I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1559 
To provide for the resolution of several land ownership and related issues 
with respect to parcels of land located within the Everglades National Park. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 17, 2009 
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To provide for the resolution of several land ownership and 
related issues with respect to parcels of land located 
within the Everglades National Park. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COMPANY.—The term ‘‘Company’’ means 
Florida Power & Light Company. 
(2) FEDERAL
LAND.—The term ‘‘Federal 
Land’’ means the parcels of land that are— 
(A) owned by the United States; 
(B) administered by the Secretary; 
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(C) located within the National Park; and 
(D) generally depicted on the map as— 
(i) Tract A, which is adjacent to the 
Tamiami Trail, U.S. Rt. 41; and 
(ii) Tract B, which is located on the 
eastern boundary of the National Park. 
(3) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map 
prepared by the National Park Service, titled ‘‘Pro-
posed Land Exchanges, Everglades National Park’’, 
numbered 160/60411A, and dated September 2008. 
(4) NATIONAL
PARK.—The term ‘‘National 
Park’’ means the Everglades National Park located 
in the State. 
(5) NON-FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘non-Fed-
eral land’’ means the land in the State that— 
(A) is owned by the State, the specific area 
and location of which shall be determined by 
the State; or 
(B)(i) is owned by the Company; 
(ii) comprises approximately 320 acres; 
and 
(iii) is located within the East Everglades 
Acquisition Area, as generally depicted on the 
map as ‘‘Tract D’’. 
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(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(7) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 
of Florida and political subdivisions of the State, in-
cluding the South Florida Water Management Dis-
trict. 
(b) LAND EXCHANGE WITH STATE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the provisions of 
this paragraph, if the State offers to convey to the 
Secretary all right, title, and interest of the State in 
and to specific parcels of non-Federal land, and the 
offer is acceptable to the Secretary, the Secretary 
may, subject to valid existing rights, accept the offer 
and convey to the State all right, title, and interest 
of the United States in and to the Federal land gen-
erally depicted on the map as ‘‘Tract A’’. 
(2) CONDITIONS.—The land exchange under 
paragraph (1) shall be subject to such terms and 
conditions as the Secretary may require. 
(3) VALUATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The values of the land 
involved in the land exchange under paragraph 
(1) shall be equal. 
(B) EQUALIZATION.—If the values of the 
land are not equal, the values may be equalized 
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by donation, payment using donated or appro-
priated funds, or the conveyance of additional 
parcels of land. 
(4) APPRAISALS.—Before the exchange of land 
under paragraph (1), appraisals for the Federal and 
non-Federal land shall be conducted in accordance 
with the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal 
Land Acquisitions and the Uniform Standards of 
Professional Appraisal Practice. 
(5) TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.—Subject to the 
agreement of the State, the Secretary may make 
minor corrections to correct technical and clerical er-
rors in the legal descriptions of the Federal and non- 
Federal land and minor adjustments to the bound-
aries of the Federal and non-Federal land. 
(6) ADMINISTRATION OF LAND ACQUIRED BY 
SECRETARY.—Land acquired by the Secretary under 
paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) become part of the National Park; and 
(B) be administered in accordance with the 
laws applicable to the National Park System. 
(c) LAND EXCHANGE WITH COMPANY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the provisions of 
this paragraph, if the Company offers to convey to 
the Secretary all right, title, and interest of the 
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Company in and to the non-Federal land generally 
depicted on the map as ‘‘Tract D’’, and the offer is 
acceptable to the Secretary, the Secretary may, sub-
ject to valid existing rights, accept the offer and con-
vey to the Company all right, title, and interest of 
the United States in and to the Federal land gen-
erally depicted on the map as ‘‘Tract B’’, along with 
a perpetual easement on a corridor of land contig-
uous to Tract B for the purpose of vegetation man-
agement. 
(2) CONDITIONS.—The land exchange under 
paragraph (1) shall be subject to such terms and 
conditions as the Secretary may require. 
(3) VALUATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The values of the land 
involved in the land exchange under paragraph 
(1) shall be equal unless the non-Federal land 
is of higher value than the Federal land. 
(B) EQUALIZATION.—If the values of the 
land are not equal, the values may be equalized 
by donation, payment using donated or appro-
priated funds, or the conveyance of additional 
parcels of land. 
(4) APPRAISAL.—Before the exchange of land 
under paragraph (1), appraisals for the Federal and 
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non-Federal land shall be conducted in accordance 
with the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal 
Land Acquisitions and the Uniform Standards of 
Professional Appraisal Practice. 
(5) TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.—Subject to the 
agreement of the Company, the Secretary may make 
minor corrections to correct technical and clerical er-
rors in the legal descriptions of the Federal and non- 
Federal land and minor adjustments to the bound-
aries of the Federal and non-Federal land. 
(6) ADMINISTRATION OF LAND ACQUIRED BY 
SECRETARY.—Land acquired by the Secretary under 
paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) become part of the National Park; and 
(B) be administered in accordance with the 
laws applicable to the National Park System. 
(d) MAP.—The map shall be on file and available for 
public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National 
Park Service. 
(e) BOUNDARY REVISION.—On completion of the 
land exchanges authorized by this section, the Secretary 
shall adjust the boundary of the National Park accord-
ingly, including removing the land conveyed out of Federal 
ownership. 
Æ 
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