[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H7653-H7654]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DOUGLAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON, PUD CONVEYANCE ACT
Mr. PEARCE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4789) to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey
certain public land located wholly or partially within the boundaries
of the Wells Hydroelectric Project of Public Utility District No. 1 of
Douglas County, Washington, to the utility district, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 4789
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Douglas County, Washington,
PUD Conveyance Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Public land.--The term ``public land'' means the
approximately 622 acres of Federal land managed by the Bureau
of Land Management and identified for conveyance on the map
prepared by the Bureau of Land Management entitled ``Douglas
County Public Utility District Proposal'' and dated March 2,
2006.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(3) PUD.--The term ``PUD'' means the Public Utility
District No. 1 of Douglas County, Washington.
SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF PUBLIC LAND, WELLS HYDROELECTRIC
PROJECT, PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT NO. 1 OF
DOUGLAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON.
(a) Conveyance Required.--Notwithstanding the land use
planning requirements of sections 202 and 203 of the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712,
1713), and notwithstanding section 24 of the Federal Power
Act (16 U.S.C. 818) and Federal Power Order for Project 2149,
and subject to valid existing rights, if not later than 45
days after the date of completion of the appraisal required
under subsection (b), the Public Utility District No. 1 of
Douglas County, Washington, submits to the Secretary of the
Interior an offer to acquire the public land for the
appraised value, the Secretary shall convey, not later than
30 days after the date of the offer, to the PUD all right,
title, and interest of the United States in and to the public
land.
(b) Appraisal.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete an
appraisal of the public land. The appraisal shall be
conducted in accordance with the ``Uniform Appraisal
Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions'' and the ``Uniform
Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice''.
(c) Payment.--Not later than 30 days after the date on
which the public land is conveyed under this section, the PUD
shall pay to the Secretary an amount equal to the appraised
value of the public land as determined under subsection (b).
(d) Map and Legal Descriptions.--As soon as practicable
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
finalize legal descriptions of the public land to be conveyed
under this section. The Secretary may correct any minor
errors in the map referred to in section 2 or in the legal
descriptions. The map and legal descriptions shall be on file
and available for public inspection in appropriate offices of
the Bureau of Land Management.
(e) Costs of Conveyance.--As a condition of conveyance, any
costs related to the conveyance under this section shall be
paid by the PUD.
(f) Disposition of Proceeds.--The Secretary shall deposit
the proceeds from the sale in the working capital fund of the
Bureau of Land Management established by section 306 of the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C.
1736).
SEC. 4. SEGREGATION OF LANDS.
(a) Withdrawal.--Except as provided in section 3(a),
effective immediately upon enactment of this Act, and subject
to valid existing rights, the public land is withdrawn from
(1) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under
the public land laws, and all amendments thereto;
(2) location, entry, and patenting under the mining laws,
and all amendments thereto; and
(3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials,
and geothermal leasing laws, and all amendments thereto.
(b) Duration.--This section expires two years after the
date of enactment of this Act or on the date of the
completion of the conveyance under section 3, whichever is
earlier.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Mexico (Mr. Pearce) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Mexico.
Mr. PEARCE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 4789 would convey nearly 400 acres of small
isolated Bureau of Land Management parcels of land to the Wells
Hydroelectric Project located in Anzwell, Washington. The project
provides power to large parts of Oregon and Washington.
The small parcels being conveyed are difficult for the BLM to manage
and makes management of the Wells Hydroelectric project area difficult
for the utility company which manages its area not just for power
generation, but also for a variety of public recreation uses.
The land would be conveyed for fair market value and the legislation
ensures that recreational opportunities would continue.
I urge passage of this bill.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I too support this legislation. I encourage
its
[[Page H7654]]
passage this evening and yield back the balance of our time.
Mr. PEARCE. Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers and yield
back the balance of our time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 4789, 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.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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