[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 194 (Monday, December 10, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H9774-H9775]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       BIG BEAR LAND EXCHANGE ACT

  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 5513) to provide for an exchange of lands with San 
Bernardino County, California, to enhance management of lands within 
the San Bernardino National Forest, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5513

       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 ``Big Bear Land Exchange 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) County.--The term ``County'' means the County of San 
     Bernardino, California.
       (2) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means the 
     approximately 73 acres of Federal land administered by the 
     Forest Service generally depicted as ``Federal Land Proposed 
     for Exchange'' on the Map.
       (3) Non-federal land.--The term ``non-Federal land'' means 
     the approximately 71 acres owned by the County generally 
     depicted as ``Non-Federal Land Proposed for Exchange'' on the 
     Map.
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Agriculture.
       (5) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map titled ``Big Bear 
     Land Exchange'' and dated August 6, 2018.

     SEC. 3. EXCHANGE OF LAND; EQUALIZATION OF VALUE.

       (a) Exchange Authorized.--Subject to valid existing rights 
     and the terms of this Act, no later than one year after the 
     date that the portion of the Pacific Crest National Scenic 
     Trail is relocated in accordance with subsection (h), if the 
     County offers to convey the non-Federal land to the United 
     States, the Secretary shall--
       (1) convey to the County all right, title, and interest of 
     the United States in and to the Federal land; and
       (2) accept from the County a conveyance of all right, 
     title, and interest of the County in and to the non-Federal 
     land.
       (b) Equal Value and Cash Equalization.--
       (1) Equal value exchange.--The land exchange under this 
     section shall be for equal value, or the values shall be 
     equalized by a cash payment as provided for under this 
     subsection or an adjustment in acreage. At the option of the 
     County, any excess value of the non-Federal lands may be 
     considered a gift to the United States.
       (2) Cash equalization payment.--The County may equalize the 
     values of the lands to be exchanged under this section by 
     cash payment without regard to any statutory limit on the 
     amount of such a cash equalization payment.
       (3) Deposit and use of funds received from county.--Any 
     cash equalization payment received by the Secretary under 
     this subsection shall be deposited in the fund established 
     under Public Law 90-171 (16 U.S.C. 484a; commonly known as 
     the Sisk Act). The funds so deposited shall remain available 
     to the Secretary, until expended, for the acquisition of 
     lands, waters, and interests in land for the San Bernardino 
     National Forest.
       (c) Appraisal.--The Secretary shall complete an appraisal 
     of the land to be exchanged under subsection (a) in 
     accordance with--
       (1) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land 
     Acquisitions; and
       (2) the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal 
     Practice.
       (d) Title Approval.--Title to the land to be exchanged 
     under this Act shall be in a format acceptable to the 
     Secretary and the County.
       (e) Survey of Non-Federal Lands.--Before completing the 
     exchange under this Act, the Secretary shall inspect the non-
     Federal lands to ensure that the land meets Federal 
     standards, including hazardous materials and land line 
     surveys.
       (f) Costs of Conveyance.--As a condition of conveyance, any 
     costs related to the exchange under this section shall be 
     paid by the County.
       (g) Management of Acquired Lands.--The Secretary shall 
     manage the non-Federal land acquired under this section in 
     accordance with the Act of March 1, 1911 (16 U.S.C. 480 et 
     seq.; commonly known as the Weeks Act), and other laws and 
     regulations pertaining to National Forest System lands.
       (h) Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail Relocation.--No 
     later than three years after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Secretary, in accordance with applicable laws, shall 
     relocate the portion of the Pacific Crest National Scenic 
     Trail located on the Federal land to--
       (1) adjacent National Forest System land;
       (2) land owned by the County, subject to County approval;
       (3) land within the Federal land, subject to County 
     approval; or
       (4) a combination of paragraphs (1), (2), and (3).
       (i) Map and Legal Descriptions.--As soon as practicable 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
     shall finalize a map and legal descriptions of all land to be 
     conveyed under this Act. The Secretary may correct any minor 
     errors in the map or in the legal descriptions. The map and 
     legal descriptions shall be on file and available for public 
     inspection in appropriate offices of the Forest Service.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Bishop) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gallego) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. 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 Utah?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume 
to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cook), the sponsor of this piece 
of legislation, to explain why we should actually deal with this 
particular piece.
  Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Bishop for yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few minutes to talk about my 
bill, H.R. 5513, the Big Bear Land Exchange Act. This bill would 
authorize a land exchange of approximately 71 acres of land in the San 
Bernardino National Forest for approximately 73 acres of land currently 
owned by San Bernardino County.
  This land would be used by the county to build a timber processing 
facility that would serve the mountain communities. Currently, trees 
and other forest waste are driven down the mountain through a narrow 
and winding pass to a processing facility in the valley, resulting in 
increased traffic congestion, significant wear and tear on mountain 
roads, and numerous traffic accidents. This has been exacerbated this 
week. We had quite a bit of snow, and, once again, it was very, very 
treacherous. Safety is always a problem on these mountain roads.
  This land exchange would require the relocation of a small portion of 
the Pacific Crest Trail. I have worked closely with the Pacific Crest 
Trail Association to include language ensuring that the relocation 
would include environmental review and will occur before the exchange 
takes place.
  This land exchange has virtually unanimous local support, including 
the city of Big Bear Lake, the Friends of Big Bear Valley, the Big Bear 
Fire Department, the Big Bear City Community Services Department, the 
Big Bear Municipal Water District, the Bear Valley Community Healthcare 
District, the Big Bear Chamber of Commerce, and the local Big Bear 
Group chapter of the Sierra Club. We haven't heard from the local bear 
associations at all. That is a bad joke. It passed out of the House 
Natural Resources Committee on a unanimous vote.
  Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5513. This bill authorizes an 
equal value land exchange between the U.S. Forest Service and San 
Bernardino County.
  The exchange would allow the county to build a resource conservation 
and recovery facility adjacent to the current transfer station. The 
Forest Service would receive an undeveloped parcel currently surrounded 
by the San Bernardino National Forest.
  H.R. 5513 is supported by the nearby city of Big Bear, by the Friends 
of Big

[[Page H9775]]

Bear Valley, and by the local chapter of the Sierra Club.
  I thank my colleague, Representative Cook, for working to address 
some of our concerns with earlier drafts of this bill. Thanks to his 
efforts, we have ensured this exchange will be subject to existing law, 
that it will preserve critical and occupied habitat for endangered 
species, and that the exchange will have minimal impacts on the Pacific 
Crest National Scenic Trail.
  H.R. 5513 demonstrates how a collaborative process can meet the 
interests of local stakeholders, while protecting the integrity of our 
environment and public lands.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this piece of 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a perfect example of how to do something well. I 
commend Congressman Cook for listening to his local constituents, 
trying to get their input, and getting a bill that has total local 
support. It is the way things should be done, solving a problem for 
both the Forest Service, as well as San Bernardino County.
  Not only will the Forest Service get a small parcel of land which 
solves the problem of in-holdings within their property, but San 
Bernardino County gets the ability of solving significant problems they 
have in the area of public safety. This is one of those things that is 
a win-win situation: a win-win situation which actually provides 
safety, as well as the changing of that trail, if absolutely necessary, 
but that has to be worked out before any of this is concluded.
  The bottom line here is that we have realized there is a significant 
problem, we have recognized this is a significant problem, and, by 
working with local communities to get their input trying to come up 
with a locally-driven solution to that problem, this is the way 
government should operate. Unfortunately, it doesn't operate that way 
all the time, but Congressman Cook has worked very hard to make sure 
that this is one of those positive efforts. This bill is one of those 
things that is a win for all of us.
  Mr. Speaker, I heartily ask my colleagues to vote in favor of this, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 5513, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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