Acre In, Acre Out Act
Bill: H.R.247 | Sponsor: Rep. Griffith, H. Morgan (R-VA)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Acre In, Acre Out Act
This bill prescribes a new requirement for any acquisition of land by the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture that would result in a net increase of total land acreage under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, or the Forest Service. The department concerned must offer for sale an equal number of acres of federal land that is under the same jurisdictional status.
The bill exempts from this requirement any easements acquired to facilitate management of federal lands.
Land sold pursuant to this bill shall be offered for sale at fair market value (based on local comparable sales), with monthly price reductions if the land is not sold in six months.
All net proceeds from the sale of federal lands pursuant to this bill shall be deposited directly into the Treasury for reduction of the public debt.

To provide for no net increase in the total acreage of certain Federal 
   land under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, the 
National Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or 
              the Forest Service, 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 ``Acre In, Acre Out Act''.

SEC. 2. NO NET INCREASE IN CERTAIN FEDERAL LANDS.

    (a) In General.--For acquisition of land by the Secretary of the 
Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture that would result in a net 
increase of total land acreage under the jurisdiction of the National 
Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau 
of Land Management, or the Forest Service, the Secretary concerned 
shall offer for sale an equal number of acres of Federal land that is 
under the same jurisdictional status.
    (b) Exemptions.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to easements 
acquired--
            (1) by the Secretary of the Interior to facilitate 
        management of Federal lands; or
            (2) by the Secretary of Agriculture to facilitate 
        management of Federal lands.
    (c) Consideration.--
            (1) In general.--Land sold pursuant to subsection (a) shall 
        be offered for sale--
                    (A) at fair market value (based on local comparable 
                sales); and
                    (B) at a price that is reduced by 10 percent each 
                month if the land is not sold or under contract to be 
                sold by the date that is 6 months after the land was 
                first offered for sale.
            (2) Exception.--Time periods during which land is under 
        contract for sale or withdrawn from the market shall not be 
        counted for the purposes of price reduction under paragraph 
        (1)(B).
    (d) Existing Rights.--The sale of Federal lands pursuant to this 
section shall be subject to valid existing rights.
    (e) Proceeds of Sale of Lands.--All net proceeds from the sale of 
Federal lands pursuant to this section shall be deposited directly into 
the Treasury for reduction of the public debt.
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