[House Report 115-353]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]





115th Congress      }                                 {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session        }                                 {       115-353
======================================================================



 
             KISATCHIE NATIONAL FOREST LAND CONVEYANCE ACT

                                _______
                                

October 19, 2017.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

Mr. Conaway, from the Committee on Agriculture, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 2941]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Agriculture, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 2941) to provide for the conveyance of certain National 
Forest System land within Kisatchie National Forest in the 
State of Louisiana, having considered the same, report 
favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill 
do pass.

                           Brief Explanation

    The Kisatchie National Forest Land Conveyance Act conveys 
certain National Forest System land within the Kisatchie 
National Forest in Louisiana.

                    Purpose and Need for Legislation

    The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) currently owns tracts of 
land in Louisiana that are inter-mixed with private land and 
heavily impacted by residences. These tracts have lost their 
natural qualities and are isolated from the core lands of 
Kisatchie National Forest. This fragmentation and urbanization 
leaves the land incompatible with National Forest management. 
The Committee believes managing these tracts for public benefit 
and use is a poor use of taxpayer money.
    In disposing of the occupied lots with some minor acreage 
of adjacent federal land, the USFS eliminates administrative 
and boundary maintenance costs. USFS would then be able to use 
the proceeds to identify and purchase land with recreational 
qualities that is more conducive to National Forest management.
    H.R. 2941, the Kisatchie National Forest Land Conveyance 
Act, will allow the sale of these isolated parcels (2 in total; 
50.08 acres; as identified as desired disposal by the USFS). 
The proceeds from the sale of these parcels will be made 
available for the acquisition of lands and interests in land in 
the Kisatchie National Forest.
    Kisatchie National Forest is rich in renewable wildlife 
resources, and supporting wilderness habitat is vital to their 
sustainability. H.R. 2941 allows Kisatchie National Forest to 
consolidate ownership of natural lands and continues the strong 
tradition of the National Forest Service acting as stewards for 
the environment.

               Section-by-Section Analysis of Legislation


      H.R. 2941 THE KISATCHIE NATIONAL FOREST LAND CONVEYANCE ACT

Section 1. Short title

    Section 1 of the bill designates the title of the bill as 
the ``Kisatchie National Forest Land Conveyance Act''.

Section 2. Findings

    Section 2 includes Congressional findings.

Section 3. Definitions

    Section 3 provides the relevant definitions for the Act.

Section 4. Authorization of conveyances, Kisatchie National Forest, 
        Louisiana

    Section 4 authorizes the Secretary to convey land within 
the Kisatchie National Forest. Subsection (b) requires the 
Secretary to convey a portion of the land to Collins Camp 
Properties. Subsection (c) allows the Secretary to configure 
the land to maximize marketability or achieve management 
objectives. The subsection further allows the Secretary to 
establish terms and conditions for the conveyance. Subsection 
(d) requires cash consideration in an amount equal to the fair 
market value. Subsection (e) establishes the process by which 
fair market value is determined. Subsection (f) requires the 
Secretary to meet disclosure requirements for hazardous 
substances, but not to remediate or abate the substances.

Section 5. Proceeds from the sale of the land

    Section 5 requires the Secretary to deposit proceeds from 
the sale of the land into the Sisk Act's fund.

Section 6. Administration

    Subsection (a) of section 6 requires Collins Camp 
Properties to pay reasonable appraisal costs, and costs of any 
required administrative and environmental analysis. Subsection 
(b) requires that an offer by Collins Camp Properties include a 
written statement from each holder of a Forest Service special 
use authorization agreeing to relinquish the special use 
authorization upon conveyance of the land. If any holder of a 
special use authorization fails to provide such written 
statement, the Secretary shall require Collins Camp Properties 
to administer the special use authorization until such 
authorization expires.

                        Committee Consideration


                              I. HEARINGS

    No hearings were held by the Committee on H.R. 2941, 
Kisatchie National Forest Land Conveyance Act.

                           II. FULL COMMITTEE

    The Committee on Agriculture met, pursuant to notice, with 
a quorum present, on October 4, 2017, to consider H.R. 2941, 
Kisatchie National Forest Land Conveyance Act.
    H.R. 2941 was placed before the Committee for 
consideration. Without objection, a first reading of the bill 
was waived and it was open for amendment at any point.
    Chairman Conaway and Mr. Peterson were recognized for 
statements. There being no amendments, Mr. Peterson was 
recognized to offer a motion that the bill H.R. 2941 be 
reported favorably to the House with recommendation that it do 
pass. The motion was subsequently approved by voice vote.
    At the conclusion of the meeting, Chairman Conaway advised 
Members that pursuant to the rules of the House of 
Representatives Members had until October 6, 2017, to file any 
supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views with 
the Committee.
    Without objection, staff was given permission to make any 
necessary clerical, technical or conforming changes to reflect 
the intent of the Committee. Chairman Conaway thanked all the 
Members and adjourned the meeting.

                            Committee Votes

    In compliance with clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the House of 
Representatives, H.R. 2941 was reported by voice vote with a 
majority quorum present. There was no request for a recorded 
vote.

                      Committee Oversight Findings

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee on Agriculture's 
oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the 
body of this report.

           Budget Act Compliance (Sections 308, 402, and 423)

    The provisions of clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives and section 308(a)(1) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (relating to estimates of new 
budget authority, new spending authority, new credit authority, 
or increased or decreased revenues or tax expenditures) are not 
considered applicable. The estimate and comparison required to 
be prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 
under clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives and sections 402 and 423 of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974 submitted to the Committee prior to the 
filing of this report are as follows:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                  Washington, DC, October 17, 2017.
Hon. K. Michael Conaway,
Chairman, Committee on Agriculture,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2941, the 
Kisatchie National Forest Land Conveyance Act.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jeff LaFave.
            Sincerely,
                                                Keith Hall,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 2941--Kisatchie National Forest Land Conveyance Act

    H.R. 2941 would authorize the Forest Service to sell up to 
80 acres of federal land (including roughly 20 acres of 
submerged land) located in northern Louisiana. Camp Collins 
Properties would have the right of first purchase to 50 acres 
of the affected lands, which contain more than 30 recreational 
residences. Based on the value of similar lands in the area, 
CBO estimates that the Forest Service would sell between 50 and 
80 acres of land at an average value of a little less than 
$4,000 an acre. That sale would increase offsetting receipts, 
which are treated as reductions in direct spending, by less 
than $300,000.
    Under current law, the affected lands are expected to 
generate offsetting receipts totaling about $30,000 a year from 
fees paid by owners of recreational residences. Thus, CBO 
estimates that selling those lands also would reduce offsetting 
receipts by the same amount, about $300,000, over the next 10 
years.
    Because enacting the bill would affect direct spending, 
pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that the 
net change in direct spending would not be significant over the 
2018-2027 period. Enacting the bill would not affect revenues.
    CBO estimates that enacting the legislation would not 
significantly increase net direct spending or on-budget 
deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods 
beginning in 2028.
    H.R. 2941 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeff LaFave. The 
estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.

                    Performance Goals and Objectives

    H.R. 2941 does not authorize funding, therefore, clause 
3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives is inapplicable.

                        Committee Cost Estimate

    Pursuant to clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee report incorporates the 
cost estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional 
Budget Office pursuant to sections 402 and 423 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

                      Advisory Committee Statement

    No advisory committee within the meaning of section 5(b) of 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act was created by this 
legislation.

                Applicability to the Legislative Branch

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law 
104-1).

                       Federal Mandates Statement

    The Committee adopted as its own the estimate of Federal 
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act (Public Law 104-4).

  Earmark Statement Required by Clause 9 of Rule XXI of the Rules of 
                        House of Representatives

    H.R. 2941 does not contain any congressional earmarks, 
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in 
clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of the 
House Representatives.

                    Duplication of Federal Programs

    This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of 
the Federal Government known to be duplicative of another 
Federal program, a program that was included in any report from 
the Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to 
section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a 
program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance.

                  Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings

    The Committee does not believe that the legislation directs 
an executive branch official to conduct any specific rule 
making proceedings within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 551.

                                  [all]