[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 182 (Friday, December 20, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9106-S9107]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
  S. 1888. A bill to facilitate a land exchange involving certain 
National Forest System land in the Inyo National Forest, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Inyo 
National Forest Land Exchange Act.
  This legislation will facilitate a land exchange between the 
operators of the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in the Eastern Sierra Nevada 
region of California and the Inyo National Forest. Enactment of this 
bill will allow the ski resort to redevelop the parcel of land it 
currently leases from Forest Service, while providing the Forest 
Service with a combination of high resource value lands and a cash 
payment equal to the value of the exchanged land.
  Since the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, LLC, MMSA, began operations in 
1953, Mammoth Mountain has grown to be one of the most popular ski 
areas in the United States, attracting up to two million visitors a 
year.
  However, the Main Lodge area, which is located on approximately 21 
acres of land leased by MMSA, has become outdated and inadequate to 
meet visitor needs. The Main Lodge building and Mammoth Mountain Inn 
are now more than 50 years old and require significant improvements and 
upgrades. Insufficient employee housing, parking and guest amenities 
must be corrected and skier staging and lift line queuing areas must be 
modernized. In order to make the necessary long-term investments, 
resort operators are seeking fee title to the land and have been 
working with the Inyo National Forest since 1998 to complete a land 
exchange.
  Equal-value land exchanges involving Forest Service land are 
permitted under the Exchange Act. However, the typical land exchange 
procedures do not conform well to this particular exchange due to the 
complexity, size and scarcity of large, high resource value parcels in 
the Inyo National Forest. Consequently, this legislation would 
authorize a one-time exception to the Exchange Act to accomplish the 
proposed land exchange. Specifically, the bill would require the 
Secretary of Agriculture to acquire two parcels of private land 
outside, totaling approximately 1,500 acres, the boundary the Inyo 
National Forest in exchange for the conveyance of the 21 acre parcel 
within the forest currently leased to MMSA; accept a cash equalization 
payment in excess of the 25 percent value of the federal lands to fully 
compensate the Forest Service for the exchanged lands; and use the cash 
payment to acquire land or interests in land for additions to the 
National Forest System as such lands become available.
  This bill will provide both economic and environmental benefits. The 
new construction that this bill will help facilitate will not only 
create new construction jobs during renovations, but will also allow 
the Ski Area to expand and improve its operations, creating more 
sustainable and permanent jobs. Additionally, the land MMSA will be 
transferring to the Forest Service includes high resource value lands 
that have long been desired for protection by local environmentalists 
and the Forest Service. This includes lands within the view shed of the 
Mono Basin

[[Page S9107]]

National Scenic Area, the first designated National Scenic Area and a 
place of incredible natural beauty.
  This legislation has bipartisan support. The bill was first 
introduced by Rep. Buck McKeon in June 2011 and passed the House in 
April 2012 by a vote of 376--2. It was reintroduced by Rep. Paul Cook 
earlier this year with the support of both Democratic and Republican 
cosponsors and passed the House a second time on December 3, 2013.
  Local government and community organizations also support this 
legislation, including the Mono County Board of Supervisors, the 
Mammoth Lakes Town Council, the Mammoth Lakes Chamber of Commerce, 
Mammoth Lakes Tourism, the Mono Lake Committee, and the Eastern Sierra 
Land Trust.
  This trade has long been supported by noted environmentalists, 
including the late Andrea Mead Lawrence, after whom Congress earlier 
this year named a mountain in the nearby Sierra Nevada.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. Enactment of this 
bill will ensure the long term success of one of the Nation's top ski 
resorts and benefit the local and regional economy, while allowing the 
Forest Service to acquire high resource value lands that will be 
enjoyed by Americans for generations to come.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1888

       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 ``Inyo National Forest Land 
     Exchange Act''.

     SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

       The purpose of this Act is to modify the use of land 
     exchange authorities available to the Secretary of 
     Agriculture as of the date of enactment of this Act with 
     respect to certain land in the Inyo National Forest, 
     California.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this section:
       (1) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means certain 
     National Forest System land located within the boundaries of 
     the Inyo National Forest, California, as depicted on the map 
     entitled ``Federal Parcel'' and dated June 2011.
       (2) Non-federal land.--The term ``non-Federal land'' means 
     certain non-Federal land in California located outside the 
     boundaries of the Inyo National Forest, California, as 
     depicted on the maps entitled ``DWP Parcel-Interagency 
     Visitor Center Parcel'' and ``DWP Parcel-Town of Bishop 
     Parcel'' and dated June 2011.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Agriculture.

     SEC. 4. SPECIAL RULES FOR INYO NATIONAL FOREST LAND EXCHANGE.

       (a) Authority to Accept Land Outside Boundaries of Inyo 
     National Forest.--In any land exchange involving the 
     conveyance of the Federal land, the Secretary may accept the 
     conveyance of the non-Federal land in exchange for the 
     conveyance of the Federal land, if the Secretary determines 
     that acquisition of the non-Federal land is desirable for 
     National Forest System purposes.
       (b) Cash Equalization Payment; Use.--
       (1) In general.--In an exchange of land under subsection 
     (a), the Secretary may accept a cash equalization payment in 
     excess of 25 percent of the value of the Federal land.
       (2) Disposition and use of funds.--Any cash equalization 
     payment received by the Secretary under this subsection shall 
     be--
       (A) deposited into the fund established under Public Law 
     90-171 (commonly known as the ``Sisk Act'') (16 U.S.C. 484a); 
     and
       (B) available to the Secretary for the acquisition of land 
     or interests in land for addition to the National Forest 
     System.
       (c) No New Land Exchange Authority.--Nothing in this 
     section grants the Secretary new land exchange authority.
                                 ______