[House Report 105-114]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



105th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 1st Session                                                    105-114
_______________________________________________________________________


 
           TAHOE NATIONAL FOREST, CALIFORNIA, LAND CONVEYANCE

                                _______
                                

  June 3, 1997.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

_______________________________________________________________________


  Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1439]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

  The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 1439) to facilitate the sale of certain land in Tahoe 
National Forest in the State of California to Placer County, 
California, having considered the same, report favorably 
thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill as 
amended do pass.
  The amendment is as follows:
  Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu 
thereof the following:

SECTION 1. LAND CONVEYANCE, TAHOE NATIONAL FOREST, CALIFORNIA.

  (a) Sale Authorized.--Subject to all valid existing rights, the 
Secretary of Agriculture may sell to Placer County, California (in this 
section referred to as the ``County''), all right, title, and interest 
of the United States in and to a parcel of real property, consisting of 
approximately 35 acres located in Tahoe National Forest in the State of 
California to permit the County to create a community park in Squaw 
Valley.
  (b) Description of Property.--The parcel to be conveyed under 
subsection (a) is generally depicted on a map entitled ``Placer County 
Conveyance'', dated April 1997, which shall be available for public 
inspection in appropriate offices of the Secretary. The map and 
attached approximate legal description are subject to adjustment by 
survey. The cost of any such survey shall be borne by the County.
  (c) Consideration.--As consideration for the conveyance under 
subsection (a), the County shall pay to the United States an amount 
equal to the fair market value of the conveyed parcel, as determined in 
conformance with the document entitled ``Uniform Appraisal Standards 
for Federal Land Acquisitions (1992)''. The proceeds from the sale 
shall be deposited in the fund established by Public Law 90-171 (16 
U.S.C. 484a; commonly known as the Sisk Act) and shall be available for 
expenditure in accordance with such Act.
  (d) Existing Uses.--As a condition on the conveyance under subsection 
(a), the County shall agree to provide for continuation of any existing 
non-Federal improvements or uses on the conveyed parcel for the 
remainder of the terms of the existing authorizations.
  (e) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary may require such 
additional terms and conditions in connection with the conveyance under 
subsection (a) as the Secretary considers appropriate to protect the 
interests of the United States.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of H.R. 1439 is to facilitate the sale of 
certain land in Tahoe National Forest in the State of 
California to Placer County, California.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    The bill would authorize the Forest Service to sell 
approximately thirty-five acres in Squaw Valley, California, to 
Placer County, California, to build a park for the community. 
The site is located at the southwest and northwest corners of 
Squaw Valley Road and Highway 89. This area stands out as the 
only feasible location to accommodate the various interests.
    Both the local Forest Service and Placer County believe 
that this legislation is needed to help streamline the 
acquisition process and thus save thousands of dollars for the 
county and the Forest Service.
    There is substantial support for the park in the community 
and the Placer County Parks Commission has allocated over 
$250,000 for acquisition and development of the park. 
Currently, there are no public parks in Squaw Valley. The 
nearest park facilities are located in Tahoe City which is 
approximately ten miles away.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 1439 was introduced on April 24, 1997, by Congressman 
John Doolittle (R-CA). The bill was referred to the Committee 
on Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on 
Forests and Forest Health. On May 6, 1997, the Subcommittee 
held a hearing on H.R. 1439. The Administration testified that 
it does not recommend the passage of H.R. 1439 because it feels 
the legislation is unnecessary. However, if the legislation is 
moved forward, they requested technical amendments clarifying 
the description of the parcel and to assure the return of 
proceeds. On May 8, 1997, the Subcommittee met to mark up H.R. 
1439. An amendment to make technical corrections suggested by 
the Forest Service was offered by Congressman John Doolittle, 
and adopted voice vote. The bill was then ordered favorably 
reported to the Full Committee. On May 21, 1997, the Full 
Resources Committee met to consider H.R. 1439. No further 
amendments were offered. The bill was then ordered favorably 
reported to the House of Representatives by voice vote.

                      SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

    Section one authorizes the sale of approximately 35 acres 
of Forest Service land in Placer County, California to create a 
community park in Squaw Valley. The bill also describes the 
parcel to be sold, directs that the County shall pay fair 
market value for the land, provides for continuation of any 
existing non-Federal improvements and requires such additional 
terms and conditions that may be needed to protect the 
interests of the United States.

            COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

    With respect to the requirements of clause 2(l)(3) of rule 
XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, and clause 
2(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, 
the Committee on Resources' oversight findings and 
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.

                   CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

    Article I, section 8 and Article IV, section 3 of the 
Constitution of the United States grant Congress the authority 
to enact H.R. 1439.

                        COST OF THE LEGISLATION

    Clause 7(a) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the 
Committee of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out 
H.R. 1439. However, clause 7(d) of that rule provides that this 
requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in 
its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill 
prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 
under section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

                     COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XI

    1. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(B) of 
rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, H.R. 
1439 does not contain any new budget authority, spending 
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in 
revenues or tax expenditures.
    2. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(D) of 
rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee has received no report of oversight findings and 
recommendations from the Committee on Government Reform and 
Oversight on the subject of H.R. 1439.
    3. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(C) of 
rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the 
Committee has received the following cost estimate for H.R. 
1439 from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office.

               CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                      Washington, DC, May 30, 1997.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1439, a bill to 
facilitate the sale of certain land in Tahoe National Forest in 
the State of California to Placer County, California.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contacts are Victoria V. 
Heid (for federal costs), and Marjorie A. Miller (for the state 
and local impact).
            Sincerely,
                                         June E. O'Neill, Director.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 1439--A bill to facilitate the sale of certain land in Tahoe 
        National Forest in the State of California to Placer County, 
        California

    CBO estimates that enacting this bill would have no 
significant impact on the federal budget. Enacting H.R. 1439 
would not affect direct spending or receipts relative to 
current law; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. 
H.R. 1430 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 
and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal 
governments.
    H.R. 1439 would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to 
sell about 35 acres of federal land in Tahoe National Forest to 
Placer County, California. The bill would require Placer County 
to pay any survey costs incurred in the transaction.
    According to the Forest Service, the Secretary already has 
authority to sell this land under current law (7 U.S.C. 1012a 
and 16 U.S.C. 484a). Therefore, CBO estimates that this 
legislation would not result in any additional receipts to the 
federal government. H.R. 1439 provides that proceeds from the 
sale be deposited in an existing special fund in the Treasury, 
which is available to the Secretary of Agriculture, subject to 
appropriation, for land acquisition in the same state.
    The transaction authorized by this bill would be voluntary 
on the part of Placer County. Should the county decide to 
purchase the land, it would pay fair market value for the land, 
probably about $350,000, and any survey costs. The survey costs 
would not be significant. The county has also budgeted about 
$250,000 for construction of a park on this property.
    The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Victoria V. 
Heid (for federal costs), and Marjorie A. Miller (for the state 
and local impact). This estimate was approved by Robert A. 
Sunshine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                    COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4

    H.R. 1439 contains no unfunded mandates.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    If enacted, H.R. 1439 would make no changes in existing 
law.