IB 
Union Calendar No. 206 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3115 
[Report No. 115–287] 
To provide for a land exchange involving Federal land in the Superior Na-
tional Forest in Minnesota acquired by the Secretary of Agriculture 
through the Weeks Law, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 29, 2017 
Mr. NOLAN (for himself, Mr. PETERSON, Mr. EMMER, Mr. TIPTON, Mr. LAM-
BORN, Mr. LEWIS of Minnesota, Mr. WESTERMAN, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, 
and Mr. GOSAR) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 
Additional sponsor: Mr. WALZ 
SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 29, 2017] 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Su-
perior National Forest Land Exchange Act of 2017’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Purpose and need for NorthMet Land Exchange. 
Sec. 3. Definitions. 
Sec. 4. NorthMet Land Exchange. 
Sec. 5. Valuation of NorthMet Land Exchange. 
Sec. 6. Maps and legal descriptions. 
Sec. 7. Post-exchange land management. 
Sec. 8. Miscellaneous provisions. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR NORTHMET LAND EX-
CHANGE. 
(a) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act to further 
the public interest by consummating the NorthMet Land 
Exchange as specifically set forth in this Act. 
(b) NEED.—According to the Final Record of Decision, 
the NorthMet Land Exchange is advisable and needed be-
cause the NorthMet Land Exchange will— 
(1) result in a 40-acre net gain in National For-
est System lands; 
(2) improve the spatial arrangement of National 
Forest System lands by reducing the amount of own-
ership boundaries to be managed by 33 miles; 
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(3) improve management effectiveness by ex-
changing isolated Federal lands with no public over-
land access for non-Federal lands that will have pub-
lic overland access and be accessible and open to pub-
lic use and enjoyment; 
(4) result in Federal cost savings by eliminating 
certain easements and their associated administration 
costs; 
(5) meet several of the priorities identified in the 
land and resource management plan for Superior Na-
tional Forest to protect and manage administratively 
or congressionally designated, unique, proposed, or 
recommended areas, including acquisition of 307 
acres of land to the administratively proposed can-
didate Research Natural Areas, which are managed 
by preserving and maintaining areas for ecological 
research, observation, genetic conservation, moni-
toring, and educational activities; 
(6) promote more effective land management that 
would meet specific National Forest needs for man-
agement, including acquisition of over 6,500 acres of 
land for new public access, watershed protection, eco-
logically rare habitats, wetlands, water frontage, and 
improved ownership patterns; 
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(7) convey Federal land generally not needed for 
other Forest resource management objectives, because 
such land is adjacent to intensively developed private 
land including ferrous mining areas, where abundant 
mining infrastructure and transportation are already 
in place, including— 
(A) a large, intensively developed open pit 
mine lying directly to the north of the Federal 
land; 
(B) a private mine railroad, powerlines, 
and roads lying directly to the south of the Fed-
eral land; and 
(C) already existing ore processing, milling, 
and tailings facilities located approximately 5 
miles to the west of the Federal land; and 
(8) provide a practical resolution to complex 
issues pertaining to the development of private min-
eral rights underlying the Federal land surface, and 
thereby avoid potential litigation which could ad-
versely impact the status and management of the Fed-
eral land and other National Forest System land ac-
quired under the authority of section 6 of the Act of 
March 1, 1911 (commonly known as the Weeks Law; 
16 U.S.C. 515). 
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SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COLLECTION AGREEMENTS.—The term ‘‘Col-
lection Agreements’’ means the following agreements 
between the Secretary and Poly Met pertaining to the 
NorthMet Land Exchange: 
(A) The agreement dated August 25, 2015. 
(B) The agreement dated January 15, 2016. 
(2) FEDERAL LAND PARCEL.—The term ‘‘Federal 
land parcel’’ means all right, title, and interest of the 
United States in and to approximately 6,650 acres of 
National Forest System land, as identified in the 
Final Record of Decision, within the Superior Na-
tional Forest in St. Louis County, Minnesota, as gen-
erally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Federal Land 
Parcel–NorthMet Land Exchange’’, and dated June 
2017. 
(3) NON-FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘non-Fed-
eral land’’ means all right, title, and interest of Poly 
Met in and to approximately 6,690 acres of land in 
four separate tracts (comprising 10 separate land 
parcels in total) within the Superior National Forest 
to be conveyed to the United States by Poly Met in 
the land exchange as generally depicted on an over-
view map entitled ‘‘Non-Federal Land Parcels– 
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NorthMet Land Exchange’’ and dated June 2017, and 
further depicted on separate tract maps as follows: 
(A) TRACT 1.—Approximately 4,650 acres 
of land in St. Louis County, Minnesota, gen-
erally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Non-Federal 
Land Parcels–NorthMet Land Exchange–Hay 
Lake Tract’’, and dated June 2017. 
(B) TRACT 2.—Approximately 320 acres of 
land in 4 separate parcels in Lake County, Min-
nesota, generally depicted on the map entitled 
‘‘Non-Federal Land Parcels–NorthMet Land Ex-
change–Lake County Lands’’, and dated June 
2017. 
(C) TRACT 3.—Approximately 1,560 acres 
of land in 4 separate parcels in Lake County, 
Minnesota, generally depicted on the map enti-
tled ‘‘Non-Federal Land Parcels–NorthMet Land 
Exchange–Wolf Lands’’, and dated June 2017. 
(D) TRACT 4.—Approximately 160 acres of 
land in St. Louis County, Minnesota, generally 
depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Non-Federal Land 
Parcel–NorthMet Land Exchange–Hunting Club 
Lands’’, dated June 2017. 
(4) NORTHMET
LAND
EXCHANGE.—The term 
‘‘NorthMet Land Exchange’’ means the land exchange 
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specifically authorized and directed by section 4 of 
this Act. 
(5) POLY MET.—The term ‘‘Poly Met’’ means 
Poly Met Mining Corporation, Inc., a Minnesota Cor-
poration with executive offices in St. Paul, Min-
nesota, and headquarters in Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. 
(6) RECORD OF DECISION.—The term ‘‘Record of 
Decision’’ means the Final Record of Decision of the 
Forest Service issued on January 9, 2017, approving 
the NorthMet Land exchange between the United 
States and PolyMet Mining, Inc., a Minnesota Cor-
poration, involving National Forest System land in 
the Superior National Forest in Minnesota. 
(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(8) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 
of Minnesota. 
SEC. 4. NORTHMET LAND EXCHANGE. 
(a) EXCHANGE AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to section 5(c)(1) and 
other conditions imposed by this Act, if Poly Met of-
fers to convey to the United States all right, title, and 
interest of Poly Met in and to the non-Federal land, 
the Secretary shall accept the offer and convey to Poly 
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Met all right, title, and interest of the United States 
in and to the Federal land parcel. 
(2) LAND EXCHANGE EXPEDITED.—Subject to the 
conditions imposed by this Act, the NorthMet Land 
Exchange directed by this Act shall be consummated 
not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act. 
(b) FORM OF CONVEYANCE.— 
(1) NON-FEDERAL LAND.—Title to the non-Fed-
eral land conveyed by Poly Met to the United States 
shall be by general warranty deed subject to existing 
rights of record, and otherwise conform to the title ap-
proval regulations of the Attorney General of the 
United States. 
(2) FEDERAL LAND PARCEL.—The Federal land 
parcel shall be quitclaimed by the Secretary to Poly 
Met by an exchange deed. 
(c) EXCHANGE COSTS.— 
(1) REIMBURSEMENT
REQUIRED.—Poly Met 
shall pay or reimburse the Secretary, either directly 
or through the Collection Agreements, for all land sur-
vey, appraisal, land title, deed preparation, and other 
costs incurred by the Secretary in processing and con-
summating the NorthMet Land Exchange. The Collec-
tion Agreements, as in effect on the date of the enact-
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ment of this Act, may be modified through the mutual 
consent of the parties. 
(2) DEPOSIT OF FUNDS.—All funds paid or re-
imbursed to the Secretary under paragraph (1)— 
(A) shall be deposited and credited to the 
accounts in accordance with the Collection 
Agreements; 
(B) shall be used for the purposes specified 
for the accounts; and 
(C) shall remain available to the Secretary 
until expended without further appropriation. 
(d) CONDITIONS ON LAND EXCHANGE.— 
(1) 
RESERVATION
OF
CERTAIN
MINERAL 
RIGHTS.—Notwithstanding subsection (a), the United 
States shall reserve the mineral rights on approxi-
mately 181 acres of the Federal land parcel as gen-
erally identified on the map entitled ‘‘Federal Land 
Parcel–NorthMet Land Exchange’’, and dated June 
2017. 
(2) THIRD-PARTY
AUTHORIZATIONS.—As set 
forth in the Final Record of Decision, Poly Met shall 
honor existing road and transmission line authoriza-
tions on the Federal land parcel. Upon relinquish-
ment of the authorizations by the holders or upon rev-
ocation of the authorizations by the Forest Service, 
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Poly Met shall offer replacement authorizations to the 
holders on at least equivalent terms. 
SEC. 5. VALUATION OF NORTHMET LAND EXCHANGE. 
(a) APPRAISALS.—The Congress makes the following 
new findings: 
(1) Appraisals of the Federal and non-Federal 
lands to be exchanged in the NorthMet Land Ex-
change were formally prepared in accordance with the 
Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Ac-
quisitions, and were approved by the Secretary in 
conjunction with preparation of the November 2015 
Draft Record of Decision on the NorthMet Land Ex-
change. 
(2) The appraisals referred to in paragraph (1) 
determined that the value of the non-Federal lands ex-
ceeded the value of the Federal land parcel by ap-
proximately $425,000. 
(3) Based on the appraisals referred to in para-
graph (1), the United States would ordinarily be re-
quired to make a $425,000 cash equalization payment 
to Poly Met to equalize exchange values under the 
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 
(43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), unless such an equalization 
payment is waived by Poly Met. 
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(b) VALUES
FOR
CONSUMMATION
OF
LAND
EX-
CHANGE.—The appraised values of the Federal and non- 
Federal land determined and approved by the Secretary in 
November 2015, and referenced in subsection (a)— 
(1) shall be the values utilized to consummate the 
NorthMet Land Exchange; and 
(2) shall not be subject to reappraisal. 
(c) WAIVER OF EQUALIZATION PAYMENT.— 
(1) CONDITION ON LAND EXCHANGE.—Notwith-
standing section 206(b) of the Federal Land Policy 
and Management Act (43 U.S.C. 1716(b)), and as 
part of its offer to exchange the non-Federal lands as 
provided in section 4(a)(1) of this Act, Poly Met shall 
waive any payment to it of any monies owed by the 
United States to equalize land values. 
(2) TREATMENT OF WAIVER.—A waiver of the 
equalization payment under paragraph (1) shall be 
considered as a voluntary donation to the United 
States by Poly Met for all purposes of law. 
SEC. 6. MAPS AND LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS. 
(a) MINOR ADJUSTMENTS.—By mutual agreement, the 
Secretary and Poly Met may correct minor or typo-
graphical errors in any map, acreage estimate, or descrip-
tion of the Federal land parcel or non-Federal land to be 
exchanged in the NorthMet Land Exchange. 
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(b) CONFLICT.—If there is a conflict between a map, 
an acreage estimate, or a description of land under this 
Act, the map shall control unless the Secretary and Poly 
Met mutually agree otherwise. 
(c) EXCHANGE MAPS.—The maps referred to in section 
3 depicting the Federal and non-Federal lands to be ex-
changed in the NorthMet Land Exchange, and dated June 
2017, depict the identical lands identified in the Final 
Record of Decision, which are on file in the Office of the 
Supervisor, Superior National Forest. 
SEC. 7. POST-EXCHANGE LAND MANAGEMENT. 
(a) NON-FEDERAL LAND.—Upon conveyance of the 
non-Federal land to the United States in the NorthMet 
Land Exchange, the non-Federal land shall become part of 
the Superior National Forest and be managed in accord-
ance with— 
(1) the Act of March 1, 1911 (commonly known 
as the Weeks Law; 16 U.S.C. 500 et seq.); and 
(2) the laws and regulations applicable to the 
Superior National Forest and the National Forest 
System. 
(b) PLANNING.—Upon acquisition by the United 
States in the NorthMet Land Exchange, the non-Federal 
lands shall be managed in a manner consistent with the 
land and resource management plan applicable to adjacent 
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federally owned lands in the Superior National Forest. An 
amendment or supplement to the land and resource man-
agement plan shall not be required solely because of the ac-
quisition of the non-Federal lands. 
(c) FEDERAL LAND.—Upon conveyance of the Federal 
land parcel to Poly Met in the NorthMet Land Exchange, 
the Federal land parcel shall become private land and 
available for any lawful use in accordance with applicable 
Federal, State, and local laws and regulations pertaining 
to mining and other uses of land in private ownership. 
SEC. 8. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS. 
(a) WITHDRAWAL
OF
ACQUIRED
NON-FEDERAL 
LAND.—The non-Federal lands acquired by the United 
States in the NorthMet Land Exchange shall be withdrawn, 
without further action by the Secretary, from appropriation 
and disposal under public land laws and under laws relat-
ing to mineral and geothermal leasing. 
(b) WITHDRAWAL REVOCATION.—Any public land 
order that withdraws the Federal land parcel from appro-
priation or disposal under a public land law shall be re-
voked without further action by the Secretary to the extent 
necessary to permit conveyance of the Federal land parcel 
to Poly Met. 
(c) WITHDRAWAL OF FEDERAL LAND PENDING CON-
VEYANCE.—The Federal land parcel to be conveyed to Poly 
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Met in the NorthMet Land Exchange, if not already with-
drawn or segregated from appropriation or disposal under 
the mineral leasing and geothermal or other public land 
laws upon enactment of this Act, is hereby so withdrawn, 
subject to valid existing rights, until the date of conveyance 
of the Federal land parcel to Poly Met. 
(d) ACT CONTROLS.—In the event any provision of the 
Record of Decision conflicts with a provision of this Act, 
the provision of this Act shall control. 
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Union Calendar No. 206 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 3115 
[Report No. 115–287] 
A BILL 
To provide for a land exchange involving Federal 
land in the Superior National Forest in Min-
nesota acquired by the Secretary of Agriculture 
through the Weeks Law, and for other purposes. 
SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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