[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 18055-18056]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          SPECIAL RULES FOR INYO NATIONAL FOREST LAND EXCHANGE

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1241) to facilitate a land exchange involving certain 
National Forest System lands in the Inyo National Forest, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1241

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

     SECTION 1. SPECIAL RULES FOR INYO NATIONAL FOREST LAND 
                   EXCHANGE.

       (a) Authority To Accept Lands Outside Boundaries of Inyo 
     National Forest.--In any land exchange involving the 
     conveyance of certain National Forest System land located 
     within the boundaries of Inyo National Forest in California, 
     as shown on the map titled ``Federal Parcel'' and dated June 
     2011, the Secretary of Agriculture may accept for acquisition 
     in the exchange certain non-Federal lands in California lying 
     outside the boundaries of Inyo National Forest, as shown on 
     the maps titled ``DWP Parcel - Interagency Visitor Center 
     Parcel'' and ``DWP Parcel - Town of Bishop Parcel'' and dated 
     June 2011, if the Secretary determines that acquisition of 
     the non-Federal lands is desirable for National Forest System 
     purposes.
       (b) Cash Equalization Payment; Use.--In an exchange 
     described in subsection (a), the Secretary of Agriculture may 
     accept a cash equalization payment in excess of 25 percent. 
     Any such cash equalization payment shall be deposited into 
     the account in the Treasury of the United States established 
     by Public Law 90-171 (commonly known as the Sisk Act; 16 
     U.S.C. 484a) and shall be made available to the Secretary for 
     the acquisition of land for addition to the National Forest 
     System.
       (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
     construed to grant the Secretary of Agriculture new land 
     exchange authority. This section modifies the use of land 
     exchange authorities already available to the Secretary as of 
     the date of the enactment of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from

[[Page 18056]]

California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. 
Grijalva) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 1241 authorizes the Forest Service to acquire two parcels of 
land outside the boundary of the Inyo National Forest in exchange for a 
parcel of national forest land conveyed to the Mammoth Mountain Ski 
Area.

                              {time}  1345

  The ski area has been operating its main base under a special-use 
permit. However, acquiring ownership of that parcel under this 
legislation would allow the ski area to conduct desperately needed 
renovations to its facilities. At the same time, the Forest Service 
would be able to acquire land that it currently leases to operate the 
facilities outside the boundary of the Inyo National Forest.
  I urge adoption of this sensible measure authored by Congressman Paul 
Cook and reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 1241 would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to accept 
lands outside the boundaries of the Inyo National Forest in the Eastern 
Sierra in exchange for non-Federal lands desirable for the National 
Forest System purposes. If completed, the land exchange could result in 
significant revenue for the Federal Government.
  The bill has bipartisan support, including the Department of 
Agriculture. I urge its passage in the House, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I am now pleased to yield such time as 
he may consume to my colleague from California, Congressman Paul Cook, 
the author of this bill.
  Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1241, obviously, would facilitate a land 
exchange in Mono County, California. It would allow the Mammoth 
Mountain Ski Area to obtain the 21 acres surrounding the Mammoth 
Mountain Inn that it currently leases from the National Forest Service. 
In return, Mammoth Mountain would transfer 1,500 acres of land along 
with a cash equalization payment to the National Forest Service. This 
would allow Mammoth Mountain to replace and rebuild the Mammoth 
Mountain Inn. After more than 50 years of use, the Inn suffers from 
poor, deteriorated construction, and its replacement would allow 
Mammoth Mountain to continue operating California's premier ski area.
  This bill is a jobs bill. Mammoth Mountain's employment fluctuates 
between a high of 2,500 employees during the winter to down to 650 in 
the summer. Mono County has a population of only 14,000 people. Thus, 
this area is by far and above the largest employer in the country. This 
would help facilitate and would create new construction jobs, but it 
would also allow the ski area to expand, creating more permanent jobs.
  It's also an environmental bill. The 1,500 acres that Mammoth 
Mountain would be transferring to the Forest Service has long been 
desired for protection by local environmentalists and the Forest 
Service. It will end what the Inyo National Forest supervisor described 
as a ``very, very imminent threat to the scenic basin.''
  The legislation is supported by the Mono County Board of Supervisors, 
the town council, the various chambers of commerce and the Eastern 
Sierra Land Trust.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this vital local bill.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank the gentleman for his 
support of the measure and urge its adoption. I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1241.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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