IC 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 609 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 23, 2014 

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

AN ACT 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain 

Federal land in San Juan County, New Mexico, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘San Juan County Fed3 eral Land Conveyance Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

5 In this Act: 

6 (1) FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘Federal land’’ 

7 means the approximately 19 acres of Federal surface 

8 estate generally depicted as ‘‘Lands Authorized for 

9 Conveyance’’ on the map. 

10 (2) LANDOWNER.—The term ‘‘landowner’’ 

11 means the plaintiffs in the case styled Blancett v. 

12 United States Department of the Interior, et al., No. 

13 10–cv–00254–JAP–KBM, United States District 

14 Court for the District of New Mexico. 

15 (3) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map en16 titled ‘‘San Juan County Land Conveyance’’ and 

17 dated June 20, 2012. 

18 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

19 the Secretary of the Interior. 

20 (5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 

21 of New Mexico. 

22 SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF CERTAIN FEDERAL LAND IN SAN 

23 JUAN COUNTY, NEW MEXICO. 

24 (a) IN GENERAL.—On request of the landowner, the 

25 Secretary shall, under such terms and conditions as the 

26 Secretary may prescribe and subject to valid existing 


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1 rights, convey to the landowner all right, title, and interest 

2 of the United States in and to any portion of the Federal 

3 land (including any improvements or appurtenances to the 

4 Federal land) by sale. 

5 (b) SURVEY; ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.— 

6 (1) SURVEY.—The exact acreage and legal de7 scription of the Federal land to be conveyed under 

8 subsection (a) shall be determined by a survey ap9 proved by the Secretary. 

10 (2) COSTS.—The administrative costs associ11 ated with the conveyance shall be paid by the land12 owner. 

13 (c) CONSIDERATION.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—As consideration for the con15 veyance of the Federal land under subsection (a), 

16 the landowner shall pay to the Secretary an amount 

17 equal to the fair market value of the Federal land 

18 conveyed, as determined under paragraph (2). 

19 (2) APPRAISAL.—The fair market value of any 

20 Federal land that is conveyed under subsection (a) 

21 shall be determined by an appraisal acceptable to 

22 the Secretary that is performed in accordance 

23 with— 

24 (A) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for 

25 Federal Land Acquisitions; 


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1 (B) the Uniform Standards of Professional 

2 Appraisal Practice; and 

3 (C) any other applicable law (including 

4 regulations). 

5 (d) DISPOSITION AND USE OF PROCEEDS.— 

6 (1) DISPOSITION OF PROCEEDS.—The Sec7 retary shall deposit the proceeds of any conveyance 

8 of Federal land under subsection (a) in a special ac9 count in the Treasury for use in accordance with 

10 paragraph (2). 

11 (2) USE OF PROCEEDS.—Amounts deposited 

12 under paragraph (1) shall be available to the Sec13 retary, without further appropriation and until ex14 pended, for the acquisition of land or interests in 

15 land from willing sellers in the State for resource 

16 protection that is consistent with the purposes for 

17 which the Bald Eagle Area of Critical Environ18 mental Concern in the State was established. 

19 (e) ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—The 

20 Secretary may require such additional terms and condi21 tions for a conveyance under subsection (a) as the Sec22 retary determines to be appropriate to protect the inter23 ests of the United States. 

24 (f) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing rights, 

25 the Federal land is withdrawn from— 


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1 (1) location, entry, and patent under the mining 

2 laws; and 

3 (2) disposition under all laws relating to min4 eral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials. 

Passed the Senate July 9, 2014. 

Attest: NANCY ERICKSON, 

Secretary. 


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