[House Report 113-697]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
113th Congress } { Report
2d Session } HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES { 113-697
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SCHOOL DISTRICT 318 LAND EXCHANGE ACT
_______
December 22, 2014.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Hastings of Washington, from the Committee on Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4220]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 4220) to authorize the exchange of certain
Federal land and non-Federal land in the State of Minnesota,
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. 4220 is to authorize the exchange of
certain Federal land and non-Federal land in the State of
Minnesota.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
H.R. 4220 provides for an equal value land exchange in
Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The bill would convey 1.3 acres of
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) land in exchange for 1.6 acres of
land from the Minnesota Independent School District Number 318,
including all structures currently occupying the properties.
The federal parcel adjoins Robert J. Elkington Middle
School and is used to store equipment and vehicles. Its
proximity to the campus, as well as the security fencing, make
it suitable for management by the School District. The non-
federal land to be exchanged is closer to the USGS Minnesota
Water Science Center and has better access to that facility.
School District 318 and the USGS have discussed exchanging
these parcels of land for over a decade, and this legislation
will finally resolve this matter.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 4220 was introduced on March 12, 2014, by Congressman
Richard Nolan (D-MN). The bill was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the
Subcommittees on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation and
Energy and Mineral Resources. On November 19, 2014, the Full
Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The
Subcommittees on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation and
Energy and Mineral Resources were discharged by unanimous
consent. No amendments were offered, and the bill was adopted
and 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. 4220--School District 318 Land Exchange Act
H.R. 4220 would require the United States Geological Survey
(USGS) to exchange, at the request of a school district in
Minnesota, 1.3 acres of federal land for 1.6 acres of land
owned by the district. Under the bill, if the value of the
federal land exceeds the value of the lands owned by the
district, the district would be required to make a cash payment
to USGS to make up the difference.
Based on information regarding the cost of conducting
similar land exchanges and assuming the availability of
appropriated funds, CBO estimates that implementing the
legislation would cost less than $20,000. CBO also estimates
that enacting the legislation would increase offsetting
receipts, which are treated as reductions in direct spending;
therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, we estimate
that any increase in offsetting receipts under the bill would
total less than $10,000. Enacting H.R. 4220 would not affect
revenues.
Formal appraisals of the properties that are the subject of
this legislation have not been completed. Based on information
regarding the value of similar parcels, CBO estimates that the
affected land has values between $15,000 and $25,000. The
parcel owned by the USGS contains a large machine shed. Based
on information from the USGS regarding the age and condition of
the shed, we estimate that the total value of the federal
property would exceed the value of the land owned by the
district by less than $10,000.
H.R. 4220 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would benefit a school district in Minnesota. Any costs to the
district resulting from the land exchange would be incurred
voluntarily.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeff LaFave.
This 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 regarding the cost of conducting similar land
exchanges and assuming the availability of appropriated funds,
CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would cost less
than $20,000. CBO also estimates that enacting the legislation
would increase offsetting receipts, which are treated as
reductions in direct spending; therefore, pay-as-you-go
procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that any increase in
offsetting receipts under the bill would total less than
$10,000.
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 authorize the exchange of certain
Federal land and non-Federal land in the State of Minnesota.
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.
COMPLIANCE WITH H. RES. 5
Directed Rule Making. The Chairman does not believe that
this bill directs any executive branch official to conduct any
specific rule-making proceedings.
Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not
establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government
known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was
not included in any report from the Government Accountability
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139
or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law
98-169) as relating to other programs.
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.