I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 197 
To provide for a land exchange in the Chippewa National Forest, Minnesota, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 3, 2025 
Mr. STAUBER (for himself and Mr. FINSTAD) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To provide for a land exchange in the Chippewa National 
Forest, Minnesota, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Lake Winnibigoshish 
Land Exchange Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) BWLT.—The term ‘‘BWLT’’ means Big 
Winnie Land and Timber, LLC, a Minnesota Lim-
ited Liability Corporation. 
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(2) MAP.—The term ‘‘Map’’ means the map en-
titled ‘‘Heig Land Exchange’’ and dated December 
14, 2023. 
(3) FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘Federal land’’ 
means the approximately 17.5 acres of Federal land 
in Itasca County, Minnesota, generally depicted as 
the ‘‘Federal Parcel’’ on the Map. 
(4) NON-FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘non-Fed-
eral land’’ means the approximately 36.7 acres of 
non-Federal land in Itasca County, Minnesota, gen-
erally depicted as the ‘‘Non-Federal Parcel’’ on the 
Map. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the 
Chief of the Forest Service. 
SEC. 3. EXCHANGE OF LAND. 
(a) EXCHANGE AUTHORIZED.—Subject to the provi-
sions of this Act, if BWLT offers to convey the non-Fed-
eral land to the United States, the Secretary shall, not 
later than 1 year after the date on which such offer is 
made— 
(1) accept the offer; 
(2) convey to BWLT all right, title, and inter-
est of the United States in and to the Federal land, 
excepting and reserving an easement for road access 
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to National Forest System land west of the Federal 
Parcel; and 
(3) accept from BWLT all right, title, and in-
terest of BWLT in and to the non-Federal land. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The exchange under sub-
section (a) shall be— 
(1) conditioned on title approval for the non- 
Federal land by the Secretary in accordance with 
subsection (e); 
(2) conditioned on a cash equalization payment 
made by BWLT to the United States in accordance 
with subsection (c) if, under the appraisals con-
ducted in accordance with this Act, it is determined 
that the value of the Federal land exceeds the value 
of the non-Federal land; 
(3) conditioned on the satisfactory completion 
of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment by 
BWLT, provided to the Secretary, in advance of the 
acceptance of the non-Federal parcel; 
(4) subject to valid existing rights; and 
(5) subject to any other terms and conditions 
the Secretary determines appropriate. 
(c) EQUAL VALUE AND CASH EQUALIZATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the exchange under subsection (a) shall 
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be for equal value or the values shall be equalized 
by a cash payment. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, if the appraised value of the non- 
Federal land to be conveyed to the United States ex-
ceeds the appraised value of the Federal land, a cash 
equalization payment by the United States to 
BWLT is hereby waived and the amount of such 
waived payment shall be considered a donation by 
BWLT to the United States for all purposes of law. 
(d) APPRAISALS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The value of the land to be 
exchanged under this Act shall be determined by ap-
praisals conducted by an independent and qualified 
appraiser mutually agreed to by the Secretary and 
BWLT. 
(2) APPRAISAL
STANDARDS.—The Secretary 
shall complete appraisals of the land to be ex-
changed under this Act in accordance with— 
(A) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for 
Federal Land Acquisitions; and 
(B) the Uniform Standards of Professional 
Appraisal Practice. 
(e) FORMAT.—Title to the non-Federal land to be 
conveyed to the United States under this Act shall be 
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found sufficient by the Secretary pursuant to section 3111 
of title 40, United States Code. 
(f) MANAGEMENT OF ACQUIRED LAND.—The non- 
Federal land acquired by the United States under sub-
section (a) shall be— 
(1) added to, and managed as part of, the 
Chippewa National Forest; and 
(2) managed in accordance with the laws, rules, 
and regulations pertaining to National Forest Sys-
tem lands. 
(g) MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall finalize the Map and legal descriptions of all 
land to be conveyed under this Act. 
(2) CONTROLLING DOCUMENT.—In the case of 
a discrepancy between the Map and a legal descrip-
tion, the Map shall control. 
(3) CORRECTIONS.—The Secretary and BWLT, 
by mutual agreement, may correct any minor errors 
in the Map or in the legal descriptions, including 
with respect to the boundaries of the Federal land 
and the non-Federal land. 
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