[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 176 (Tuesday, October 31, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H8283-H8284]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AUTHORIZING PURCHASE OF SMALL PARCEL OF NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION
SERVICE PROPERTY IN RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA
Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3567) to authorize the purchase of a small parcel of Natural
Resources Conservation Service property in Riverside, California, by
the Riverside Corona Resource Conservation District, and for other
purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3567
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress finds as follows:
(1) Since 1935, the United States has owned a parcel of
land in Riverside, California, consisting of approximately
8.75 acres, more specifically described in section 2(a) (in
this section referred to as the ``property'').
(2) The property is under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Agriculture and has been variously used for
research and plant materials purposes.
(3) Since 1998, the property has been administered by the
Natural Resources Conservation Service of the Department of
Agriculture.
(4) Since 2002, the property has been co-managed under a
cooperative agreement between the Natural Resources
Conservation Service and the Riverside Corona Resource
Conservation District, which is a legal subdivision of the
State of California under section 9003 of the California
Public Resources Code.
(5) The Conservation District wishes to purchase the
property and use it for conservation, environmental, and
related educational purposes.
(6) As provided in section 2, the purchase of the property
by the Conservation District would promote the conservation
education and related activities of the Conservation District
and result in savings to the Federal Government.
SEC. 2. LAND PURCHASE, NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE
PROPERTY, RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
(a) Purchase Authorized.--The Secretary of Agriculture
shall sell and quitclaim to the Riverside Corona Resource
Conservation District (in this section referred to as the
``Conservation District'') all right, title, and interest of
the United States in and to a parcel of real property,
including improvements thereon, that is located at 4500
Glenwood Drive in Riverside, California, consists of
approximately 8.75 acres, and is administered by the Natural
Resources Conservation Service of the Department of
Agriculture. As necessary or desirable to facilitate the
purchase of the property under this section, the Secretary or
the Conservation District may survey all or portions of the
property.
(b) Consideration.--As consideration for the purchase of
the property under this section, the Conservation District
shall pay to the Secretary of Agriculture an amount equal to
the appraised value of the property.
(c) Prohibition on Reservation of Interest.--The Secretary
of Agriculture shall not reserve any future interest in the
property to be conveyed under this section, except such
interest as may be acceptable to the Conservation District.
(d) Hazardous Substances.--Notwithstanding section 120(h)
of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9620(h)) or the Solid
Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.), in the case of
the property purchased by the Conservation District under
this section, the Secretary of Agriculture shall be only
required to meet the disclosure requirements for hazardous
substances, pollutants, or contaminants, but shall otherwise
not be required to remediate or abate any such releases of
hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants, including
petroleum and petroleum derivatives.
(e) Cooperative Authority.--
(1) Leases, contracts, and cooperative agreements
authorized.--In conjunction with, or in addition to, the
purchase of the property by the Conservation District under
this section, the Secretary of Agriculture may enter into
leases, contracts and cooperative agreements with the
Conservation District.
(2) Sole source.--Notwithstanding sections 3105, 3301, and
3303 to 3305 of title 41, United States Code, or any other
provision of law, the Secretary may lease real property from
the Conservation District on a noncompetitive basis.
(3) Non-exclusive authority.--The authority provided by
this subsection is in addition to any other authority of the
Secretary.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Arkansas (Mr. Crawford) and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Fudge) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.
General Leave
Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arkansas.
There was no objection.
Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3567, to authorize the
transfer of the title of land owned by the NRCS in Riverside,
California, to the Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District. The
conservation district has invested $2.8 million in the facility with
the hope of eventually acquiring the property, and would like to invest
in further improvements when the property title issue is resolved.
Conservation districts work closely with their Federal partner, the
NRCS. This legislation is a simple fix to allow the Riverside-Corona
district to utilize the facility and serve the local folks on the
ground through voluntary, incentive-based conservation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3567.
H.R. 3567 will allow California's Riverside-Corona Resource
Conservation District to purchase at appraised value the parcel of
property on which it is currently located, which is the former U.S.
Salinity Laboratory.
The property is currently administered by the USDA's Natural
Resources Conservation Service and is being comanaged under a
cooperative agreement. The cooperative agreement dates back to 1996.
Since that time, the Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District
has invested $2.8 million into the property with the understanding that
NRCS would eventually transfer ownership.
The Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District provides natural
resource conservation through education, collaboration, and technical
assistance in southern California.
Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation and I urge my colleagues to
vote in favor of this measure.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Calvert).
Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge the House to approve
H.R. 3567, a necessary and long-overdue piece of legislation. This is a
straightforward, commonsense bill that authorizes the purchase of a
small parcel of Natural Resources Conservation Service property in
Riverside, California, by the Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation
District.
Since 1996, the conservation district has partnered with NRCS to
acquire, colocate and manage what was previously the USDA Salinity
Laboratory. Following acquisition of the property, NRCS has not
obligated any Federal funds for plant materials research at the
Riverside location in question.
On the other hand, the conservation district, as has been mentioned,
has invested $2.8 million in improvements and upgrade to the property.
All along, the conservation district has an understanding with NRCS
that they would eventually transfer the property to its ownership.
{time} 1715
Following a series of changes in personnel within NRCS, the
conservation district was informed that legislation authorizing such a
transfer would be necessary.
H.R. 3567 authorizes USDA to sell the NRCS property in Riverside to
the conservation district for an amount equal to the appraised value of
the property. The legislation further states that current NRCS
operation at the property shall be allowed to continue at no cost to
the Federal Government.
In closing, this legislation will provide long-term security for the
conservation district and the investments it has, and will continue to
make, in the property. It also protects the interests of the NRCS and
the Federal Government for as long as its limited use of the property
is needed.
[[Page H8284]]
H.R. 3567 is a win-win solution for all stakeholders, and I urge my
colleagues to support the bill.
Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for
his remarks, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio for her support, and I
urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 3567.
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 Arkansas (Mr. Crawford) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 3567.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________