[115th Congress Public Law 279]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 132 STAT. 4187]]

Public Law 115-279
115th Congress

                                 An Act


 
   To authorize the exchange of certain land located in Gulf Islands 
  National Seashore, Jackson County, Mississippi, between the National 
      Park Service and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and for other 
            purposes. <<NOTE: Nov. 20, 2018 -  [H.R. 2615]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Gulf Islands 
National Seashore Land Exchange Act. 16 USC 459h-1 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Gulf Islands National Seashore Land 
Exchange Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means the 
        parcel of approximately 1.542 acres of land that is located 
        within the Gulf Islands National Seashore in Jackson County, 
        Mississippi, and identified as ``NPS Exchange Area'' on the Map.
            (2) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map entitled ``Gulf 
        Islands National Seashore, Proposed Land Exchange with VFW, 
        Davis Bayou Area--Jackson County, MS'', numbered 635/133309, and 
        dated June 2016.
            (3) Non-federal land.--The term ``non-Federal land'' means 
        the parcel of approximately 2.161 acres of land that is located 
        in Jackson County, Mississippi, and identified as ``VFW Exchange 
        Area'' on the Map.
            (4) Post.--The term ``Post'' means the Veterans of Foreign 
        Wars Post 5699.
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National 
        Park Service.
SEC. 3. GULF ISLANDS NATIONAL SEASHORE LAND EXCHANGE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary may convey to the Post all right, 
title, and interest of the United States in and to the Federal land in 
exchange for the conveyance by the Post to the Secretary of all right, 
title, and interest of the Post in and to the non-Federal land.
    (b) Equal Value Exchange.--
            (1) <<NOTE: Appraisal.>>  In general.--The values of the 
        Federal land and non-Federal land to be exchanged under this 
        section shall be equal, as determined by an appraisal 
        conducted--
                    (A) by a qualified and independent appraiser; and
                    (B) in accordance with nationally recognized 
                appraisal standards.

[[Page 132 STAT. 4188]]

            (2) Equalization.--If the values of the Federal land and 
        non-Federal land to be exchanged under this section are not 
        equal, the values shall be equalized through--
                    (A) a cash payment; or
                    (B) adjustments to the acreage of the Federal land 
                or non-Federal land to be exchanged, as applicable.

    (c) Payment of Costs of Conveyance.--
            (1) <<NOTE: Reimbursement.>>  Payment required.--As a 
        condition of the exchange authorized under this section, the 
        Secretary shall require the Post to pay the costs to be incurred 
        by the Secretary, or to reimburse the Secretary for the costs 
        incurred by the Secretary, to carry out the exchange, 
        including--
                    (A) survey costs;
                    (B) any costs relating to environmental 
                documentation; and
                    (C) any other administrative costs relating to the 
                land exchange.
            (2) Refund.--If the Secretary collects amounts from the Post 
        under paragraph (1) before the Secretary incurs the actual costs 
        and the amount collected by the Secretary exceeds the costs 
        actually incurred by the Secretary to carry out the land 
        exchange under this section, the Secretary shall provide to the 
        Post a refund of the excess amount paid by the Post.
            (3) Treatment of certain amounts received.--Amounts received 
        by the Secretary from the Post as reimbursement for costs 
        incurred under paragraph (1) shall be--
                    (A) credited to the fund or account from which 
                amounts were used to pay the costs incurred by the 
                Secretary in carrying out the land exchange;
                    (B) merged with amounts in the fund or account to 
                which the amounts were credited under subparagraph (A); 
                and
                    (C) available for the same purposes as, and subject 
                to the same conditions and limitations applicable to, 
                amounts in the fund or account to which the amounts were 
                credited under subparagraph (A).

    (d) <<NOTE: Surveys. Determination.>>  Description of Federal Land 
and Non-Federal Land.--The exact acreage and legal description of the 
Federal land and non-Federal land to be exchanged under this section 
shall be determined by surveys that are determined to be satisfactory by 
the Secretary and the Post.

    (e) Conveyance Agreement.--The exchange of Federal land and non-
Federal land under this section shall be--
            (1) carried out through a quitclaim deed or other legal 
        instrument; and
            (2) subject to such terms and conditions as are mutually 
        satisfactory to the Secretary and the Post, including such 
        additional terms and conditions as the Secretary considers to be 
        appropriate to protect the interests of the United States.

    (f) Valid Existing Rights.--The exchange of Federal land and non-
Federal land authorized under this section shall be subject to valid 
existing rights.
    (g) Title Approval.--Title to the Federal land and non-Federal land 
to be exchanged under this section shall be in a form acceptable to the 
Secretary.
    (h) Treatment of Acquired Land.--Any non-Federal land and interests 
in non-Federal land acquired by the United States

[[Page 132 STAT. 4189]]

under this section shall be administered by the Secretary as part of the 
Gulf Islands National Seashore.
    (i) Modification of Boundary.--On completion of the exchange of 
Federal land and non-Federal land under this section, the Secretary 
shall modify the boundary of the Gulf Islands National Seashore to 
reflect the exchange of Federal land and non-Federal land.

    Approved November 20, 2018.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2615:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115-302 (Comm. on Natural Resources).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 115-228 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
                                                        Vol. 163 (2017):
                                    Nov. 28, considered and passed 
                                        House.
                                                        Vol. 164 (2018):
                                    Oct. 11, considered and passed 
                                        Senate, amended.
                                    Nov. 13, House concurred in Senate 
                                        amendment.

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