IB
Union Calendar No. 285
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 1680
[Report No. 106–510]
To provide for the conveyance of Forest Service property in Kern County,
California, in exchange for county lands suitable for inclusion in Sequoia
National Forest.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 4, 1999
Mr. THOMAS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
MARCH 2, 2000
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 May 4, 1999]
A BILL
To provide for the conveyance of Forest Service property
in Kern County, California, in exchange for county lands
suitable for inclusion in Sequoia National Forest.
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 ‘‘Kern County California
Land Exchange Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. LAND EXCHANGE, CAMP OWEN AND RELATED PAR-
CELS, KERN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
(a) EXCHANGE REQUIRED.—In exchange for the non-
Federal lands and the additional consideration described in
subsection (b), the Secretary of Agriculture shall convey to
Kern County, California, all right, title, and interest of the
United States in and to four parcels of land under the juris-
diction of the Forest Service in Kern County, as follows:
(1) Approximately 70 acres known as Camp
Owen.
(2) Approximately 4 acres known as Wofford
Heights Park.
(3) Approximately 4 acres known as the French
Gulch maintenance yard.
(4) Approximately 14 acres known as the
Kernville Fish Hatchery.
(b) CONSIDERATION.—
(1) CONVEYANCE OF NON-FEDERAL LANDS.—As
consideration for the conveyance of the Federal lands
referred to in subsection (a), Kern County shall con-
vey to the Secretary a parcel of land consisting of ap-
proximately 52 acres of Greenhorn Mountain Park in
Kern County, California, which is owned by Kern
County within Sequoia National Forest.
(2) REPLACEMENT
FACILITY.—As additional
consideration for the conveyance of the storage facility
located at the maintenance yard referred to in sub-
section (a)(3), Kern County shall provide a replace-
ment storage facility of comparable size and condi-
tion, as acceptable to the Secretary, at the Greenhorn
Ranger District Lake Isabella Maintenance Yard
property.
(3) CASH
EQUALIZATION
PAYMENT.—As addi-
tional consideration for the conveyance of the Federal
lands referred to in subsection (a), Kern County shall
tender a cash equalization payment specified by the
Secretary, but not to exceed $100,000. Subject to such
limitation, the cash equalization payment shall be
based upon an appraisal performed at the option of
the Forest Service pursuant to section 206(b) of the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976
(43 U.S.C. 1716(b)).
(c) CONDITIONS ON ACCEPTANCE.—Title to the non-
Federal lands to be conveyed under this section must be ac-
ceptable to the Secretary, and the conveyance shall be sub-
ject to valid existing rights of record. The non-Federal lands
shall conform with the title approval standards applicable
to Federal land acquisitions.
(d) TIME FOR CONVEYANCE.—Subject to subsection (c),
the Secretary shall complete the conveyance of the Federal
lands under subsection (a) within three months after Kern
County tenders to the Secretary the consideration required
by subsection (b).
(e) STATUS OF ACQUIRED LANDS.—Upon approval
and acceptance of title by the Secretary, the non-Federal
lands conveyed to the United States under this section shall
become part of Sequoia National Forest, and the boundaries
of the national forest shall be adjusted to include the ac-
quired lands. The Secretary shall manage the acquired
lands for recreational purposes in accordance with the laws
and regulations pertaining to the National Forest System.
For purposes of section 7 of the Land and Water Conserva-
tion Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l–9), the boundaries
of the national forest, as adjusted pursuant to this section,
shall be considered to be the boundaries of the national for-
est as of January 1, 1965.
(f) RELATIONSHIP TO ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY.—
In connection with the conveyances under this section, the
Secretary may require such additional terms and condi-
tions related to environmental liability as the Secretary
considers appropriate to protect the interests of the United
States.
(g) LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS.—The exact acreage and
legal description of the real property to be exchanged under
this section shall be determined by a survey or surveys satis-
factory to the Secretary. The costs of any such survey, as
well as other administrative costs incurred to execute the
land exchange (other than costs incurred by Kern County
to comply with subsection (h)), shall be divided equally be-
tween the Secretary and Kern County.
(h) TREATMENT OF EXISTING UTILITY LINES AT CAMP
OWEN.—Upon receipt of the Federal lands described in sub-
section (a)(1), Kern County shall grant an easement, and
record the easement in the appropriate office, for permitted
or licensed uses of those lands that are unrecorded as of
the date of the conveyance.
(i) APPLICABLE LAW.—Except as otherwise provided
in this section, any exchange of National Forest System
land under this section shall be subject to the laws (includ-
ing regulations) applicable to the conveyance and acquisi-
tion of land for the National Forest System.
Calendar No. 285
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 1680
[Report No. 106–510]
A BILL
To provide for the conveyance of Forest Service
property in Kern County, California, in exchange
for county lands suitable for inclusion in Sequoia
National Forest.
MARCH 2, 2000
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union,
and ordered to be printed