[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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