[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 12853-12854]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




SHASTA-TRINITY NATIONAL FOREST ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION TRANSFER ACT

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in 
the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 689) to interchange the 
administrative jurisdiction of certain Federal lands between the Forest 
Service and the Bureau of Land Management, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the Senate amendment is as follows:

       Senate amendment:
       Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Shasta-Trinity National 
     Forest Administrative Jurisdiction Transfer Act''.

     SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION TO THE BUREAU 
                   OF LAND MANAGEMENT.

       (a) In General.--Administrative jurisdiction over the 
     Federal land described in subsection (b) is transferred from 
     the Secretary of Agriculture to the Secretary of the 
     Interior.
       (b) Description of Land.--The Federal land referred to in 
     subsection (a) is the land within the Shasta-Trinity National 
     Forest in California, Mount Diablo Meridian, as generally 
     depicted on the map entitled ``Shasta-Trinity Administrative 
     Jurisdiction Transfer: Transfer from Forest Service to BLM, 
     Map 1'' and dated November 23, 2009.
       (c) Management and Status of Transferred Land.--The Federal 
     land described in subsection (b) shall be administered in 
     accordance with--
       (1) the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 
     U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and
       (2) any other applicable law (including regulations).

     SEC. 3. TRANSFER OF ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION TO THE FOREST 
                   SERVICE.

       (a) In General.--Administrative jurisdiction over the 
     Federal land described in subsection (b) is transferred from 
     the Secretary of the Interior to the Secretary of 
     Agriculture.
       (b) Description of Land.--The Federal land referred to in 
     subsection (a) is the land administered by the Director of 
     the Bureau of Land Management in the Mount Diablo Meridian, 
     California, as generally depicted on the map entitled 
     ``Shasta-Trinity Administrative Jurisdiction Transfer: 
     Transfer from BLM to Forest Service, Map 2'' and dated 
     November 23, 2009.
       (c) Management and Status of Transferred Land.--
       (1) In general.--The Federal land described in subsection 
     (b) shall be--
       (A) withdrawn from the public domain;
       (B) reserved for administration as part of the Shasta-
     Trinity National Forest; and
       (C) managed in accordance with the laws (including the 
     regulations) generally applicable to the National Forest 
     System.
       (2) Wilderness administration.--The land transferred to the 
     Secretary of Agriculture under subsection (a) that is within 
     the Trinity Alps Wilderness shall--
       (A) not affect the wilderness status of the transferred 
     land; and
       (B) be administered in accordance with--
       (i) this section;
       (ii) the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.); and
       (iii) the California Wilderness Act of 1984 (16 U.S.C. 1132 
     note; Public Law 98-425).

     SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

       (a) Corrections.--
       (1) Minor adjustments.--The Secretary of Agriculture and 
     the Secretary of the Interior may, by mutual agreement, make 
     minor corrections and adjustments to the transfers under this 
     Act to facilitate land management, including corrections and 
     adjustments to any applicable surveys.
       (2) Publications.--Any corrections or adjustments made 
     under subsection (a) shall be effective on the date of 
     publication of a notice of the corrections or adjustments in 
     the Federal Register.
       (b) Hazardous Substances.--
       (1) Notice.--The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary 
     of the Interior shall, with respect to the land described in 
     sections 2(b) and 3(b), respectively--
       (A) identify any known sites containing hazardous 
     substances; and
       (B) provide to the head of the Federal agency to which the 
     land is being transferred notice of any sites identified 
     under subparagraph (A).
       (2) Cleanup obligations.--To the same extent as on the day 
     before the date of enactment of this Act, with respect to any 
     Federal liability--
       (A) the Secretary of Agriculture shall remain responsible 
     for any cleanup of hazardous substances on the Federal land 
     described in section 2(b); and
       (B) the Secretary of the Interior shall remain responsible 
     for any cleanup of hazardous substances on the Federal land 
     described in section 3(b).
       (c) Effect on Existing Rights and Authorizations.--Nothing 
     in this Act affects--
       (1) any valid existing rights; or
       (2) the validity or term and conditions of any existing 
     withdrawal, right-of-way, easement, lease, license, or permit 
     on the land to which administrative jurisdiction is 
     transferred under this Act, except that beginning on the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the head of the agency to which 
     administrative jurisdiction over the land is transferred 
     shall be responsible for administering the interests or 
     authorizations (including reissuing the interests or 
     authorizations in accordance with applicable law).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Guam (Ms. Bordallo) and the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Lummis) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Guam.


                             General Leave

  Ms. BORDALLO. 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 the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Guam?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 689 was introduced by our colleague 
from California, Representative Herger. The bill authorizes an 
interchange of land between the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land 
Management. The specific lands are located within the Shasta-Trinity 
National Forest and on adjacent public lands in northern California. 
The purpose of the interchange is to ease problems that off-highway 
vehicle users are having with permitting. The administration supports 
this legislation.
  H.R. 689 originally passed the House by voice vote on June 2, 2009. 
The Senate has amended the House-passed version of the bill to clarify 
the hazardous substance cleanup responsibilities of each agency.
  Mr. Speaker, we support passage of this measure with the Senate 
amendment.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LUMMIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend Congressman Herger for his excellent 
work on this legislation. Working closely with many constituents who 
enjoy outdoor recreation, Congressman Herger developed this bill 
allowing Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management officials to 
better manage a complex mix of administrative jurisdictions in Shasta 
County. This legislation will not only help both agencies, but will 
also greatly benefit the many families who enjoy wholesome outdoor 
recreation in the area, especially the many off-highway vehicle users 
who have been using this area for generations. Not surprisingly, the 
bill has widespread support among the local OHV users.
  It is a rare feat to have two separate Federal agencies and the 
public all agreeing that a particular piece of legislation is worthy of 
praise. Congressman Herger should be congratulated for this win-win 
legislation.

[[Page 12854]]


  Mr. HERGER. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support passage of H.R. 689. This 
legislation is the result of a collaborative and bipartisan effort to 
limit government bureaucracy and improve the management of federal 
lands in Northern California. For years, many of my constituents raised 
concerns over difficulties in dealing with two federal agencies in 
order to use the Chappie-Shasta Off-Highway Vehicle Area in Shasta 
County, California. Though the Bureau of Land Management has managed 
the majority of this area, Forest Service holdings within the area have 
led to such issues as duplicative permitting and even different opening 
dates for the same area. This situation has led to increasing 
frustration from thousands of users who come from across California and 
elsewhere to enjoy this OHV area.
  This simple legislation provides a commonsense solution by allowing 
the BLM to consolidate the OHV area while the Forest Service will 
benefit by receiving jurisdiction over small tracts of BLM land that 
are already contiguous to the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
  This bill first passed the House by unanimous consent, and after a 
few technical changes, again received unanimous support from the 
Senate. Concurrence with the Senate's changes will finally allow for 
more efficient management of the Chappie-Shasta OHV Area and greater 
enjoyment of its users. This legislation represents a win-win for 
taxpayers and their enjoyment of our federal lands. I thank Senators 
Feinstein and Boxer for their work in supporting this effort and I urge 
my colleagues to support it as well.
  Mrs. LUMMIS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support the bill.
  I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) that the House suspend the rules 
and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 689.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the Senate amendment was concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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