I
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4893
To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain lands and improve-
ments associated with the National Forest System in the State of Penn-
sylvania, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 6, 2002
Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Agriculture
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain
lands and improvements associated with the National
Forest System in the State of Pennsylvania, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Pennsylvania National Forest Improvement Act of
2002’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Disposal of administrative sites, Allegheny National Forest, Pennsyl-
vania.
Sec. 3. Conveyance of Sheffield Ranger District Headquarters, Warren County,
Pennsylvania.
Sec. 4. Conveyance of Marienville Ranger Residence, Forest County, Pennsyl-
vania.
Sec. 5. Disposition of funds.
Sec. 6. Administration of land acquired by United States.
Sec. 7. Relation to other conveyances authorities.
SEC. 2. DISPOSAL OF ADMINISTRATIVE SITES, ALLEGHENY
NATIONAL FOREST, PENNSYLVANIA.
(a) DISPOSAL AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture may convey, by sale or exchange, any and all right,
title, and interest of the United States in and to the fol-
lowing National Forest System lands and administrative
sites:
(1) US Tract 121, Sheffield ranger residence,
0.41 acres, as depicted on the plat titled ‘‘Allegheny
Unit, Allen M. Gibson Tract 121, March 1942’’.
(2) US Tract 904, 8.812 acres and US Tract
905, 0.869 acres, Ridgway Ranger District Head-
quarters, as depicted on the plats titled ‘‘Allegheny
Unit, Harry R. & Eliza E. Larson Tract 904, 1959’’
and ‘‘Allegheny Unit, Leo S. & Laura A. Guth Tract
905, July 1948’’.
(3) US Tract 896, an undeveloped administra-
tive site, 2.42 acres, as depicted on the plat titled
‘‘Allegheny Unit, Howard L. Harp Tract 896,
1947’’.
(4) US Tract 1047 (formerly Tracts 551,
551a,b,c), original Marienville Ranger District
Headquarters, 4.90 acres, as depicted on the plat ti-
tled ‘‘Marienville Ranger Station Compound Tract
1047, August 1998’’.
(5) US Tract 844, Marienville ranger residence,
as depicted on the plat titled ‘‘Allegheny Unit, Peter
B. DeSmet Tract 844, 1936’’, except that portion of
the tract shown as Lot 2, on the Survey Plat pre-
pared by D. M. Heller and dated December 12,
1999.
(b) PROPERTY
DESCRIPTIONS.—The maps ref-
erenced in subsection (a) are the primary descriptions of
the lands to which the maps refer. In the event of a con-
flict between the map description and the metes and
bounds description of the lands, the map shall be deemed
to be the definitive description of the lands unless the map
cannot be located. The maps shall be on file and available
for public inspection in the Office of the Chief of the For-
est Service until the lands are disposed of pursuant to this
section.
(c) CONSIDERATION.—
(1) AUTHORIZED CONSIDERATION.—As consid-
eration for a conveyance of land under subsection
(a), the recipient of the land, with the consent of the
Secretary, may convey to the Secretary other land,
existing improvements, or improvements constructed
to the specifications of the Secretary.
(2) 
CASH
EQUALIZATION.—Notwithstanding
any other provision of law, the Secretary may accept
a cash equalization payment in excess of 25 percent
of the value of any land and administrative site ex-
changed under subsection (a).
(d) APPLICABLE LAW.—Except as otherwise provided
in this section, any conveyance of land under subsection
(a) shall be subject to the laws and regulations applicable
to the conveyance and acquisition of land for the National
Forest System.
(e) SOLICITATION OF OFFERS.—
(1) CONVEYANCE PRIORITY.—In the selection
of the recipient of land under this section, the Sec-
retary may give a preference to public entities that
agree to use the land for public purposes.
(2) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—The Secretary
may solicit offers for the conveyance of land under
this section on such terms and conditions as the Sec-
retary may prescribe.
(3) REJECTION
OF
OFFERS.—The Secretary
may reject any offer made under this section if the
Secretary determines that the offer is not adequate
or not in the public interest.
(f) REVOCATIONS.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, on conveyance of land by the Secretary under
this section, any public order withdrawing the land from
any form of appropriation under the public land laws is
revoked.
(g) ADDITIONAL TERMS
AND CONDITIONS.—The
Secretary may require such additional terms and condi-
tions in connection with any conveyance under subsection
(a) as the Secretary considers appropriate to protect the
interests of the United States.
SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF SHEFFIELD RANGER DISTRICT
HEADQUARTERS, WARREN COUNTY, PENN-
SYLVANIA.
(a) CONVEYANCE AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of
Agriculture may convey to the Warren County Develop-
ment Association of Warren County, Pennsylvania, all
right, title, and interest of the United States in and to
US Tract 770, Sheffield Ranger District Headquarters,
consisting of 5.50 acres, as depicted on the plat titled ‘‘Al-
legheny Unit, Elk Tanning Company Tract 770, 1934’’.
(b) CONSIDERATION.—As consideration for the con-
veyance under subsection (a), the Warren County Develop-
ment Association shall make to the Secretary a lump sum
payment of $100,000.
(c) PROPERTY DESCRIPTION.—The map referenced
in subsection (a) is the primary description of the lands
to which the map refers. In the event of a conflict between
the map description and the metes and bounds description
of the lands, the map shall be deemed to be the definitive
description of the lands unless the map cannot be located.
The map shall be on file and available for public inspection
in the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service until the
lands are disposed of pursuant to this section.
(d) REVOCATIONS.—Notwithstanding any other pro-
vision of law, on conveyance of land by the Secretary
under this section, any public order withdrawing the land
from any form of appropriation under the public land laws
is revoked.
SEC. 4. CONVEYANCE OF MARIENVILLE RANGER RESI-
DENCE, FOREST COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
(a) CONVEYANCE AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of
Agriculture may convey, without consideration, to the
Marrienville Volunteer Fire Department of Forest County,
Pennsylvania, all right, title, and interest of the United
States in and to that portion of US Tract 844, Marienville
ranger residence, as depicted as Lot 2, on the Survey Plat
prepared by D. M. Heller and dated December 12, 1999.
(b) PROPERTY DESCRIPTION.—The map referenced
in subsection (a) is the primary description of the lands
to which the map refers. In the event of a conflict between
the map description and the metes and bounds description
of the lands, the map shall be deemed to be the definitive
description of the lands unless the map cannot be located.
The map shall be on file and available for public inspection
in the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service until the
lands are disposed of pursuant to this section.
(c) REVOCATIONS.—Notwithstanding any other pro-
vision of law, on conveyance of land by the Secretary
under this section, any public order withdrawing the land
from any form of appropriation under the public land laws
is revoked.
SEC. 5. DISPOSITION OF FUNDS.
(a) DEPOSIT IN SISK ACT FUND.—The Secretary of
Agriculture shall deposit in the fund established under
Public Law 90–171 (16 U.S.C. 484a; commonly known
as the Sisk Act)—
(1) the proceeds of a sale or exchange under
section 2; and
(2) the consideration received pursuant to sec-
tion 3(b).
(b) USE OF PROCEEDS.—Subject to subsection (c),
funds deposited under subsection (a) shall be available to
the Secretary, without further appropriation, for—
(1) the acquisition, construction, or improve-
ment of administrative facilities and sites for the Al-
legheny National Forest; or
(2) the acquisition of land and interests in land
in the Allegheny National Forest.
(c) CONDITION ON LAND ACQUISITION.—The acqui-
sition of lands in the Allegheny National Forest using
funds deposited under subsection (a) is subject to the con-
dition that the market value of the acquired lands may
not exceed 125 percent of the market value of the lands
disposed of under this Act.
SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF LAND ACQUIRED BY UNITED
STATES.
Lands acquired by the Secretary of Agriculture under
section 5(b) or by exchange under section 2 shall be man-
aged by the Secretary in accordance with the Act of March
1, 1911 (commonly known as the Weeks Act; 16 U.S.C.
480 et seq.) and other laws and regulations pertaining to
National Forest System lands. For the purposes of section
7 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965
(16 U.S.C. 460l–9), the boundaries of the Allegheny Na-
tional Forest, as adjusted on account of the disposal and
acquisition of lands under this Act, shall be considered to
be the boundaries of that national forest as of January
1, 1965.
SEC. 7. RELATION TO OTHER CONVEYANCES AUTHORITIES.
Except as expressly provided in this Act, nothing in
this Act affects any other authority of the Secretary of
Agriculture to sell, exchange, or acquire land. Lands au-
thorized for disposal under this Act shall not be subject
to the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act
of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 471 et seq.).
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