[House Report 112-435]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


112th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session                                                     112-435

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  BOUNDARY MODIFICATION AND TRANSFER OF ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION, 
                   CIBOLA NATIONAL FOREST, NEW MEXICO

                                _______
                                

 April 16, 2012.--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. 491]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 491) to modify the boundaries of Cibola National 
Forest in the State of New Mexico, to transfer certain Bureau 
of Land Management land for inclusion in the national forest, 
and for other purposes, 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. 491 is to modify the boundaries of 
Cibola National Forest in the State of New Mexico, and to 
transfer certain Bureau of Land Management land for inclusion 
in the national forest.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    H.R. 491 would direct a transfer of lands between the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service. 
The BLM parcel is to be turned over to the Forest Service to be 
included in the Cibola National Forest, and is comprised of 917 
acres known as the Crest of Montezuma. The parcel has been 
described as being fairly remote from current BLM managed areas 
and can be better managed by the Forest Service. This 
legislation simply adjusts the boundaries of the Cibola 
National Forest in New Mexico to provide for the inclusion of 
the Crest of Montezuma.


  19-006


                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 491 was introduced on January 26, 2011, by Congressman 
Martin Heinrich (D-NM). 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 
February 3, 2012, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. 
On February 29, 2012, the Full Natural 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 then ordered 
favorably reported to the House of Representatives by voice 
vote.

            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. 491--A bill to modify the boundaries of Cibola National Forest in 
        the State of New Mexico, to transfer certain Bureau of Land 
        Management land for inclusion in the national forest, and for 
        other purposes

    H.R. 491 would transfer administrative jurisdiction of 
certain federal land from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
to the Forest Service. The bill also would prohibit certain 
activities, including mineral leasing, from taking place on the 
affected land. Finally, the bill would authorize the Secretary 
of Agriculture to purchase private land located within the 
boundaries of the Cibola National Forest. Based on information 
provided by the affected agencies, CBO estimates that enacting 
the legislation would have no significant impact on the federal 
budget. Enacting H.R. 491 would not affect direct spending or 
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
    Under the bill, the Forest Service would assume 
responsibility for about 900 acres of land currently 
administered by BLM. The bill would prohibit mineral leasing 
and certain other activities on the affected lands. Because 
those lands are not expected to generate receipts over the next 
10 years from activities that would be prohibited under the 
bill, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would not affect 
direct spending over the next decade.
    CBO also estimates that implementing H.R. 491 would have no 
significant impact on discretionary spending. The affected 
lands are currently managed by the federal government and would 
require no additional funds to administer. In addition, based 
on information from BLM, CBO estimates that purchasing private 
lands under the bill would cost less than $200,000, assuming 
the availability of appropriated funds.
    H.R. 491 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal 
governments.
    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. Based on 
information provided by the affected agencies, the 
Congressional Budget Office estimates that enacting the 
legislation would have no significant impact on the federal 
budget.
    3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or 
objective of this bill is to modify the boundaries of Cibola 
National Forest in the State of New Mexico, and to transfer 
certain Bureau of Land Management land for inclusion in the 
national forest.

                           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 as defined under 
Public Law 104-4.

                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.