[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 16]
[House]
[Pages 23817-23818]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  EXCHANGING CERTAIN LANDS IN WYOMING

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill (S. 1030) to provide that the conveyance by the 
Bureau of Land Management of the surface estate to certain land in the 
State of Wyoming in exchange for certain private land will not result 
in the removal of the land from operation of the mining laws.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1030

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. 60 BAR LAND EXCHANGE.

       (a) In General.--Sections 2201.1-2(d) and 2091.3-2(c) of 
     title 43 Code of Federal Regulations, shall not apply in the 
     case of the conveyance by the Secretary of the Interior of 
     the land described in subsection (b) in exchange for 
     approximately 9,480 acres of land in Campbell County, 
     Wyoming, pursuant to the terms of the Cow Creek/60 Bar land 
     exchange, WYW-143315.
       (b) Land Description.--The land described in this 
     subsection comprises the following land in Campbell and 
     Johnson Counties, Wyoming:
       (1) Approximately 2,960 acres of land in the tract known as 
     the ``Bill Barlow Ranch'';
       (2) Approximately 2,315 acres of land in the tract know as 
     the ``T-Chair Ranch'';
       (3) Approximately 3,948 acres of land in the tract known as 
     the ``Bob Christensen Ranch'';
       (4) Approximately 11,609 acres of land in the tract known 
     as the ``John Christensen Ranch''.
       (c) Segregation From Entry.--Land acquired by the United 
     States in the exchange under subsection (a) shall be 
     segregated from entry under the mining laws until appropriate 
     land use planning is completed for the land.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George 
Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young).
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1030, a land exchange bill 
introduced by Senator Enzi of Wyoming.
  This bill exchanges 9,480 acres of private land for approximately 
20,000 acres of Federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. 
It is an equal-value exchange. Currently, over 17,000 acres of the 
public land identified for exchange are completely inaccessible to the 
public because of surrounding private lands. After the exchange, the 
resulting block of public land will consist of over 18,660 acres, 
accessible from a paved highway and located very close to Gillette, 
Wyoming. The land which will be acquired by the BLM is scenic, 
recreational land, containing timber, rugged topography, and excellent 
wildlife habitat.
  I would note this land exchange involves the transfer of surface 
interests only; no mineral interests are involved in the exchange. The 
BLM will reserve all minerals. The amendment adopted by the Senate at 
the urging of the administration makes clear that while a land-use plan 
amendment is prepared for the new Federal surface estate to be 
acquired, the mineral estate beneath it is segregated from the 
operation of the mining law.
  Passage of this legislation will permit the land exchange to go 
forward. As a result, it will be a lasting benefit to the citizens of 
Wyoming and the Federal Government. I urge my colleagues to support S. 
1030.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page 23818]]


  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 1030, introduced by Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming, 
would require certain lands acquired through exchange in Gillette, 
Wyoming, to be segregated from entry under the mining laws until 
appropriate land-use planning is completed for the land. This provision 
is necessary to override existing laws that would otherwise require the 
land to be opened up to mining 90 days after the completion of this 
exchange.
  The administration is in support of this legislation. We have no 
problems.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. 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 Senate bill, S. 1030.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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