I
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4842
To release the reversionary interests retained by the United States in four
deeds that conveyed certain lands to the State of Florida so as to
permit the State to sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of the lands,
and to provide for the conveyance of certain mineral interests of the
United States in the lands to the State of Florida.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 15, 1998
Mrs. THURMAN (for herself and Mr. SCARBOROUGH) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
A BILL
To release the reversionary interests retained by the United
States in four deeds that conveyed certain lands to the
State of Florida so as to permit the State to sell, ex-
change, or otherwise dispose of the lands, and to provide
for the conveyance of certain mineral interests of the
United States in the lands to the State of Florida.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. RELEASE OF REVERSIONARY INTERESTS,
BLACKWATER RIVER AND WITHLACOOCHEE
STATE FORESTS, FLORIDA.
(a) RELEASE.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall re-
lease the reversionary interests of the United States that
were retained by the United States when the following
parcels of real property were conveyed to the State of
Florida:
(1) The parcel of real property described in a
deed dated November 4, 1955, conveying certain
lands in Santa Rosa County to the State of Florida.
(2) The parcel of real property described in a
deed dated April 11, 1957, conveying certain lands
in Santa Rosa County to the State of Florida.
(3) The parcel of real property described in a
deed dated November 4, 1955, conveying certain
lands in Okaloosa County to the State of Florida.
(4) The parcel of real property described in a
deed dated November 26, 1982, conveying certain
lands in Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, and Sumter
Counties to the State of Florida.
The reversionary interest to be released under this section
requires that the conveyed lands be used for public pur-
poses and provides for a reversion of such lands to the
United States if at any time they cease to be used for
public purposes.
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(b) LEGAL DESCRIPTION.—The four deeds referred
to in subsection (a) are recorded as follows:
(1) Deed Book 122, Pages 397–437, Santa
Rosa County, Florida.
(2) Deed Book 133, Pages 333–337, Santa
Rosa County, Florida.
(3) Deed Book 121, Pages 511–528, Okaloosa
County, Florida.
(4) Official Record Book 610, Pages 1228–
1237, Citrus County, Florida.
(5) Official Record Book 517, Pages 491–500,
Hernando County, Florida.
(6) Official Record Book 269, Pages 126–135,
Sumter County, Florida.
(7) Official Record Book 1240, Pages 1065–
1074, Pasco County, Florida.
(c) CONSIDERATION.—As consideration for the re-
lease of the reversionary interests under subsection (a),
the State of Florida shall agree to the following:
(1) All proceeds from the sale, exchange, or
other disposition of the real property subject to the
reversionary interests shall be used by the State of
Florida for the acquisition of other lands within or
adjacent to the exterior boundaries of Blackwater
River State Forest and Withlacoochee State Forest,
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or, with the approval of the Secretary of Agriculture,
for the purchase of the individual mineral interest
of the United States under section 2.
(2) Any lands acquired by the sale, exchange,
or other disposition of the real property subject to
the reversionary interests shall become a part of the
State forest in which the acquired lands are located
and shall be subject to the condition that the ac-
quired lands be used for public purposes.
(3) The total land base of such State forests
shall not be reduced below the original acreage of
the real property included in the conveyances de-
scribed in subsection (a), except in the case of any
lands conveyed at the request of the United States,
and the total land base shall be managed in perpetu-
ity as State forest land.
(4) All proceeds from the sale, exchange, or
other disposition of the real property subject to the
reversionary interests shall be maintained by the
State of Florida in a separate fund. The record of
all transactions involving such fund shall be open to
inspection by the Secretary of Agriculture.
(d) DISPOSITION OF FUNDS.—Any proceeds derived
from the sale of these mineral interests shall be deposited
into the fund established by the Act of December 4, 1967
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(16 U.S.C. 484a), known as the Sisk Act, and shall be
available for expenditure, upon appropriation, for the ac-
quisitions of lands and interests in lands in the same
State.
(e) ADDITIONAL TERMS.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture may require such additional terms or conditions
in connection with the release of the reversionary interests
under this section as the Secretary considers appropriate
to protect the interests of the United States.
(f) INSTRUMENT OF RELEASE.—The Secretary of
Agriculture shall execute and file in the appropriate office
or offices a deed of release, amended deed, or other appro-
priate instrument effectuating the release of the reversion-
ary interests under this section.
SEC. 2. SALE OF MINERAL RIGHTS.
(a) SALE AUTHORIZED.—Upon application by the
State of Florida, the Secretary of Agriculture may convey
to the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement
Trust Fund of the State of Florida, or to its designee,
all of the individual mineral interests of the United States
in any parcel of real property for which a reversionary in-
terest is released under section 1.
(b) CONSIDERATION.—As consideration for the sale
of the mineral interests of the United States under sub-
section (a), the State of Florida shall pay to the United