49–006 

113TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 113–618 

CONVEYANCE FEDERAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE 

NATIONAL PETROLEUM RESERVE IN ALASKA 

NOVEMBER 12, 2014.—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. 5167] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the 

bill (H.R. 5167) to direct the Administrator of General Services, on 

behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, to convey certain Federal 

property located in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to 

the Olgoonik Corporation, an Alaska Native Corporation established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments and 

recommend that the bill as amended do pass. 

The amendments are as follows: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE FEDERAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE NATIONAL PETROLEUM RESERVE IN ALASKA. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 

Act and after completion of the appraisal described in this section, the Secretary of 

the Interior shall convey to the Corporation by quitclaim deed for the consideration 

described in subsection (c), all right, title, and interest of the United States in and 

to a parcel of real property described in subsection (b). 

(b) LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY.—The parcel to be conveyed under subsection (a) consists of approximately 1,518 acres and improvements comprising a 

former Distant Early Warning Line site in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska near Wainwright, Alaska, and described as United States Survey Number 5252 

located within the Umiat Meridian in— 

(1) Sections 3 and 4 within Township 14 North, Range 31 West; 

(2) Sections 17, 18, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28, 33, 34, and 35 within Township 15 

North, Range 31 West; and 

(3) Section 13 within Township 15 North; Range 32. 

(c) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.— 

(1) CONSIDERATION.— 


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(A) IN GENERAL.—As consideration for the conveyance of the property 

under subsection (a), the Corporation shall pay to the Secretary an amount 

not less than the fair market value of the conveyed property, to be determined as provided in subparagraph (B). 

(B) APPRAISAL.—The fair market value of the property to be conveyed 

under subsection (a) shall be determined based on an appraisal that— 

(i) is conducted by a licensed, independent appraiser that is approved 

by the Secretary and the Corporation; 

(ii) is based on the highest and best use of the property; 

(iii) is approved by the Secretary; and 

(iv) is paid for by the Corporation. 

(2) PRE-CONVEYANCE ENTRY.—The Secretary, on terms and conditions the Secretary determines to be appropriate, may authorize the Corporation to enter the 

property at no charge for pre-construction and construction activities. 

(3) ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—The Secretary may require additional terms and conditions in connection with the conveyance under subsection 

(a) as the Secretary considers appropriate to protect the interests of the United 

States. 

(d) EXEMPTION.—Section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4332) shall not apply to any conveyance of property under this section. 

(e) CORPORATION DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘Corporation’’ means the 

Olgoonik Corporation, an Alaska Native Corporation established under the Alaska 

Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.). 

Amend the title so as to read: 

A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain 

Federal property located in the National Petroleum Reserve in 

Alaska to the Olgoonik Corporation, an Alaska Native Corporation 

established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of H.R. 5167, as amended, is to direct the Secretary 

of the Interior to convey certain Federal property located in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to the Olgoonik Corporation, an 

Alaska Native Corporation established under the Alaska Native 

Claims Settlement Act. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

The Wainwright Short Range Radar Site is an old Distant Early 

Warning (DEW) station, commonly referred to as the Wainwright 

DEW Line site. The underlying property is owned by the Department of the Interior and managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Historically, the U.S. Air Force maintained a radar 

site on the property but it is no longer operational. The Air Force 

is in the final stages of remediating some contamination of the site, 

which is expected to be finished in 2014, and the Olgoonik Corporation, an Alaska Native Corporation established under the Alaska 

Native Claims Settlement Act, is collaborating on the effort. 

After completion of its remediation work, the Air Force is set to 

relinquish its right-of-way on the property. Olgoonik has been 

working with BLM to acquire the DEW Line site; however, language in the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976 (42 

U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) prevents BLM from proceeding with the disposal. 

Olgoonik and the Wainwright DEW Line site are within the National Petroleum Reserve—Alaska (NPRA). All lands surrounding 

the DEW Line site are owned by Olgoonik. H.R. 5167 directs the 

Secretary of the Interior to convey at fair market value the approximately 1,518 acres and improvements comprising the former 

DEW Line site in the NPRA near Wainwright, Alaska, to the 


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Olgoonik Corporation. Olgoonik would purchase the 1,518 acres 

and fold it into its existing land use management plan and policies, 

turning a potential abandoned and unused parcel into Olgoonik 

property. 

During Full Committee consideration of the bill, the Committee 

approved a technical amendment that removed the third party role 

of the General Services Administration from the land sale and a requirement for a resurvey since a previously completed one remains 

relevant. Both changes were requested by the Administration 

(BLM), who supports the bill. 

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 5167 was introduced on July 22, 2014, by Congressman Don 

Young (R–AK). The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural 

Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittees on 

Public Lands and Environmental Regulation and Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. On September 9, 2014, the Subcommittee on 

Public Lands and Environmental Regulation held a hearing on the 

bill. On September 18, 2014, the Full Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittees on Public 

Lands and Environmental Regulation and Indian and Alaska Native Affairs were discharged by unanimous consent. Congressman 

Young offered an amendment designated .109 to the bill; the 

amendment was adopted by unanimous consent. No further amendments were offered and the bill, as amended, 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: 


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H.R. 5167—A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey 

certain federal property located in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to the Olgoonik Corporation, an Alaska Native 

Corporation established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act 

H.R. 5167 would direct the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 

to sell 1,500 acres of federal land in Alaska to the Olgoonik Corporation. The corporation was established to administer land and 

financial assets awarded to certain Alaska Natives in settlements 

with the federal government. Based on information provided by 

BLM, CBO estimates that enacting the bill would increase offsetting receipts, which are treated as reductions in direct spending, by 

$1 million in 2015. Because enacting the bill would affect direct 

spending, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. Enacting the bill would 

not affect revenues. 

Based on information provided by BLM, CBO expects that, under 

current law, the affected lands, which are located in the National 

Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and surrounded by lands owned by 

the Olgoonik Corporation, would not generate offsetting receipts 

over the next 10 years. Under the bill, the Olgoonik Corporation 

would be required to pay fair market value to purchase the affected 

lands. Based on information regarding the value of similar lands 

located in remote portions of Alaska, CBO estimates that the affected lands would be worth between $500 and $1,000 per acre, and 

we estimate that the sale of those lands would increase offsetting 

receipts by about $1 million in 2015. 

H.R. 5167 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. The land 

conveyance authorized by the bill would benefit the Olgoonik Corporation. 

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 BLM, CBO estimates that enacting the bill would increase offsetting receipts, 

which are treated as reductions in direct spending, by $1 million 

in 2015. 

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, as amended, is to direct the Secretary of the Interior 

to convey certain Federal property located in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to the Olgoonik Corporation, an Alaska 

Native Corporation established under the Alaska Native Claims 

Settlement Act. 

EARMARK STATEMENT

This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, limited 

tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined under clause 9(e), 


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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. 

Æ 


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