[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acres of land leased by MMSA, has become outdated and inadequate to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.
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