[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 193 (Monday, December 17, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H15475-H15476]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONVEYANCES UNDER FLORIDA NATIONAL FOREST LAND MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2003

  Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 1374) to amend the Florida National Forest Land 
Management Act of 2003 to authorize the conveyance of an additional 
tract of National Forest System land under that Act, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1374

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

     SECTION 1. CONVEYANCES UNDER FLORIDA NATIONAL FOREST LAND 
                   MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2003.

       (a) Additional Conveyance Authorized.--Subsection (b) of 
     section 3 of the Florida National Forest Land Management Act 
     of 2003 (Public Law 108-152; 117 Stat. 1919) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (17);
       (2) by redesignating paragraph (18) as paragraph (19);
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (17) the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(18) tract W-1979, located in Leon County consisting of 
     approximately 114 acres, within T. 1 S., R. 1 W., sec. 25; 
     and''; and
       (4) in paragraph (19), as so redesignated, by striking 
     ``(17)'' and inserting ``(18)''.
       (b) Additional Use of Proceeds.--Paragraph (2) of 
     subsection (i) of such section (117 Stat. 1921) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (A);
       (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (B) 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(C) acquisition, construction, or maintenance of 
     administrative improvements for units of the National Forest 
     System in the State.''.
       (c) Limitations on Use of Proceeds.--Subsection (i) of such 
     section is further amended by adding at the end the following 
     new paragraphs:
       ``(3) Geographical and use restriction for certain 
     conveyance.--Notwithstanding paragraph (2), proceeds from the 
     sale or exchange of the tract described in subsection (b)(18) 
     shall be used exclusively for the purchase of inholdings in 
     the Apalachicola National Forest.
       ``(4) Restriction on use of proceeds for administrative 
     improvements.--Proceeds from any sale or exchange of land 
     under this Act may be used for administrative improvements, 
     as authorized by paragraph (2)(C), only if the land 
     generating the proceeds was improved with infrastructure.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Peterson) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. 
Foxx) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.
  Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1374. H.R. 1374, introduced by 
Representatives Allen Boyd of Florida and Ander Crenshaw of Florida, 
would amend the Florida National Forest Land Management Act of 2003 and 
permit a land conveyance in Leon County. This bill would allow the 
United States Forest Service to sell a 114-acre parcel in the 
Apalachicola National Forest known as the ``Flea Market Tract.'' The 
parcel is surrounded by commercial development, including a major 
highway to the north, a power line easement to the south, and private 
land primarily developed to the east and west.
  The configuration and development makes adequate land management 
difficult and the tract unsuitable as managed forest land. H.R. 1374 
specifies that the proceeds of the sale of the tract be used for the 
purpose of acquiring private lands within the Apalachicola National 
Forest.
  H.R. 1374 is supported by the United States Forest Service, the City 
of Tallahassee, and Leon County, as well as by local businesses, church 
and civic groups. It is a project that is worthy of congressional 
support.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I would like to echo the sentiments of my 
colleague and express support for H.R. 1374, which authorizes the sale 
of 114 acres in the Apalachicola National Forest in Florida, the 
proceeds of which can be used only to purchase private inholdings from 
willing sellers. H.R. 1374 passed the Agriculture Committee last week 
by a voice vote.
  The land proposed for sale is a small tract that is extremely 
difficult for the U.S. Forest Service to manage, given its proximity to 
the City of Tallahassee and the surrounding development. Properties 
such as this, which contribute little to meeting the Forest Service 
mission, unfortunately diverts scarce resources from other lands that 
need management.
  In addition to relieving the Forest Service of the management 
problems this tract creates, the bill will also help the agency reduce 
the number of private inholdings within the forest if the private 
owners are interested in selling. Inholdings are a common problem 
throughout many national forests in the East and create significant 
access and management issues for the landowners and the agency.
  I urge adoption of this bipartisan legislation, and reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I now would yield such time 
as he may consume to the author of the bill, Mr. Boyd from Florida.
  (Mr. BOYD of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BOYD of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend, the 
distinguished chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, Mr. 
Peterson, for granting me time to speak on behalf of this legislation 
and also thank him and the ranking member, Mr. Goodlatte,

[[Page H15476]]

and his representative for supporting this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, the Apalachicola National Forest is the largest of 
Florida's three national forests. It contains 564,000 acres, and its 
rivers and streams provide a steady freshwater flow to some of the most 
productive coastal bays and estuaries known for shellfish and other 
commercial seafood. Portions of the forest are in wet lowlands and they 
abound with cypress, oak and magnolias. Watching wildlife, hunting and 
fishing are popular recreation activities in this beautiful national 
forest. Visitors to the forest also enjoy swimming, picnicking, 
boating, and camping.
  The Apalachicola National Forest is truly a national treasure, and I 
am very proud that this legislation will help strengthen and sustain 
one of our Nation's most valuable natural assets.
  As the chairman and the ranking member have said, this enables the 
national forest to sell a piece of property that really lies right on 
the south side of Tallahassee, Florida, in Leon County. It actually 
comes up to the beltway, or what we call the Capital Circle and is 
surrounded on three sides by commercial development. It is detached 
from the rest of the national forest, and so it is really, as you have 
heard earlier, an unmanageable piece of land. And with those proceeds, 
we are going to use the proceeds to go and purchase some privately held 
holdings within the confines of the 564,000 acres, what we commonly 
know as ``inholdings,'' and that is the only purpose that those funds 
can be used for. There are about 2,000 acres of inholdings, privately 
held lands within the Apalachicola National Forest, and that is what 
those funds, Mr. Speaker, would be used for.
  I want to thank Mr. Joe Baca, the Forestry Subcommittee chairman, and 
his staff director, Lisa Shelton, for helping guide this legislation 
through the subcommittee process. And also I want to thank my friend, 
the majority leader, Mr. Hoyer, for scheduling. I encourage our 
colleagues to pass this legislation.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Peterson) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1374.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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