the towns room to grow and allow the Forest Service to
acquire more sensitive lands that have higher natural resource value.
The proceeds of these sales will be used by the Forest Service to
acquire other higher priority lands in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National
Forest.
I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Green) for introducing this
legislation, and I thank Mr. Peterson for working with us on the
committee to move this legislation forward. I urge my colleagues to
support the bill.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4559. Mr. Green's bill would
allow the towns of Laona and Wabeno in Wisconsin to purchase two
parcels of marginal Forest Service land for development. Those towns,
as was noted, suffer from low timber prices and a limited tax base, and
this bill is an effort to provide economic development in these
communities.
This bill allows the Forest Service to use the proceeds of the sale
to buy land with greater environmental value which will improve the
forest. This project is a sensible transfer of Federal forest land, and
it deserves congressional support.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). 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. 4559, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to provide
for the conveyance of certain National Forest System land to the towns
of Laona and Wabeno, Wisconsin, and for other purposes.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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