I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 255 

To provide for an exchange of lands with San Bernardino County, California, 

to enhance management of lands within the San Bernardino National 

Forest, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 4, 2019 

Mr. COOK introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To provide for an exchange of lands with San Bernardino 

County, California, to enhance management of lands 

within the San Bernardino National Forest, 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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Big Bear Land Ex5 change Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 


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1 (1) COUNTY.—The term ‘‘County’’ means the 

2 County of San Bernardino, California. 

3 (2) FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘Federal land’’ 

4 means the approximately 73 acres of Federal land 

5 administered by the Forest Service generally de6 picted as ‘‘Federal Land Proposed for Exchange’’ on 

7 the Map. 

8 (3) NON-FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘non-Fed9 eral land’’ means the approximately 71 acres owned 

10 by the County generally depicted as ‘‘Non-Federal 

11 Land Proposed for Exchange’’ on the Map. 

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

13 the Secretary of Agriculture. 

14 (5) MAP.—The term ‘‘Map’’ means the map ti15 tled ‘‘Big Bear Land Exchange’’ and dated August 

16 6, 2018. 

17 SEC. 3. EXCHANGE OF LAND; EQUALIZATION OF VALUE. 

18 (a) EXCHANGE AUTHORIZED.—Subject to valid exist19 ing rights and the terms of this Act, no later than one 

20 year after the date that the portion of the Pacific Crest 

21 National Scenic Trail is relocated in accordance with sub22 section (h), if the County offers to convey the non-Federal 

23 land to the United States, the Secretary shall— 


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1 (1) convey to the County all right, title, and in2 terest of the United States in and to the Federal 

3 land; and 

4 (2) accept from the County a conveyance of all 

5 right, title, and interest of the County in and to the 

6 non-Federal land. 

7 (b) EQUAL VALUE AND CASH EQUALIZATION.— 

8 (1) EQUAL VALUE EXCHANGE.—The land ex9 change under this section shall be for equal value, 

10 or the values shall be equalized by a cash payment 

11 as provided for under this subsection or an adjust12 ment in acreage. At the option of the County, any 

13 excess value of the non-Federal lands may be consid14 ered a gift to the United States. 

15 (2) CASH EQUALIZATION PAYMENT.—The 

16 County may equalize the values of the lands to be 

17 exchanged under this section by cash payment with18 out regard to any statutory limit on the amount of 

19 such a cash equalization payment. 

20 (3) DEPOSIT AND USE OF FUNDS RECEIVED

21 FROM COUNTY.—Any cash equalization payment re22 ceived by the Secretary under this subsection shall 

23 be deposited in the fund established under Public 

24 Law 90–171 (16 U.S.C. 484a; commonly known as 

25 the Sisk Act). The funds so deposited shall remain 


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1 available to the Secretary, until expended, for the 

2 acquisition of lands, waters, and interests in land for 

3 the San Bernardino National Forest. 

4 (c) APPRAISAL.—The Secretary shall complete an ap5 praisal of the land to be exchanged under subsection (a) 

6 in accordance with— 

7 (1) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Fed8 eral Land Acquisitions; and 

9 (2) the Uniform Standards of Professional Ap10 praisal Practice. 

11 (d) TITLE APPROVAL.—Title to the land to be ex12 changed under this Act shall be in a format acceptable 

13 to the Secretary and the County. 

14 (e) SURVEY OF NON-FEDERAL LANDS.—Before com15 pleting the exchange under this Act, the Secretary shall 

16 inspect the non-Federal lands to ensure that the land 

17 meets Federal standards, including hazardous materials 

18 and land line surveys. 

19 (f) COSTS OF CONVEYANCE.—As a condition of con20 veyance, any costs related to the exchange under this sec21 tion shall be paid by the County. 

22 (g) MANAGEMENT OF ACQUIRED LANDS.—The Sec23 retary shall manage the non-Federal land acquired under 

24 this section in accordance with the Act of March 1, 1911 

25 (16 U.S.C. 480 et seq.; commonly known as the Weeks 


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1 Act), and other laws and regulations pertaining to Na2 tional Forest System lands. 

3 (h) PACIFIC CREST NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL RELO4 CATION.—No later than three years after the date of en5 actment of this Act, the Secretary, in accordance with ap6 plicable laws, shall relocate the portion of the Pacific Crest 

7 National Scenic Trail located on the Federal land to— 

8 (1) adjacent National Forest System land; 

9 (2) land owned by the County, subject to Coun10 ty approval; 

11 (3) land within the Federal land, subject to 

12 County approval; or 

13 (4) a combination of paragraphs (1), (2), and 

14 (3). 

15 (i) MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS.—As soon as 

16 practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, 

17 the Secretary shall finalize a map and legal descriptions 

18 of all land to be conveyed under this Act. The Secretary 

19 may correct any minor errors in the map or in the legal 

20 descriptions. The map and legal descriptions shall be on 

21 file and available for public inspection in appropriate of22 fices of the Forest Service. 

Æ 


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