19–006 

112TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 112–439 

LAND EXCHANGE FOR INYO NATIONAL FOREST 

APRIL 16, 2012.—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. 2157] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the 

bill (H.R. 2157) to facilitate a land exchange involving certain National Forest System lands in the Inyo National Forest and for 

other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of H.R. 2157 is to facilitate a land exchange involving certain National Forest System lands in the Inyo National 

Forest. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

H.R. 2157 authorizes the U.S. Forest Service to acquire two parcels of land outside the boundary of the Inyo National Forest in exchange for conveyance of 20 acres of national forest land to the 

Mammoth Mountain Ski Area (MMSA). The main base of the 

MMSA currently operates under a special-use permit from the Forest Service and has been working to acquire ownership of the parcel to allow for needed renovations. The Inyo National Forest currently operates facilities on land that is owned by the Los Angeles 

Department of Water and Power outside the boundary of the forest. 

H.R. 2157 authorizes the Inyo National Forest to acquire those parcels in the process of exchanging lands with the MMSA. In addition, the value of the parcels to be acquired by the MMSA exceeds 

the value of the lands to be exchanged to the Forest Service so the 

legislation authorizes the Forest Service to accept a cash equalization payment greater than the 25 percent cap under current law. 


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COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 2157 was introduced on June 13, 2011, by Congressman 

Howard ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon (R–CA). The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the 

Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. On 

December 2, 2011, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On 

February 29, 2012, the Full Natural Resources Committee met to 

consider the bill. The Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests 

and Public Lands was discharged by unanimous consent. No 

amendments were offered and the bill was then ordered favorably 

reported to the House of Representatives by voice vote. 

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: 

H.R. 2157—A bill to facilitate a land exchange involving certain 

National Forest System lands in the Inyo National Forest, and 

for other purposes 

H.R. 2157 would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to accept 

certain nonfederal lands in exchange for 20 acres of federal land 

within the Inyo National Forest in California. Based on information provided by the Forest Service, CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would increase offsetting receipts and associated direct spending; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. 

However, CBO expects that those changes would have no net impact on the deficit over the 2012–2022 period. Enacting H.R. 2157 

would not affect revenues. 

H.R. 2157 would authorize the Secretary to accept private lands 

located outside of the Inyo National Forest in exchange for federal 

lands located within the forest. In addition, the bill would allow the 

Secretary to accept a cash payment that is greater than 25 percent 

of the value of the federal lands to equalize the values of the properties that would be exchanged. Under current law, the Secretary 

can only exchange federal lands within a national forest for nonfederal lands located within that forest and cannot accept a cash 


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equalization payment greater than 25 percent of the value of the 

federal lands exchanged. 

Formal appraisals of the properties have not been completed, 

but, based on information provided by the Forest Service, CBO estimates that the cash equalization payment could be several million 

dollars (if the federal land is found to be more valuable than the 

private land). Under the bill, amounts received from such a payment would be retained by the agency and spent, without further 

appropriation, to acquire other lands in California. CBO estimates 

that those amounts would be spent within five years of the bill’s 

enactment. 

H.R. 2157 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. This 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, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures. 

Based on information provided by the U.S. Forest Service, CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would increase offsetting 

receipts and associated direct spending; therefore, pay-as-you-go 

procedures apply. However, CBO expects that those changes would 

have no net impact on the deficit over the 2012–2022 period. 

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 is to facilitate a land exchange involving certain National Forest System lands in the Inyo National Forest. 

EARMARK STATEMENT

This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, limited 

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

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 as defined under Public 

Law 104–4. 

PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW

This bill is not intended to preempt any local or tribal law. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing law. 

Æ 


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