IIB 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4789 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 28, 2006 

Received 

NOVEMBER 13, 2006 

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

AN ACT 

To require the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain 

public land located wholly or partially within the boundaries of the Wells Hydroelectric Project of Public Utility 

District No. 1 of Douglas County, Washington, to the 

utility district. 

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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HR 4789 RFS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Douglas County, 

3 Washington, PUD Conveyance Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

5 In this Act: 

6 (1) PUBLIC LAND.—The term ‘‘public land’’ 

7 means the approximately 622 acres of Federal land 

8 managed by the Bureau of Land Management and 

9 identified for conveyance on the map prepared by 

10 the Bureau of Land Management entitled ‘‘Douglas 

11 County Public Utility District Proposal’’ and dated 

12 March 2, 2006. 

13 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

14 the Secretary of the Interior. 

15 (3) PUD.—The term ‘‘PUD’’ means the Public 

16 Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County, Wash17 ington. 

18 SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF PUBLIC LAND, WELLS HYDRO19 ELECTRIC PROJECT, PUBLIC UTILITY DIS20 TRICT NO. 1 OF DOUGLAS COUNTY, WASH21 INGTON. 

22 (a) CONVEYANCE REQUIRED.—Notwithstanding the 

23 land use planning requirements of sections 202 and 203 

24 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 

25 (43 U.S.C. 1712, 1713), and notwithstanding section 24 

26 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 818) and Federal 


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HR 4789 RFS

1 Power Order for Project 2149, and subject to valid exist2 ing rights, if not later than 45 days after the date of com3 pletion of the appraisal required under subsection (b), the 

4 Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County, Wash5 ington, submits to the Secretary of the Interior an offer 

6 to acquire the public land for the appraised value, the Sec7 retary shall convey, not later than 30 days after the date 

8 of the offer, to the PUD all right, title, and interest of 

9 the United States in and to the public land. 

10 (b) APPRAISAL.—Not later than 60 days after the 

11 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete 

12 an appraisal of the public land. The appraisal shall be con13 ducted in accordance with the ‘‘Uniform Appraisal Stand14 ards for Federal Land Acquisitions’’ and the ‘‘Uniform 

15 Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice’’. 

16 (c) PAYMENT.—Not later than 30 days after the date 

17 on which the public land is conveyed under this section, 

18 the PUD shall pay to the Secretary an amount equal to 

19 the appraised value of the public land as determined under 

20 subsection (b). 

21 (d) MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS.—As soon as 

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

23 Secretary shall finalize legal descriptions of the public land 

24 to be conveyed under this section. The Secretary may cor25 rect any minor errors in the map referred to in section 


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HR 4789 RFS

1 2 or in the legal descriptions. The map and legal descrip2 tions shall be on file and available for public inspection 

3 in appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management. 

4 (e) COSTS OF CONVEYANCE.—As a condition of con5 veyance, any costs related to the conveyance under this 

6 section shall be paid by the PUD. 

7 (f) DISPOSITION OF PROCEEDS.—The Secretary shall 

8 deposit the proceeds from the sale in the working capital 

9 fund of the Bureau of Land Management established by 

10 section 306 of the Federal Land Policy and Management 

11 Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1736). 

12 SEC. 4. SEGREGATION OF LANDS. 

13 (a) WITHDRAWAL.—Except as provided in section 

14 3(a), effective immediately upon enactment of this Act, 

15 and subject to valid existing rights, the public land is with16 drawn from— 

17 (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal 

18 under the public land laws, and all amendments 

19 thereto; 

20 (2) location, entry, and patenting under the 

21 mining laws, and all amendments thereto; and 

22 (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral 

23 materials, and geothermal leasing laws, and all 

24 amendments thereto. 


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HR 4789 RFS

1 (b) DURATION.—This section expires two years after 

2 the date of enactment of this Act or on the date of the 

3 completion of the conveyance under section 3, whichever 

4 is earlier. 

Passed the House of Representatives September 27, 

2006. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


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