[House Report 112-220]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


112th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                    112-220

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                   BOX ELDER UTAH LAND CONVEYANCE ACT

                                _______
                                

 September 23, 2011.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Hastings of Washington, from the Committee on Natural Resources, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1258]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 1258) to provide for the conveyance of parcels 
of land to Mantua, Box Elder County, Utah, having considered 
the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and 
recommend that the bill do pass.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of H.R. 1258 is to provide for the conveyance 
of parcels of land to Mantua, Box Elder County, Utah.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    The Box Elder Utah Land Conveyance Act (H.R. 1258) would 
provide for the conveyance of approximately 31.5 acres of 
Forest Service land, without consideration, to Mantua, Utah, 
solely for public purposes. Mantua is seeking these parcels for 
expansion of a cemetery, and construction of a town hall and a 
fire station. The current cemetery is expected to be at 
capacity within five or six years and the current town hall is 
located on land leased from the Box Elder school district.
    The lands at issue are part of a larger (800 acre) gift 
from Hans Rassmussen to the Forest Service, for $1, in the 
1940s. There are no special activities occurring on these 
National Forest Service lands. The lands are primarily open 
grasslands surrounded by agricultural lands. Since 1992, Mantua 
has provided, without cost to the Forest Service, all water 
used by a local Forest Service campground. Mantua also 
maintains, without cost to the Forest Service, all roads 
accessing and within the Forest Service campground and other 
local Forest Service recreation areas. The town would pay all 
costs associated with any necessary land survey for the 
conveyance. If the conveyed land were no longer used for public 
purposes, it would revert back to federal ownership at the 
option of the Secretary of Agriculture.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 1258 was introduced on March 30, 2011, by Congressman 
Rob Bishop (R-UT). The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee 
on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. On June 14, 2011, 
the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands 
held a hearing on the bill. On July 20, 2011, the Full 
Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee 
on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands was discharged by 
unanimous consent. No amendments were offered, and the bill was 
ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by 
unanimous consent.

            COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

    Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and 
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.

                    COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII

    1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(1) 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 this bill. However, clause 3(d)(2)(B) 
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 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Under clause 3(c)(3) of rule 
XIII 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 this bill from the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

H.R. 1258--Box Elder Utah Land Conveyance Act

    H.R. 1258 would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to 
convey, without consideration, certain lands in Utah to the 
town of Mantua. Based on information from the Forest Service, 
CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would have no 
significant impact on the federal budget. Enacting H.R. 1258 
would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-
as-you-go procedures do not apply.
    Under the bill, the Secretary would be required to convey 
about 32 acres of land within the Wasatch-Cache National Forest 
to Mantua, Utah. The conveyed land could be used by the town 
for public purposes only and would revert to the federal 
government if used for other purposes. The affected lands do 
not currently generate offsetting receipts for the federal 
government and are not expected to generate such receipts over 
the next 10 years. Any costs associated with surveying the 
lands prior to conveyance would be paid by the town.
    H.R. 1258 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
    On July 27, 2011, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for S. 
683, the Box Elder Utah Land Conveyance Act, as ordered 
reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources on July 14, 2011. H.R. 1258 and S. 683 are similar, 
and the CBO cost estimates are the same.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeff LaFave. The 
estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.
    2. Section 308(a) of Congressional Budget Act. As required 
by clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget 
Act of 1974, this bill does not contain any new budget 
authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase 
or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures. CBO estimates that 
implementing the legislation would have no significant impact 
on the federal budget. Enacting H.R. 1258 would not affect 
direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go 
procedures do not apply.
    3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. This bill does 
not authorize funding and therefore, clause 3(c)(4) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives does not 
apply.

                           EARMARK STATEMENT

    This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, 
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined 
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives.

                    COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4

    This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

                PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW

    This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or 
tribal law.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing 
law.

                                  
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