[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 149 (Tuesday, September 24, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5722-H5723]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 MOUNTAIN VIEW CORRIDOR COMPLETION ACT

  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2468) to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey to 
the State of Utah certain Federal land under the administrative 
jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management within the boundaries of 
Camp Williams, Utah, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2468

       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 ``Mountain View Corridor 
     Completion Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Covered land.--The term ``covered land'' means the 
     approximately 200.18 acres of land depicted as ``Land 
     Proposed for Conveyance'' on the map entitled ``Mountain View 
     Corridor Completion Act'' and dated October 6, 2023.
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of 
     Land Management.
       (3) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Utah.

     SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT LAND TO STATE 
                   OF UTAH.

       (a) Conveyance Required.--Not later than 90 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall convey to 
     the State all rights, title, and interest of the United 
     States in and to the covered land.
       (b) Requirements.--
       (1) In general.--The conveyance of the covered land under 
     this section shall be subject to valid existing rights.
       (2) Payment of fair market value.--As consideration for the 
     conveyance of the covered land under this section, the State 
     shall pay to the Secretary an amount equal to the fair market 
     value of the covered land, as determined--
       (A) in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and 
     Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and
       (B) based on an appraisal that is conducted in accordance 
     with--
       (i) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land 
     Acquisitions; and
       (ii) the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal 
     Practice.
       (c) Application of Executive Order.--Executive Order 1922 
     of April 24, 1914, as modified by section 907 of the Camp 
     W.G. Williams Land Exchange Act of 1989 (Public Law 101-628; 
     104 Stat. 4500), shall not apply to the covered land.
       (d) Map and Legal Description.--
       (1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall finalize a map and 
     a legal description of the covered land to be conveyed under 
     this section.
       (2) Controlling document.--In the case of a discrepancy 
     between the map and legal description finalized under 
     paragraph (1), the map shall control.
       (3) Corrections.--The Secretary and the State, by mutual 
     agreement, may correct minor errors in the map or the legal 
     description finalized under paragraph (1).
       (4) Map on file.--The map and legal description finalized 
     under paragraph (1) shall be kept on file and available for 
     public inspection in each appropriate office of the Bureau of 
     Land Management.
       (e) Reversionary Interest.--If the Secretary, after 
     consultation with the State, determines that the covered land 
     conveyed under this section was sold, attempted to be sold, 
     or used for non-transportation or non-defenses purposes by 
     the State, all right, title, and interest in and to the 
     covered land shall revert to the Secretary, at the discretion 
     of the Secretary, after providing--
       (1) to the State notice and a hearing or an opportunity to 
     correct any identified deficiencies; and

[[Page H5723]]

       (2) to the public notice and an opportunity to comment.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Ocasio-
Cortez) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 2468, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arkansas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Representative Owens' bill, 
the Mountain View Corridor Completion Act.
  This legislation would expedite the completion of the Mountain View 
Corridor by transferring roughly 200 acres from the Bureau of Land 
Management to the State of Utah to complete the final segment of this 
large and urgently needed transportation project in Utah.
  Finishing the Mountain View Corridor will improve road safety and 
reduce traffic congestion, results that Utah residents will readily 
welcome.
  Over 60 percent of Utah's land is federally owned. Without these 
types of conveyances, Western States have limited land they can develop 
into the homes, schools, and roads that growing communities demand.
  H.R. 2468 is an example of Federal agencies, local stakeholders, and 
Congress successfully collaborating productively to address the 
problems of a growing population.
  I hope this kind of collaboration will continue with all Federal land 
management issues in Utah and across the West.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend Representative Owens for leading this effort, 
which will finally deliver the Mountain View Corridor to the growing 
populations of Salt Lake and Utah Counties. He worked with local 
communities and stakeholders, including the Utah Department of 
Transportation, to address this need.
  Mr. Speaker, I support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2468, the Mountain View Corridor Completion Act, 
would authorize the Bureau of Land Management, or BLM, to convey 
specified BLM lands south of Salt Lake City to the State of Utah to 
develop new roadways and meet the increasing travel demands of the 
surrounding area.
  The parcels of BLM land under this legislation are currently within 
the boundaries of Camp Williams, a military training center for the 
Utah National Guard, but they are not being actively used or managed by 
the BLM or the National Guard.
  Following the transfer, the Utah Department of Transportation will 
use the parcels to complete the Mountain View Corridor, a 35-mile 
highway between the State's most populous counties, Salt Lake County 
and Utah County. With these parcels, the State will develop new 
roadways to connect frontage roads and upgrade interchanges. The 
transfer of these parcels is expected to improve traffic and public 
safety for the general public and Camp Williams.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Owens), the lead sponsor of the bill.
  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2468, 
the Mountain View Corridor Completion Act.
  I was pleased to introduce this legislation last year with the 
support of Utah's entire congressional delegation.
  As the Representative of the fastest growing district in the fastest 
growing State in the Union, I can tell you firsthand that our 
transportation infrastructure is under significant stress.
  Rapid growth brings with it a host of challenges, particularly in the 
Intermountain West, where over two-thirds of Utah is owned or 
controlled by various Federal agencies.
  This bill addresses one of those challenges, the need to connect our 
communities with federally owned land.
  The Utah Department of Transportation, UDOT, has anticipated 
significant population growth for decades, and over 15 years ago, they 
initiated the Mountain View Corridor project. This crucial corridor 
connects eastern Utah County with southwestern Salt Lake County and 
passes through Camp Williams, an important military training 
installation managed by the U.S. Army National Guard.
  The existing road is vital, serving as the only public access to the 
headquarters of the Utah National Guard complex and providing essential 
access to the National Security Agency's datacenter.
  While two-thirds of Mountain View Corridor has been completed, the 
final third requires UDOT to acquire three separate, irregular parcels 
of Federal land to link 36 acres currently managed by the Bureau of 
Land Management.
  However, because these parcels are situated within the boundaries of 
an active military reservation established by a 1914 executive order, 
the BLM lacks the authority to transfer this land. That is why we are 
here today.
  I am proud to report that the Utah National Guard fully supports this 
project and has collaborated extensively with UDOT and BLM to determine 
the most effective alignment for the corridor.
  This bill has already gone through a hearing and a markup in the 
House Natural Resources Committee. I am grateful for the support of my 
friend, Chairman Westerman.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation to help Utah complete 
this vital transportation project 15 years in the making.
  Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, this is straightforward, commonsense 
legislation done correctly by prioritizing engagement with local 
stakeholders.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage adoption of the bill, and 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. Westerman) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2468, 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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