PUBLIC LAW 115–279—NOV. 20, 2018 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. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

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 nonFederal land. 

(b) EQUAL VALUE EXCHANGE.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The values of the Federal land and nonFederal 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. 

Appraisal. 

Gulf Islands 

National 

Seashore Land 

Exchange Act. 

16 USC 459h–1 

note. 

Nov. 20, 2018 

[H.R. 2615] 


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132 STAT. 4188 PUBLIC LAW 115–279—NOV. 20, 2018 

(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) 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) 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 

Surveys. 

Determination. 

Reimbursement. 


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PUBLIC LAW 115–279—NOV. 20, 2018 132 STAT. 4189 

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. 

Æ 

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. 


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