[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 22, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H2499-H2500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COFFMAN COVE ADMINISTRATIVE SITE CONVEYANCE ACT OF 2008
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 831) to provide for the conveyance of certain Forest Service
land to the city of Coffman Cove, Alaska, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 831
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 ``Coffman Cove Administrative
Site Conveyance Act of 2008''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) City.--The term ``City'' means the city of Coffman
Cove, Alaska.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE.
(a) In General.--Subject to valid existing rights, the
Secretary shall convey to the City, without consideration and
by quitclaim deed all right, title, and interest of the
United States, except as provided in subsections (c) and (d),
in and to the parcel of National Forest System land described
in subsection (b).
(b) Description of Land.--
(1) In general.--The parcel of National Forest System land
referred to in subsection (a) is the approximately 12 acres
of land identified in U.S. Survey 10099, as depicted on the
plat entitled ``Subdivision of U.S. Survey No. 10099'' and
recorded as Plat 2003-1 on January 21, 2003, Petersburg
Recording District, Alaska.
(2) Excluded land.--The parcel of National Forest System
land conveyed under subsection (a) does not include the
portion of U.S. Survey 10099 that is north of the right-of-
way for Forest Development Road 3030-295 and southeast of
Tract CC-8.
(c) Right-of-Way.--The United States may reserve a right-
of-way to provide access to the National Forest System land
excluded from the conveyance to the City under subsection
(b)(2).
(d) Reversion.--If any portion of the land conveyed under
subsection (a) (other than a portion of land sold under
subsection (e)) ceases to be used for public purposes, the
land shall, at the option of the Secretary, revert to the
United States.
(e) Conditions on Subsequent Conveyances.--If the City
sells any portion of the land conveyed to the City under
subsection (a)--
(1) the amount of consideration for the sale shall reflect
fair market value, as determined by an appraisal; and
(2) the City shall pay to the Secretary an amount equal to
the gross proceeds of the sale, which shall be available,
without further appropriation, for the Tongass National
Forest.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr.
Duncan) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from West Virginia.
General Leave
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from West Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, the pending measure was introduced by the
ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee, the gentleman from
Alaska (Mr. Young).
The bill would direct the U.S. Forest Service to convey a 12-acre
administrative site in the middle of Coffman Cove, Alaska to that city.
[[Page H2500]]
{time} 1430
The land under discussion is in the center of the town near a new
ferry terminal. This conveyance will help the city's efforts to
diversify its economic base.
Additionally, the location of the site has been difficult for the
Forest Service to manage.
I support passage of H.R. 831.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 831 introduced by our distinguished colleague, Don
Young, conveys approximately 12 acres of National Forest System land to
the City of Coffman Cove. The City of Coffman Cove, Alaska, is a small
community with about 200 residents that developed around the Tongass
National Forest logging camp and work site. The 12-acre Forest Service
site is now in the middle of town, and a new ferry terminal is planned
for an adjacent parcel. The location of most of the Forest Service site
makes it difficult and inefficient for the Forest Service to manage and
an obstacle to the future development and design of the city's
downtown. Conveyance of the Forest Service site would benefit both the
Forest Service and the city in this regard.
In short, this noncontroversial bill simply conveys to Coffman Cove a
small parcel of Forest Service land for which the Forest Service has no
use. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman
Rahall for scheduling this noncontroversial bill for floor
consideration today.
H.R. 831 will provide for the conveyance of approximately 12 acres of
surplus Forest Service land to the city of Coffman Cove, Alaska. The
12-acre parcel sits in the middle of town adjacent to the site of a new
Inter-Island Ferry Terminal that the city hopes to use to help spur
economic growth. In addition to being an obstacle to the ferry terminal
and any new economic development in the city's downtown, the location
of the parcel makes it difficult and inefficient for the Forest Service
to manage. As such, the conveyance provided for in this bill would
benefit both the city and the Forest Service, and according to the
Congressional Budget Office, it will do so at little or no cost to the
taxpayer.
To give you some background, Mr. Speaker, Coffman Cove is a small,
isolated community with about 200 residents that developed around a
Tongass National Forest logging camp and work site. While the timber
industry and the jobs it once provided in the region have largely
disappeared, the community remains, and opportunities for economic
growth and expansion are limited by the fact that it is surrounded on
all sides by the 17-million-acre Tongass National Forest. I don't
expect to change that anytime soon, but I think it is more than
reasonable to convey 12 acres of surplus Federal land located within
the community's economic center.
Mr. Speaker, this bill provides a fair and commonsense solution to a
problem. The tiny parcel of land is of no use to the Forest Service and
it is an impediment to the growth and economic well-being of an
isolated community surrounded by a National Forest larger than the
State of West Virginia. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R.
831.
Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 831, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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