49–010 

Calendar No. 550 

109TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 109–307 

CITY OF GREEN RIVER LAND CONVEYANCE ACT 

JULY 31, 2006.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. DOMENICI, from the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 2373] 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the bill (S. 2373) to provide for the sale of approximately 

132 acres of public land to the City of Green River, Wyoming, at 

fair market value, having considered the same, reports favorably 

thereon with amendments and recommends that the bill, as 

amended, do pass. 

The amendments are as follows: 

1. On page 2, line 17, strike ‘‘, within 180 days after the date of 

the offer,’’. 

2. On page 3, between lines 14 and 15, insert the following: 

‘‘(f) PLAN.—The conveyance of the public land under subsection (a) shall not require an amendment to the Green 

River Resource Management Plan.’’. 

PURPOSE OF THE MEASURE

The purpose of S. 2373 is to provide for the sale of approximately 

132 acres of public lands to the city of Green River, Wyoming, for 

an alternate transportation route parallel to Interstate 80 and for 

community growth. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED

S. 2373 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey 132 

acres of public lands to the city of Green River, Wyoming, at fair 

market value. The lands are needed to build an alternative travel 

route for emergency vehicles between Rock Springs and Green 

River that can be used when Interstate 80 is closed due to weather 

or mishaps. Although the cities are only 14 miles apart, there is 


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currently no other road between the two communities except I–80. 

The hospital in Rock Springs serves both communities. 

In addition, lands are needed to provide the city with room in 

which to grow. Currently the city is unable to expand due to topography and the fact that almost all of the developable surrounding 

land is owned by the Bureau of Land Management. The city is experiencing a housing shortage due to the energy boom in Wyoming. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

S. 2373 was introduced on March 6, 2006, by Senators Thomas 

and Enzi. The Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests held a 

hearing on S. 2373 on March 29, 2006. At the business meeting on 

May 24, 2006, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 2373 favorably reported, with amendments. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open business session on May 24, 2006, by a unanimous voice vote of a 

quorum present recommends that the Senate pass S. 2373, if 

amended as described herein. 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT

During its consideration of S. 2373, the Committee adopted two 

amendments. Amendment No. 1 removes a time requirement to 

complete the conveyance. Amendment No. 2 states that the conveyance of land under this Act shall not require an amendment to the 

existing resource management plan. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1 and 2 provides a short title and defines key terms used 

in the bill. 

Section 3 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey approximately 132 acres of public land administered by the Bureau 

of Land Managment to the city of Green River, Wyoming at fair 

market value of the land. 

Subsection (b) requires the land to be appraised within 60 days 

of the enactment of the bill. 

Subsection (c) requires the city to pay the Secretary the appraised value of the land no later than 30 days of the conveyance. 

Subsection (d) directs the Secretary to deposit the proceeds of the 

conveyance of the sale in the Federal Land Disposal Account. 

Subsection (e) requires the city to pay any costs associated with 

the conveyance. 

Subsection (f) states that the conveyance of land under this Act 

shall not require an amendment to the Green River Resource Management Plan. 

Section 4 withdraws the land from various mining and mineral 

leasing laws, subject to valid existing rights. 

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The following estimate of the cost of this measure has been provided by the Congressional Budget Office: 


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S. 2373—City of Green River Land Conveyance Act 

S. 2373 would provide for the sale of certain federal property in 

Wyoming. CBO estimates that enacting S. 2373 would have no net 

effect on the federal budget and no effect on revenues. We estimate 

that enacting the bill would slightly increase offsetting receipts in 

2007, but that increase would be offset by additional direct spending over the next five years. 

The bill 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 transaction would be voluntary on the part of the city, as would any 

costs it would incur to comply with the conditions included in the 

bill. 

S. 2373 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to sell 

about 132 acres of land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to the city of Green River, Wyoming. Under the 

bill, proceeds from the sale would be deposited into the federal land 

disposal account and would be available without further appropriation to acquire land within the state. Based on information provided by BLM, CBO estimates that selling the Wyoming acreage 

would increase federal offsetting receipts by about $250,000 in fiscal year 2007. We estimate that the agency would spend this 

amount over the next five years to acquire other property within 

Wyoming. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis. The estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION

In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following evaluation 

of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in carrying out 

S. 2373. The bill is not a regulatory measure in the sense of imposing Government-established standards or significant economic responsibilities on private individuals and businesses. 

No personal information would be collected in administering the 

program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal privacy. 

Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the enactment of S. 2373. 

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

The views of the Administration were included in testimony provided by the Department of the Interior at the Subcommittee hearing as follows: 

STATEMENT OF LAWRENCE E. BENNA, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, 

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE

INTERIOR

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to testify. 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 261.8 

million acres of surface land primarily in 12 western 

states. As the Nation’s largest Federal land manager, the 

BLM administers the public lands for a wide range of multiple uses including energy production, outdoor recreation, 


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livestock grazing, and by conserving natural, historical, 

cultural, and other resources. The Federal Land Policy and 

Management Act (FLPMA) directs the BLM to make decisions about the appropriate use of the public lands through 

the development of resource management plans using a 

collaborative public process. 

FLPMA allows the BLM to convey lands out of public 

ownership if, for example, they have been identified for 

disposal through the BLM land use planning process in 

order to serve important public objectives, such as community expansion and economic development. In partnering 

with local communities across the West, we understand 

their needs and are supportive of efforts that ensure a balanced approach to local land use management. As a matter 

of both policy and practice, the BLM generally requires receipt of fair market value for any public lands transferred 

out of public ownership. This serves to ensure that taxpayers are fairly compensated for the removal of public 

lands from Federal ownership while also supporting local 

communities. 

The various BLM-related bills before the Subcommittee 

today cover a wide range of Federal land issues, but at 

their core all are intended to support the needs of local 

communities. 

S. 2373, the City of Green River Land Conveyance Act, 

directs the BLM to sell at appraised fair market value approximately 132 acres of public land to the City of Green 

River, Wyoming. The land would be used for development 

along Interstate-80 east of Green River. The Department 

of the Interior supports this proposal, but would like to 

work with the sponsors of the bill and the Committee on 

certain technical changes. 

Green River, Wyoming, is a growing community located 

west of Rock Springs along the Green River in southwest 

Wyoming. The 132 acre parcel proposed for conveyance 

straddles Interstate-80 and could be appropriate for community expansion. We understand this is the intention of 

the City of Green River. These lands have not been identified for disposal in the BLM land use planning process. 

The land is currently authorized for grazing, and sufficient 

access and acreage for grazing would remain available if 

the lands were conveyed. There are no mineral leases or 

mining claims on the parcel. 

S. 2373 requires the Secretary to convey all right, title, 

and interest to the land within 180 days after the City 

submits an offer to acquire the land. The proceeds from 

the sale of the lands are to be deposited in the Federal 

Land Disposal Account established under the Federal 

Land Transaction Facilitation Act, Public Law 106–248, to 

be expended in accordance with that Act. 

We would like an opportunity to work with the Committee and the sponsors of the bill on certain technical 

changes, including the timeframes established in section 

3(a) of the bill in order to ensure sufficient time for completion of a land use plan amendment in accordance with 


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section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management 

Act and completion of the necessary environmental reviews and clearances. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee notes that no changes in existing law are made by the bill S. 2373, as ordered reported. 

Æ 


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