59–006 

114TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 114–769 

CHATTAHOOCHEE-OCONEE NATIONAL FOREST LAND 

ADJUSTMENT 

SEPTEMBER 20, 2016.—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. 470] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Agriculture, to whom was referred the bill 

(H.R. 470) to authorize the sale of certain National Forest System 

land in the State of Georgia, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill 

do pass. 

BRIEF EXPLANATION

The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Land Adjustment 

Act, H.R. 470, authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to sell or exchange any or all interest of the United States in 30 tracts of National Forest System land in Georgia totaling approximately 3,841 

acres. 

PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE LEGISLATION

Currently, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) owns numerous tracts 

of land in Georgia that exist as small isolated parcels, disconnected 

from the core lands of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. 

Intervening growth and development hinders efforts to bridge gaps 

between the core National Forest and outlying lands and, thus, is 

the primary reason that many of these tracts no longer warrant 

Federal ownership. The Committee believes managing these tracts 

for public benefit and use is a waste of taxpayer money. 

At the same time, the USFS has identified critical inholdings, 

edge-holdings, and connections that if added to National Forest 


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lands, would streamline land management, better protect flora and 

fauna, and add value to the National Forest as a recreational asset. 

H.R. 470, the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Land Adjustment Act of 2015, will allow the sale of these isolated parcels 

(30 in total; 3,841 acres; as identified as desired disposal by the 

USFS). The proceeds from the sale of these parcels will go into a 

Federal account that the USFS may use only to buy critical 

inholdings from willing sellers. The funds could only be spent inside the existing USFS proclamation boundary in Georgia. 

Georgia’s lone National Forest is a huge economic generator. Opportunities for hunting, fishing and hiking will improve with the 

consolidation of Federal lands. H.R. 470 is a pragmatic way to 

make the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest a better place to 

recreate. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF LEGISLATION

Section 1. Short title 

Section 1 of the bill designates the title of the bill as the ‘‘Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Land Adjustment Act of 2015.’’ 

Section 2. Findings and definitions 

Section 2 of the bill provides Congressional findings related to 

the public interest of disposing of certain tracts of land in the National Forest System. The section further defines the term ‘‘Secretary’’ as the Secretary of Agriculture. 

Section 3. Land conveyance authority 

Subsection (a) of section 3 gives the Secretary general authority 

to sell or exchange rights, title, and interest of the United States 

in certain National Forest System lands. 

Subsection (b) identifies such land as 30 tracts, totaling approximately 3,841 acres, in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. 

The subsection further requires maps of such lands to be on file 

and available for public inspection. Finally, the subsection allows 

the Secretary to modify boundaries for the purpose of land management considerations. 

Subsection (c) requires the Secretary to sell the land by quitclaim 

deed and allows for the reservation of rights-of-way and other 

rights necessary for protecting the public interest. 

Subsection (d) requires that the land be sold for no less than 

market value, as determined by either appraisal or competitive bid. 

Subsection (e) requires cash consideration for the sale or a cash 

equalization payment in excess of 25% of the value of land in an 

exchange. 

Subsection (f) establishes method of sale options and allows for 

solicitations for sale or exchange of land. 

Subsection (g) allows the use of brokers or third parties, including the payment of any reasonable commission or fee. 

Section 4. Treatment of proceeds 

Subsection (a) of section 4 directs that upon the sale of the land, 

any proceeds be deposited into the Sisk Act fund. 

Subsection (b) requires that the Secretary may only use such proceeds to purchase other tracts of land within the State of Georgia. 


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COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

I. Hearings 

No hearings were held by the Committee on the ChattahoocheeOconee National Forest Land Adjustment Act of 2015. 

II. Full Committee 

The Committee on Agriculture met, pursuant to notice, with a 

quorum present, on September 14, 2016, to consider H.R. 470, the 

Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Land Adjustment Act of 

2015. 

Chairman Conaway asked unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 470, and without objection, it was so ordered. H.R. 470 was then placed before the Committee for consideration. Without objection, a first reading of the bill was waived and 

it was open to amendment at any point. 

Chairman Conaway, Mr. Peterson, and Mr. Allen were recognized for statements. There being no amendments, Mr. Peterson 

was recognized to offer a motion that the bill H.R. 470 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 September 16, 2016 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. 470 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: 


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U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Washington, DC, September 16, 2016. 

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. 470, the ChattahoocheeOconee National Forest Land Adjustment Act of 2015. 

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. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 470—Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Land Adjustment 

Act of 2015 

H.R. 470 would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey, 

through sale or land exchange, roughly 3,800 acres of National Forest System land in Georgia. 

Enacting H.R. 470 would increase offsetting receipts, which are 

treated as reductions in direct spending, from proceeds generated 

by the sale of the affected lands and associated direct spending; 

therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates 

that any net effect on direct spending would be negligible. Enacting 

the bill would not affect revenues. 

CBO expects that the Forest Service would seek to sell the affected lands rather than exchange them for nonfederal forest lands. 

Based on an analysis of real estate listings for comparable land in 

northern Georgia, CBO estimates that the affected lands could be 

sold for an average of about $5,000 per acre; the receipts from the 

sale of all 3,800 acres would total about $20 million However, because the bill would authorize the Forest Service to retain and 

spend any proceeds from such sales, the net effect on the federal 

budget over the 2017–2026 period would be negligible. 

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 470 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 

10-year periods beginning in 2027. 

H.R. 470 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

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. 470 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 


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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 THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. 470 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 of 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. 

Æ 


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