[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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