University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act
Bill: H.R.2546 | Sponsor: Rep. Young, Don (R-AK)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act
This bill directs the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to establish a program to identify and convey available federal land in Alaska to the University of Alaska for a land grant to support higher education. The bill also permits the BLM or the Department of Agriculture to acquire by purchase or exchange, with the university's consent, university-owned inholdings within conservation system units. Any land exchanged shall be of equal value.
No later than two years after enactment of the bill, Alaska and the university may jointly identify no more than 500,000 acres of land for inclusion in the program, of which not more than 360,000 acres may be conveyed and patented to the university. Upon the request of Alaska and the university, the BLM shall provide technical assistance in the identification of land.
If Alaska and the university notify the BLM in writing that Alaska and the university jointly concur with the conveyance of all or a portion of the land identified for conveyance, and that Alaska relinquishes its selection rights to the land covered by the notification, the BLM shall convey the land to the university, to be held in trust for the exclusive use and benefit of the university.
The BLM shall notify Congress of the land conveyed and patented.

To provide for the continuation of higher education through the 
 conveyance to the University of Alaska of certain public land in the 
                State of Alaska, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``University of Alaska Fiscal 
Foundation Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Available state-selected land.--The term ``available 
        State-selected land'' means Federal land in the State that has 
        been selected by the State, including land upon which the State 
        has, prior to December 31, 1993, filed a future selection 
        application under section 906(e) of the Alaska National 
        Interest Lands Conservation Act (43 U.S.C. 1635(e)), but not 
        conveyed or patented to the State, pursuant to Public Law 85-
        508 (commonly known as the ``Alaska Statehood Act'') (48 U.S.C. 
        note prec. 21).
            (2) Conservation system unit.--The term ``conservation 
        system unit'' has the meaning given the term in section 102 of 
        the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 
        3102).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of 
        Land Management.
            (4) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Alaska.
            (5) University.--The term ``University'' means the 
        University of Alaska, acting through the Board of Regents.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

    The Secretary shall establish a program within the Bureau of Land 
Management--
            (1) to identify and convey available State-selected land to 
        the University to support higher education in the State; and
            (2) to acquire, by purchase or exchange, University-owned 
        land located within conservation system units in the State.

SEC. 4. IDENTIFICATION OF LAND TO BE CONVEYED THE UNIVERSITY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the State and the University may jointly identify not more 
than 500,000 acres of available State-selected land for inclusion in 
the program established under section 3, of which not more than 360,000 
acres may be conveyed and patented to the University.
    (b) Technical Assistance.--Upon the request of the State and the 
University, the Secretary shall provide technical assistance in the 
identification of available State-selected land for inclusion in the 
program.
    (c) Maps.--As soon as practicable after the date on which the 
available State-selected land is identified under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
Representatives 1 or more maps depicting the available State-selected 
land identified for conveyance to the University.
    (d) Conveyance.--Subject to subsection (e), if the State and the 
University notify the Secretary in writing that the State and the 
University jointly concur with the conveyance of all or a portion of 
the available State-selected land identified under subsection (a), and 
that the State relinquishes its selection rights to the land covered by 
the notification, the Secretary shall convey the applicable identified 
available State-selected land to the University, subject to valid 
existing rights, in the same manner and subject to the same terms, 
conditions, and limitations as is applicable to the State under Public 
Law 85-508 (commonly known as the ``Alaska Statehood Act'') (48 U.S.C. 
note prec. 21) and other applicable law, to be held in trust for the 
exclusive use and benefit of the University, to be administered in 
accordance with section 6.
    (e) Terms and Conditions.--
            (1) Maximum acreage.--Subject to paragraph (3), the 
        Secretary shall convey not more than a total of 360,000 acres 
        of available State-selected land to the University under this 
        section, not to exceed the remaining entitlement of the State 
        under Public Law 85-508 (commonly known as the ``Alaska 
        Statehood Act'') (48 U.S.C. note prec. 21).
            (2) Letters of concurrence.--For purposes of subsection (d) 
        and subject to the maximum acreage limitation under subsection 
        (a), the State and the University may submit to the Secretary 1 
        or more joint letters of concurrence identifying parcels of 
        available State selected land for conveyance as a subset of the 
        total acres to be conveyed under this section.
            (3) Acreage charged against alaska statehood act 
        entitlement.--The acreage of land conveyed to the University 
        under this section shall be charged against the remaining 
        entitlement of the State under Public Law 85-508 (commonly 
        known as the ``Alaska Statehood Act'') (48 U.S.C. note prec. 
        21).
            (4) Survey costs.--In accordance with Public Law 85-508 
        (commonly known as the ``Alaska Statehood Act'') (48 U.S.C. 
        note prec. 21), the Secretary shall be responsible for the 
        costs of required surveys.

SEC. 5. UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA INHOLDINGS WITHIN CONSERVATION SYSTEM 
              UNITS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary or the Secretary of Agriculture, as 
appropriate, may acquire by purchase or exchange, with the consent of 
the University, University-owned inholdings within conservation system 
units in the State.
    (b) Appraisals.--The value of the land to be exchanged or acquired 
under this section shall be determined by the Secretary through 
appraisals conducted--
            (1) in accordance with--
                    (A) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal 
                Land Acquisitions; and
                    (B) the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal 
                Practice; and
            (2) by an appraiser mutually agreed to by the Secretary and 
        the University.
    (c) Equal Value Exchanges.--For any land exchange entered into 
under this section, the Federal land and University-owned inholdings 
exchanged shall be of equal value.
    (d) Purchase Acquisitions.--Pursuant to chapter 2003 of title 54, 
United States Code, amounts in the Land and Water Conservation Fund 
established by section 200302 of that title may be used for the 
purchase of University-owned inholdings within conservation system 
units in the State under this section.
    (e) Requirement.--Any land acquired by the United States under this 
section shall be administered in accordance with the laws (including 
regulations) applicable to the conservation system unit in which the 
land is located.

SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF CONVEYED OR EXCHANGED LAND.

    All available State-selected land that is tentatively approved or 
conveyed to the University under this Act, and all land acquired by the 
University through an exchange under this Act, together with the income 
therefrom and the proceeds from any dispositions thereof, shall be 
administered by the University in trust to meet the necessary expenses 
of higher education programs, similar to prior Federal land grants to 
the University.

SEC. 7. STATE AND UNIVERSITY PARTICIPATION.

    Nothing in this Act requires the State or the University--
            (1) to participate in the program established under section 
        3; or
            (2) to enter into sales or exchanges of University-owned 
        inholdings within conservation system units under section 5.

SEC. 8. CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of any conveyance and patent 
to the University under this Act, the Secretary shall notify the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the 
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives of the 
land conveyed and patented.
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