[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 158 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5658-S5659]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 6099. Ms. MURKOWSKI submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
to amendment SA 5499 submitted by Mr. Reed (for himself and Mr. Inhofe)
and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 7900, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2023 for military activities of the
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle G of title X, add the following:
SEC. 1077. CONVEYANCE OF CERTAIN PUBLIC LAND TO THE
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Available state-selected land.--The term ``available
State-selected land'' means Federal land in the State that
has been selected by the State pursuant to section 6(b) of
Public Law 85-508 (commonly known as the ``Alaska Statehood
Act'') (48 U.S.C. note prec. 21), including land upon which
the State has, prior to December 31, 1993, filed a future
selection application under section 906(e) of the Alaska
National Interest Lands Conservation Act (43 U.S.C. 1635(e)),
but not conveyed or patented to the State, pursuant to Public
Law 85-508 (commonly known as the ``Alaska Statehood Act'')
(48 U.S.C. note prec. 21).
(2) Inholding.--The term ``inholding'' means any interest
in land owned by the University within--
(A) any conservation system unit (as defined in section 102
of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16
U.S.C. 3102)); or
(B) any unit of the National Forest System in the State.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of
Land Management.
(4) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Alaska.
(5) University.--The term ``University'' means the
University of Alaska, acting through the Board of Regents.
(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a program
within the Bureau of Land Management--
(1) to identify and convey available State-selected land to
the University to support higher education in the State; and
(2) to acquire, by purchase or exchange, University-owned
inholdings in the State.
(c) Identification of Land to Be Conveyed to the
University.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 4 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the State and the University may
jointly identify not more than 500,000 acres of available
State-selected land for inclusion in the program established
under subsection (b), of which not more than 360,000 acres
may be conveyed and patented to the University.
(2) Technical assistance.--Upon the request of the State
and the University, the Secretary shall provide technical
assistance in the identification of available State-selected
land for inclusion in the program.
(3) Maps.--As soon as practicable after the date on which
the available State-selected land is identified under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee
on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives 1 or
more maps depicting the available State-selected land
identified for potential conveyance to the University.
(4) Conveyance.--Subject to paragraph (5), if the State and
the University notify the Secretary in writing that the State
and the University jointly concur with the conveyance of all
or a portion of the available State-selected land identified
under paragraph (1), and that the State will conditionally
relinquish the selection rights of the State to the land
covered by the notification on the issuance of the land being
tentatively approved, and will fully relinquish those
selection rights on final patent by the Secretary to the
University, the Secretary shall convey the applicable
identified available State-selected land to the University,
subject to valid existing rights, in the same manner and
subject to the same terms, conditions, and limitations as is
applicable to the State under section 6(b) of Public Law 85-
508 (commonly known as the ``Alaska Statehood Act'') (48
U.S.C. note prec. 21) and other applicable law, to be held in
trust for the exclusive use and benefit of the University, to
be administered in accordance with subsection (e).
(5) Terms and conditions.--
(A) Maximum acreage.--Subject to subparagraph (C), the
Secretary shall convey not more than a total of 360,000 acres
of available State-selected land to the University under this
subsection, not to exceed the remaining entitlement of the
State under section 6(b) of Public Law 85-508 (commonly known
as the ``Alaska Statehood Act'') (48 U.S.C. note prec. 21).
(B) Letters of concurrence.--For purposes of paragraph (4)
and subject to the maximum acreage limitation under paragraph
(1), the State and the University may submit to the Secretary
1 or more joint letters of concurrence identifying parcels of
available State selected land for conveyance as a subset of
the total acres to be conveyed under this subsection.
(C) Acreage charged against alaska statehood act
entitlement.--The acreage of land conveyed to the University
under this subsection shall be charged against the remaining
entitlement of the State under section 6(b) of Public Law 85-
508 (commonly known as the ``Alaska Statehood Act'') (48
U.S.C. note prec. 21).
(D) Survey costs.--In accordance with Public Law 85-508
(commonly known as the ``Alaska Statehood Act'') (48 U.S.C.
note prec. 21), the Secretary shall be responsible for the
costs of required surveys.
[[Page S5659]]
(E) Submerged lands.--Lands beneath navigable waters (as
defined in section 2 of the Submerged Lands Act (43 U.S.C.
1301)) shall not be available for conveyance to the
University under the program established under subsection
(b).
(d) University of Alaska Inholdings.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary or the Secretary of
Agriculture, as appropriate, may acquire by purchase or
exchange, with the consent of the University, University-
owned inholdings within Federal land in the State.
(2) Appraisals.--The value of the land to be exchanged or
acquired under this subsection shall be determined by the
Secretary or the Secretary of Agriculture, as appropriate,
through appraisals conducted--
(A) in accordance with--
(i) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land
Acquisitions; and
(ii) the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal
Practice; and
(B) by a qualified appraiser mutually agreed to by the
Secretary or the Secretary of Agriculture, as appropriate,
and the University.
(3) Equal value exchanges.--For any land exchange entered
into under this subsection, the Federal land and University-
owned inholdings exchanged shall be of equal value.
(4) Purchase acquisitions.--Pursuant to chapter 2003 of
title 54, United States Code, amounts in the Land and Water
Conservation Fund established by section 200302 of that title
may be used for the purchase of University-owned inholdings
within Federal land in the State under this subsection.
(5) Requirement.--Any land acquired by the United States
under this subsection shall be administered in accordance
with the laws (including regulations) applicable to the
conservation system unit or unit of the National Forest
System in which the land is located.
(e) Administration of Conveyed or Exchanged Land.--All
available State-selected land that is tentatively approved or
conveyed to the University under this section, and all land
or assets acquired by the University through an exchange
under this section, together with the income therefrom and
the proceeds from any dispositions thereof, shall be
administered by the University in trust to meet the necessary
expenses of higher education programs, similar to prior
Federal land grants to the University.
(f) State and University Participation.--Nothing in this
section requires the State or the University--
(1) to participate in the program established under
subsection (b); or
(2) to enter into sales or exchanges of University-owned
inholdings under subsection (d).
(g) Congressional Notification.--Not later than 90 days
after the date of any conveyance and patent to the University
under this section, the Secretary shall notify the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives of the land conveyed and patented.
(h) No Effect on Alaska Statehood Act Entitlement
Unaffected.--Except for any available State-selected land
conveyed under subsection (c) and charged against the
remaining entitlement of the State under section 6(b) of
Public Law 85-508 (commonly known as the ``Alaska Statehood
Act'') (48 U.S.C. note prec. 21)--
(1) the operation of the program established under
subsection (b) shall not diminish or alter the rights of the
State to receive the entitlement of the State in any way; and
(2) the State may continue to pursue the transfer of the
remaining entitlement of the State under section 6(b) of
Public Law 85-508 (commonly known as the ``Alaska Statehood
Act'') (48 U.S.C. note prec. 21) at any time.
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