[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 22 (Monday, February 5, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H761-H762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        SWAN LAKE HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT BOUNDARY CORRECTION ACT

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 219) to correct the Swan Lake hydroelectric project 
survey boundary and to provide for the conveyance of the remaining 
tract of land within the corrected survey boundary to the State of 
Alaska.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 219

       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 ``Swan Lake Hydroelectric 
     Project Boundary Correction Act''.

     SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE OF FEDERAL LAND WITHIN THE SWAN LAKE 
                   HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT BOUNDARY.

       Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of the Interior, after consultation 
     with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall--
       (1) survey the exterior boundaries of the tract of Federal 
     land within the project boundary of the Swan Lake 
     Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 2911) as generally depicted 
     and labeled ``Lost Creek'' on the map entitled ``Swan Lake 
     Project Boundary--Lot 2'' and dated February 1, 2016; and
       (2) issue a patent to the State of Alaska for the tract 
     described in paragraph (1) in accordance with--
       (A) the survey authorized under paragraph (1);
       (B) section 6(a) of the Act of July 7, 1958 (commonly known 
     as the ``Alaska Statehood Act'') (48 U.S.C. note prec. 21; 
     Public Law 85-508); and
       (C) section 24 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 818).


[[Page H762]]


  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hanabusa) 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 material 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.
  Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank my good friend from Hawaii (Ms. 
Hanabusa) for coming over here to help manage the bill. I know it was 
an imposition, but I thank her. It means a great deal to me.
  Mr. Speaker, the Swan Lake hydroelectric project is a remote facility 
in southeast Alaska that provides electric power to nearly 20,000 of my 
constituents in the cities of Petersburg, Wrangell, Ketchikan, and the 
surrounding areas.
  In 1994, the project's operator began work to raise the dam height by 
15 feet, working with the State of Alaska to secure 1,500 acres of land 
from the Federal Government inside the reservoir's new coverage area. 
The land was surveyed by the Federal Government and transferred to the 
State of Alaska in 1997.
  In 2012, the project operator discovered an error in the Federal 
Government's survey and determined an additional 25.8 acres of Federal 
land would be inundated if the water level were raised. There is no 
disagreement among the Federal and State agencies concerned that an 
error occurred. H.R. 219 will fix the error by requiring the Secretary 
of the Interior to correct the survey and transfer the remaining 
acreage to the State of Alaska.
  This is a commonsense bill that promotes green energy development at 
zero cost to the Federal Government. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of 
the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is always an honor to share the floor with my good 
friend from Alaska.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 219 instructs the Secretary of the Interior, after 
consulting with the Forest Service, to resurvey the Lost Creek section 
and other additional lands by the Swan Lake hydroelectric facility so 
the Interior Department can modify the boundary and convey land 
necessary for the facility's expansion.
  The Swan Lake hydroelectric facility is a tall concrete arch dam at 
the head of the Carroll Inlet. The project was authorized by FERC, and 
operation began in 1984. It is currently operated by a not-for-profit 
Alaskan Joint Action Agency called the Southeast Alaska Power Agency. 
These utilities provide an estimated 62 percent of the power consumed 
by the communities they serve.
  The survey that was used to convey land for the expansion project 
contained a mistake and omitted the Lost Creek section and other 
additional areas.

                              {time}  1800

  More land, however, needs to be conveyed to the State of Alaska to 
utilize the additional reservoir storage from the recently finished 
expansion project. Because this bill corrects that mistake, conveys 
needed land for the facility expansion, and was supported by the U.S. 
Forest Service, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe that, given the nature of this bill--and we 
all know that when it comes to Alaska, no one is a better advocate and 
the strongest proponent of what is right and for the State of Alaska 
than my good friend, the Representative from Alaska. This is a bill 
that corrects that mistake, it conveys the needed land for the facility 
expansion, and it is supported by all the necessary Federal agencies. 
For that reason, I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I wish my good friend from Hawaii 
good luck in the upcoming election. I know it is against the rules, but 
I am going to say it anyway. The gentlewoman will make a fine Governor 
as she made a fine Congresswoman; believe me.
  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. 219.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground 
that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum 
is not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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