IB 

Union Calendar No. 98 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 255 

[Report No. 116–134] 

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 

JUNE 27, 2019 

Additional sponsor: Mr. AGUILAR

JUNE 27, 2019 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 

and ordered to be printed 


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•HR 255 RH

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. 


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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: 

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

9 County of San Bernardino, California. 

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

11 means the approximately 73 acres of Federal land 

12 administered by the Forest Service generally de13 picted as ‘‘Federal Land Proposed for Exchange’’ on 

14 the Map. 

15 (3) NON-FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘non-Fed16 eral land’’ means the approximately 71 acres owned 

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

18 Land Proposed for Exchange’’ on the Map. 

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

20 the Secretary of Agriculture. 

21 (5) MAP.—The term ‘‘Map’’ means the map ti22 tled ‘‘Big Bear Land Exchange’’ and dated August 

23 6, 2018. 


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

2 (a) EXCHANGE AUTHORIZED.—Subject to valid exist3 ing rights and the terms of this Act, no later than one 

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

5 National Scenic Trail is relocated in accordance with sub6 section (h), if the County offers to convey the non-Federal 

7 land to the United States, the Secretary shall— 

8 (1) convey to the County all right, title, and in9 terest of the United States in and to the Federal 

10 land; and 

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

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

13 non-Federal land. 

14 (b) EQUAL VALUE AND CASH EQUALIZATION.— 

15 (1) EQUAL VALUE EXCHANGE.—The land ex16 change under this section shall be for equal value, 

17 or the values shall be equalized by a cash payment 

18 as provided for under this subsection or an adjust19 ment in acreage. At the option of the County, any 

20 excess value of the non-Federal lands may be consid21 ered a gift to the United States. 

22 (2) CASH EQUALIZATION PAYMENT.—The 

23 County may equalize the values of the lands to be 

24 exchanged under this section by cash payment with25 out regard to any statutory limit on the amount of 

26 such a cash equalization payment. 


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1 (3) DEPOSIT AND USE OF FUNDS RECEIVED

2 FROM COUNTY.—Any cash equalization payment re3 ceived by the Secretary under this subsection shall 

4 be deposited in the fund established under Public 

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

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

7 available to the Secretary, until expended, for the 

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

9 the San Bernardino National Forest. 

10 (c) APPRAISAL.—The Secretary shall complete an ap11 praisal of the land to be exchanged under subsection (a) 

12 in accordance with— 

13 (1) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Fed14 eral Land Acquisitions; and 

15 (2) the Uniform Standards of Professional Ap16 praisal Practice. 

17 (d) TITLE APPROVAL.—Title to the land to be ex18 changed under this Act shall be in a format acceptable 

19 to the Secretary and the County. 

20 (e) SURVEY OF NON-FEDERAL LANDS.—Before com21 pleting the exchange under this Act, the Secretary shall 

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

23 meets Federal standards, including hazardous materials 

24 and land line surveys. 


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1 (f) COSTS OF CONVEYANCE.—As a condition of con2 veyance, any costs related to the exchange under this sec3 tion shall be paid by the County. 

4 (g) MANAGEMENT OF ACQUIRED LANDS.—The Sec5 retary shall manage the non-Federal land acquired under 

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

7 (16 U.S.C. 480 et seq.; commonly known as the Weeks 

8 Act), and other laws and regulations pertaining to Na9 tional Forest System lands. 

10 (h) PACIFIC CREST NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL RELO11 CATION.—No later than three years after the date of en12 actment of this Act, the Secretary, in accordance with ap13 plicable laws, shall relocate the portion of the Pacific Crest 

14 National Scenic Trail located on the Federal land to— 

15 (1) adjacent National Forest System land; 

16 (2) land owned by the County, subject to Coun17 ty approval; 

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

19 County approval; or 

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

21 (3). 

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

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

24 the Secretary shall finalize a map and legal descriptions 

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


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

2 descriptions. The map and legal descriptions shall be on 

3 file and available for public inspection in appropriate of4 fices of the Forest Service. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 98 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 255 

[Report No. 116–134] 

A BILL 

To provide for an exchange of lands with San 

tional Forest, and for other purposes. agement of lands within the San Bernardino NaBernardino County, California, to enhance manJUNE 27, 2019 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS