IIB 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 255 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 21, 2019 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources 

AN ACT 

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, 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
2 

HR 255 RFS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Big Bear Land Ex3 change Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

5 In this Act: 

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

7 County of San Bernardino, California. 

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

9 means the approximately 73 acres of Federal land 

10 administered by the Forest Service generally de11 picted as ‘‘Federal Land Proposed for Exchange’’ on 

12 the Map. 

13 (3) NON-FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘non-Fed14 eral land’’ means the approximately 71 acres owned 

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

16 Land Proposed for Exchange’’ on the Map. 

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

18 the Secretary of Agriculture. 

19 (5) MAP.—The term ‘‘Map’’ means the map ti20 tled ‘‘Big Bear Land Exchange’’ and dated August 

21 6, 2018. 

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

23 (a) EXCHANGE AUTHORIZED.—Subject to valid exist24 ing rights and the terms of this Act, no later than 1 year 

25 after the date that the portion of the Pacific Crest Na26 tional Scenic Trail is relocated in accordance with subVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:16 Nov 21, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H255.RFS H255

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
3 

HR 255 RFS

1 section (h), if the County offers to convey the non-Federal 

2 land to the United States, the Secretary shall— 

3 (1) convey to the County all right, title, and in4 terest of the United States in and to the Federal 

5 land; and 

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

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

8 non-Federal land. 

9 (b) EQUAL VALUE AND CASH EQUALIZATION.— 

10 (1) EQUAL VALUE EXCHANGE.—The land ex11 change under this section shall be for equal value, 

12 or the values shall be equalized by a cash payment 

13 as provided for under this subsection or an adjust14 ment in acreage. At the option of the County, any 

15 excess value of the non-Federal lands may be consid16 ered a gift to the United States. 

17 (2) EQUALIZATION.—If the value of the Federal 

18 land and the non-Federal land to be conveyed in a 

19 land exchange under this subsection is not equal, the 

20 value may be equalized by— 

21 (A) making a cash equalization payment to 

22 the Secretary or to the owner of the non-Fed23 eral land, as appropriate, in accordance with 

24 section 206(b) of the Federal Land Policy and 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
4 

HR 255 RFS

1 Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716(b)); 

2 or 

3 (B) reducing the acreage of the Federal 

4 land or the non-Federal land to be exchanged, 

5 as appropriate. 

6 (3) DEPOSIT AND USE OF FUNDS RECEIVED

7 FROM COUNTY.—Any cash equalization payment re8 ceived by the Secretary under this subsection shall 

9 be deposited in the fund established under Public 

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

11 the ‘‘Sisk Act’’). The funds so deposited shall re12 main available to the Secretary, until expended, for 

13 the acquisition of lands, waters, and interests in 

14 land for the San Bernardino National Forest. 

15 (c) APPRAISAL.—The Secretary shall complete an ap16 praisal of the land to be exchanged under subsection (a) 

17 in accordance with— 

18 (1) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Fed19 eral Land Acquisitions; and 

20 (2) the Uniform Standards of Professional Ap21 praisal Practice. 

22 (d) TITLE APPROVAL.—Title to the land to be ex23 changed under this Act shall be in a format acceptable 

24 to the Secretary and the County. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
5 

HR 255 RFS

1 (e) SURVEY OF NON-FEDERAL LANDS.—Before com2 pleting the exchange under this Act, the Secretary shall 

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

4 meets Federal standards, including hazardous materials 

5 and land line surveys. 

6 (f) COSTS OF CONVEYANCE.—As a condition of con7 veyance, any costs related to the exchange under this sec8 tion shall be paid by the County. 

9 (g) MANAGEMENT OF ACQUIRED LANDS.—The non10 Federal land acquired by the Secretary under subsection 

11 (a) shall be— 

12 (1) added to, and managed as part of, San 

13 Bernardino National Forest; and 

14 (2) managed in accordance with— 

15 (A) the Act of March 1, 1911 (16 U.S.C. 

16 480 et seq.; commonly known as the ‘‘Weeks 

17 Act’’); and 

18 (B) any other laws, including regulations, 

19 pertaining to National Forest System lands. 

20 (h) PACIFIC CREST NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL RELO21 CATION.—Not later than 3 years after the date of enact22 ment of this Act, the Secretary, in accordance with the 

23 National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 

24 4321 et seq.) and other applicable laws (including regulaVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:16 Nov 21, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H255.RFS H255

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
6 

HR 255 RFS

1 tions), shall relocate the portion of the Pacific Crest Na2 tional Scenic Trail located on the Federal land to— 

3 (1) adjacent National Forest System land; 

4 (2) land owned by the County, subject to Coun5 ty approval; 

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

7 County approval; or 

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

9 (3). 

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

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

12 the Secretary shall finalize a map and legal descriptions 

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

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

15 descriptions. The map and legal descriptions shall be on 

16 file and available for public inspection in appropriate of17 fices of the Forest Service. 

18 (j) APPLICABLE LAW.—Section 206 of the Federal 

19 Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 

20 1716) shall apply to the land exchange authorized under 

21 subsection (a). 

22 (k) ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—Any 

23 conveyance of Federal land under this Act shall be subject 

24 to— 

25 (1) valid existing rights; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
7 

HR 255 RFS

1 (2) the terms of this Act; and 

2 (3) such terms and conditions as the Secretary 

3 may require. 

4 SEC. 4. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 

5 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 

6 complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 

7 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 

8 titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 

9 Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 

10 by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro11 vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 

12 vote on passage. 

Passed the House of Representatives November 20, 

2019. 

Attest: CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 

Clerk. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS