[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 138 (Thursday, November 13, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H7948-H7949]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ALASKA NATIONAL PETROLEUM RESERVE FEDERAL LAND CONVEYANCE
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 5167) to direct the Administrator of General
Services, on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, to convey certain
Federal property located in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to
the Olgoonik Corporation, an Alaska Native Corporation established
under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5167
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE FEDERAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE
NATIONAL PETROLEUM RESERVE IN ALASKA.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act and after completion of the
appraisal described in this section, the Secretary of the
Interior shall convey to the Corporation by quitclaim deed
for the consideration described in subsection (c), all right,
title, and interest of the United States in and to a parcel
of real property described in subsection (b).
(b) Legal Description of Property.--The parcel to be
conveyed under subsection (a) consists of approximately 1,518
acres and improvements comprising a former Distant Early
Warning Line site in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska
near Wainwright, Alaska, and described as United States
Survey Number 5252 located within the Umiat Meridian in--
(1) Sections 3 and 4 within Township 14 North, Range 31
West;
(2) Sections 17, 18, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28, 33, 34, and 35
within Township 15 North, Range 31 West; and
(3) Section 13 within Township 15 North; Range 32.
(c) Terms and Conditions.--
(1) Consideration.--
(A) In general.--As consideration for the conveyance of the
property under subsection (a), the Corporation shall pay to
the Secretary an amount not less than the fair market value
of the conveyed property, to be determined as provided in
subparagraph (B).
(B) Appraisal.--The fair market value of the property to be
conveyed under subsection (a) shall be determined based on an
appraisal that--
(i) is conducted by a licensed, independent appraiser that
is approved by the Secretary and the Corporation;
(ii) is based on the highest and best use of the property;
(iii) is approved by the Secretary; and
(iv) is paid for by the Corporation.
(2) Pre-conveyance entry.--The Secretary, on terms and
conditions the Secretary determines to be appropriate, may
authorize the Corporation to enter the property at no charge
for pre-construction and construction activities.
(3) Additional terms and conditions.--The Secretary may
require additional terms and conditions in connection with
the conveyance under subsection (a) as the Secretary
considers appropriate to protect the interests of the United
States.
(d) Exemption.--Section 102 of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332) shall not apply to any
conveyance of property under this section.
(e) Corporation Defined.--In this section, the term
``Corporation'' means the Olgoonik Corporation, an Alaska
Native Corporation established under the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska.
General Leave
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Alaska?
There was no objection.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
The Wainwright Short Range radar site is an old Distant Early Warning
station, commonly referred to as the Wainwright DEW Line site.
Historically, the U.S. Air Force maintained a radar site on the
property, but it is no longer operational. The Air Force is in the
final stages of cleaning up the property, which is expected to be
finished this summer, and the Olgoonik Corporation, an Alaska Native
Corporation, is collaborating on the effort.
When it finishes the cleanup, the Air Force is set to relinquish its
right to the property, which is owned by the Department of the Interior
and managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
The Native corporation has been working with the Bureau to acquire
the site which sits in the middle of land already owned by the Native
corporation. However, language in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
Act of 1976 prevents the Bureau from conveying this land.
H.R. 5167 directs the Secretary of the Interior to sell the site at
fair market value to the Native corporation. This will allow the Alaska
Natives to incorporate the land into their existing land use management
plan and policies, thus turning a potential abandoned and unused parcel
into a useful property.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill as reported unanimously
from the Natural Resources Committee.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
[[Page H7949]]
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5167 directs the Administrator of General Services,
on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, to convey 1,518 acres of
Federal land in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to the
Olgoonik Corporation.
The parcel in question was previously used by the U.S. Air Force and
is no longer needed by the Department of Defense. It contains a
pipeline to the Chukchi Sea and would likely be used to support
offshore energy extraction. It is surrounded by land already owned by
the Olgoonik Corporation that was conveyed under the Alaska Native
Settlement Claims Act.
Transferring the isolated parcel would help simplify BLM management
of the preserve and provide needed economic development for the Alaska
Native Corporations.
While I have some concerns with this legislation, including an
unrealistic 180-day timeframe for survey and conveyance of the parcel,
the waiver of requirements to provide an environmental review according
to NEPA, and the use of a non-Federal appraisal agent, we support the
passage of H.R. 5167.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GRIJALVA. 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 Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 5167, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to direct
the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Federal property
located in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to the Olgoonik
Corporation, an Alaska Native Corporation established under the Alaska
Native Claims Settlement Act.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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