Source: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/16/539k?quicktabs_8=1
Timestamp: 2015-08-28 20:10:41
Document Index: 331036053

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 609', '§ 101', '§ 1000', '§ 346', '§ 101', 'art 1']

“(2) the Secretary shall compensate Plum Creek for the lands placed into escrow, based upon the values determined for each such parcel during the Appraisal process in the context of the whole estate to be conveyed, through the following, including any combination thereof:
“(A) conveyance of any other lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary acceptable to Plum Creek and the Secretary after compliance with all applicable Federal environmental and other laws; and
“(B) to the extent sufficient acceptable lands are not available pursuant to paragraph (A) of this subsection, cash payments as and to the extent funds become available through appropriations, private sources, or, if necessary, by reprogramming.
The Secretary shall promptly seek to identify lands acceptable to equalize values under paragraph (A) of this subsection and shall, not later than July 1, 2000, provide a report to the Congress outlining the results of such efforts.
“(g) As funds or lands are provided to Plum Creek by the Secretary, Plum Creek shall release to the United States deeds for lands and interests in lands held in escrow based on the values determined during the Appraisal process in the context of the whole estate to be conveyed. Deeds shall be released for lands and interests in lands in the following order: Township 21 North, Range 12 East, Section 15, W.M., Township 21 North, Range 12 East, Section 23, W.M., Township 21 North, Range 12 East, Section 25, W.M., Township 19 North, Range 13 East, Section 7, Township 19 North, Range 15 East, Section 31, Township 19 North, Range 14 East, Section 25, Township 22 North, Range 11 East, Section 3, W.M., and Township 22 North, Range 11 East, Section 19, W.M.
“(i) The deadline for the Report to Congress required by section 609(c) of the Interstate 90 Land Exchange Act of 1998 [section 101
(e) [title VI, § 609(c)] of Pub. L. 105–277, set out below] is hereby extended. Such Report is due to the Congress 18 months from the date of the enactment of this Interstate 90 Land Exchange Amendment [Nov. 29, 1999].”
Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(e) [title VI], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–231, 2681–326, as amended by Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(3) [title III, § 346(b)–(e), (h), (j)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A–204 to 1501A–206, provided that:
“This Act [probably should be “this title” meaning Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(e) [title VI]] may be cited as the ‘Interstate 90 Land Exchange Act of 1998’.
“SEC. 602. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
“(1) certain parcels of private land located in central and southwest Washington are intermingled with National Forest System land owned by the United States and administered by the Secretary of Agriculture as parts of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Wenatchee National Forest, and Gifford Pinchot National Forest;
“(2) the private land surface estate and some subsurface is owned by the Plum Creek Timber Company, L.P. in an intermingled checkerboard pattern, with the United States or Plum Creek owning alternate square mile sections of land or fractions of square mile sections;
“(3) the checkerboard land ownership pattern in the area has frustrated sound and efficient land management on both private and National Forest lands by complicating fish and wildlife habitat management, watershed protection, recreation use, road construction and timber harvest, boundary administration, and protection and management of threatened and endangered species and old growth forest habitat;
“(4) acquisition by the United States of certain parcels of land that have been offered by Plum Creek for addition to the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and Wenatchee National Forest will serve important public objectives, including—
“(A) enhancement of public access, aesthetics and recreation opportunities within or near areas of very heavy public recreational use including—
“(i) the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area;
“(ii) the Pacific Crest Trail;
“(iii) Snoqualmie Pass;
“(iv) Cle Elum Lake, Kachess Lake and Keechulus Lake; and
“(v) other popular recreation areas along the Interstate 90 corridor east of the Seattle-Tacoma Metropolitan Area;
“(B) protection and enhancement of old growth forests and habitat for threatened, endangered and sensitive species, including a net gain of approximately 28,500 acres of habitat for the northern spotted owl;
“(C) consolidation of National Forest holdings for more efficient administration and to meet a broad array of ecosystem protection and other public land management goals, including net public gains of approximately 283 miles of stream ownership, 14 miles of the route of the Pacific Crest Trail, 20,000 acres of unroaded land, and 7,360 acres of riparian land; and
“(D) a significant reduction in administrative costs to the United States through—
“(i) consolidation of Federal land holdings for more efficient land management and planning;
“(ii) elimination of approximately 300 miles of boundary identification and posting;
“(iii) reduced right-of-way, special use, and other permit processing and issuance for roads and other facilities on National Forest System land; and
“(iv) other administrative cost savings;
“(5) Plum Creek has selected certain parcels of National Forest System land that are logical for consolidation into Plum Creek ownership utilizing a land exchange because the parcels—
“(A) are intermingled with parcels owned by Plum Creek; and
“(B)(i) are generally located in less environmentally sensitive areas than the Plum Creek offered land; and
“(ii) have lower public recreation and other public values than the Plum Creek offered land;
“(6) time is of the essence in consummating a land exchange because delays may force Plum Creek to road or log the offered land and thereby diminish the public values for which the offered land is to be acquired; and
“(7) it is in the public interest to complete the land exchange at the earliest practicable date so that the offered land can be acquired and preserved by the United States for permanent public management, use, and enjoyment.
“(b) Purpose.—It is the purpose of this Act to further the public interest by authorizing, directing, facilitating, and expediting the consummation of the Interstate 90 land exchange so as to ensure that the offered land is expeditiously acquired for permanent public use and enjoyment.
“SEC. 603. DEFINITIONS.
“(1) Offered land.—The term ‘offered land’ means all right, title and interest, including the surface and subsurface interests, in land described in section 604
(a) to be conveyed into the public ownership of the United States under this Act.
“(2) Plum creek.—The term ‘Plum Creek’ means Plum Creek Timber Company, L.P., a Delaware Limited Partnership, or its successors, heirs, or assigns.
“(4) Selected land.—The term ‘selected land’ means all right, title and interest, including the surface and subsurface interests, unless Plum Creek agrees otherwise, in land described in section 604
(b) to be conveyed into the private ownership of Plum Creek under this Act.
“SEC. 604. LAND EXCHANGE.
“(a) Condition and Conveyance of Offered Land.—The exchange directed by this Act shall be consummated if Plum Creek conveys title acceptable to the Secretary in and to the lands described in subsection (d), the offered lands described in paragraphs (1) and (2), or, if necessary, the lands and interests in land as provided in subsection (c) except title to offered lands and interests in lands described as follows: Township 21 North, Range 12 East, Section 15, W.M., Township 21 North, Range 12 East, Section 23, W.M., Township 21 North, Range 12 East, Section 25, W.M., Township 19 North, Range 13 East, Section 7, W.M., Township 19 North, Range 15 East, Section 31, W.M., Township 19 North, Range 14 East, Section 25, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 11 East, Section 3, W.M., and Township 22 North, Range 11 East, Section 19, W.M. must be placed in escrow by Plum Creek, according to terms and conditions acceptable to the Secretary and Plum Creek, for a 3-year period beginning on the later of the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 21, 1998] or consummation of the exchange. During the period the lands are held in escrow, Plum Creek shall not undertake any activities on these lands, except for fire suppression and road maintenance, without the approval of the Secretary, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.
“(1) Certain land comprising approximately 8,808 acres and located within the exterior boundaries of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Interstate 90 Land Exchange’, dated October 1998; and
“(2) Certain land comprising approximately 53,576 acres and located within or adjacent to the exterior boundaries of the Wenatchee National Forest, Washington, as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Interstate 90 Land Exchange’, dated October 1998 except the following parcels: Township 19 North, Range 15 East, Section 29, W.M., Township 18 North, Range 15 East, Section 3, W.M., Township 19 North, Range 14 East, Section 9, W.M., Township 21 North, Range 14 East, Section 7, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 12 East, Section 35, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 13 East, Section 3, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 13 East, Section 9, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 13 East, Section 11, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 13 East, Section 13, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 13 East, Section 15, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 13 East, Section 25, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 13 East, Section 33, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 13 East, Section 35, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 14 East, Section 7, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 14 East, Section 9, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 14 East, Section 11, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 14 East, Section 15, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 14 East, Section 17, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 14 East, Section 21, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 14 East, Section 31, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 14 East, Section 27, W.M. The appraisal approved by the Secretary of Agriculture on June 14, 1999 (the ‘Appraisal’) shall be adjusted by subtracting the values for the parcels described in the preceding sentence determined during the Appraisal process in the context of the whole estate to be conveyed.
“(b) Conveyance of Selected Land by the United States.—Upon receipt of acceptable title to the offered land, as provided in section 604
(a), and placement in escrow of acceptable title to Township 22 North, Range 11 East, Section 3, W.M., Township 22 North, Range 11 East, Section 19, W.M., Township 21 North, Range 12 East, Section 15, W.M., Township 21 North, Range 12 East, Section 23, W.M., Township 21 North, Range 12 East, Section 25, W.M., Township 19 North, Range 13 East, Section 7, W.M., Township 19 North, Range 15 East, Section 31, W.M., and Township 19 North, Range 14 East, Section 25, W.M., and lands and interests described in subsection (d), the Secretary shall simultaneously convey to Plum Creek all right, title and interest of the United States, subject to valid existing rights, in and to the following selected land except Township 19 North, Range 10 East, W.M., Section 4, Township 20 North, Range 10 East, W.M., Section 32, and Township 21 North, Range 14 East, W.M., W1/2W1/2 of Section 16, Township 12 North, Range 7 East, Sections 4 and 5, W.M., Township 13 North, Range 7 East, Sections 32 and 33, W.M., Township 8 North, Range 4 East, Section 17 and the S1/2 of 16, W.M., which shall be retained by the United States:
“(1) Certain land administered, as of the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 21, 1998], by the Secretary of Agriculture as part of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, and comprising approximately 5,697 acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Interstate 90 Land Exchange’, dated October 1998.
“(2) Certain land administered, as of the date of enactment of this Act, by the Secretary of Agriculture as part of the Wenatchee National Forest, Washington, and comprising approximately 5,197 acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Interstate 90 Land Exchange’, dated October 1998.
“(3) Certain land administered, as of the date of enactment of this Act, by the Secretary of Agriculture as part of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington, and comprising approximately 5,601 acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Interstate 90 Land Exchange’, dated October 1998.
“(c) Offered Land Title.—If Plum Creek conveys title acceptable to the Secretary to less than all rights and interests in the offered lands, but conveys title acceptable to the Secretary to all rights and interests that Plum Creek owns and acquires under previous agreements in the lands described in subsection (d), the offered lands, and lands on the east and west sides of Cle Elum Lake, comprising approximately 252 acres, described as Township 21 North, Range 14 East, Section 5, and Lost Lake lands comprising approximately 272 acres, described as Township 21 North, Range 11 East, W1/2 of Section 3, the Secretary shall convey to Plum Creek all rights and interest in the selected land after the values of the offered and selected land are equalized. The values of the offered and selected lands shall be equalized as provided in section 605
(c)–(e) without regard to the value of lands described in subsection (d) or the Cle Elum or Lost Lake lands.
“(d) Land Donation.—Plum Creek agrees that it will convey, in the form of a voluntary donation, title acceptable to the Secretary in and to lands and interests in lands comprising approximately 320 acres, described as Township 22 North, Range 11 East, S1/2 of Section 13, if Plum Creek conveys title to lands and interests pursuant to subsections (a) or (c). It is the intention of Congress that any portion of such donated land which the Secretary determines qualifies as wilderness be, upon the date of its acquisition by the United States, incorporated in and managed as part of the adjacent Alpine Lakes Wilderness (as designated by Public Law 94–357) in accordance with section 6(a) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1135).
“SEC. 605. EXCHANGE VALUATION, APPRAISALS AND EQUALIZATION.
“(a) Equal Value Exchange.—
“(1) In general.—The values of the offered and selected land—
“(B) if the values are not equal, shall be equalized as set forth in subsections (c)–(e).
“(2) Appraisal assumption.—In order to ensure the equitable and uniform appraisal of both the offered and selected land directed for exchange by this Act, all appraisals shall determine the highest and best use of the offered and selected land in accordance with applicable provisions of the Washington State Forest Practices Act and rules and regulations thereunder, including alternative measures for protecting critical habitat pursuant to a habitat conservation plan as provided in Washington Administrative Code 222–16–080–(6).
“(3) Appraisals.—The values of the offered land and selected land shall be determined by appraisals utilizing nationally recognized appraisal standards, including applicable provisions of the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions (1992), the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, and section 206(d) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (43 U.S.C. 1716
“(4) Approval by the Secretary.—The appraisals, if not already completed by the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 21, 1998], shall be completed and submitted to the Secretary for approval not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act: Provided, That all timber harvest cease no later than November 30, 1998, except for any cleanup, reforestation, or other post-harvest work which cannot be completed by November 30, 1998. A comprehensive summary of the appraisal consistent with 7 CFR Part 1.11 shall be made available for public inspection in the Office of the Supervisor, Wenatchee National Forest, not less than 30 days nor more than 45 days prior to the exchange of deeds.
“(b) Appraisal Period.—After the final appraised values of the offered and selected lands, or any portion of the land, have been approved by the Secretary or otherwise determined under section 206(d) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (43 U.S.C. 1716
(d)), the value shall not be reappraised or updated before consummation of the land exchange, except to account for any timber harvest that might occur after completion of the final appraisal, or for any adjustments under section 606
“(c) Equalization if Surplus of Offered Land.—
“(1) In general.—If the final appraised value of the offered land or lands and interest in lands conveyed by Plum Creek under section 604
(c), except for the Cle Elum and Lost Lake lands, exceeds the final appraised value of the selected land, Plum Creek shall delete offered land parcels from the exchange in the exact order each land Section (or offered portion thereof) is listed in paragraph (2) until the values are approximately equal.
“(2) Order of deletion.—Offered land deletions under paragraph (1) shall be made in the following order:
“(A) Township 22 North, Range 13 East, Section 31, Willamette Meridian;
“(B) Township 21 North, Range 11 East, Section 35;
“(C) Township 19 North, Range 11 East, Section 35;
“(D) Township 19 North, Range 12 East, Section 1;
“(E) Township 20 North, Range 11 East, Sections 1 and 13;
“(F) Township 19 North, Range 12 East, Section 15;
“(G) Township 20 North, Range 11 East, Section 11;
“(H) Township 21 North, Range 11 East, Section 27;
“(I) Township 19 North, Range 13 East, Sections 27 and 15;
“(J) Township 21 North, Range 11 East, Sections 21 and 25;
“(K) Township 19 North, Range 11 East, Section 23;
“(L) Township 19 North, Range 13 East, Sections 21, 9 and 35;
“(M) Township 20 North, Range 12 East, Sections 35 and 27;
“(N) Township 19 North, Range 12 East, Section 11;
“(O) Township 21 North, Range 11 East, Section 17;
“(P) Township 21 North, Range 11 East, Section 5;
“(Q) Township 18 North, Range 15 East, Section 3;
“(R) Township 19 North, Range 14 East, Section 25;
“(S) Township 19 North, Range 15 East, Sections 29 and 31; and
“(T) Township 19 North, Range 13 East, Section 7.
“(d) Equalization if Surplus of Selected Land.—
“(1) In general.—If the final appraised value of the selected land exceeds the final appraised value of the offered land or lands and interest in lands conveyed by Plum Creek under section 604
(c), except for the Cle Elum and Lost Lake lands, the Secretary shall delete selected land parcels from the exchange in the exact order each land Section (or selected portion thereof) is listed in paragraph (2) until the values are approximately equal.
“(2) Order of deletion.—Selected land deletions under paragraph 1 shall be made in the following listed order:
“(A) the portion of Township 20 North, Range 11 East, Section 30 lying east of the thread of Sawmill Creek;
“(B) the portion of Township 19 North, Range 11 East, Section 6 lying east of the thread of Sawmill Creek;
“(C) Township 20 North, Range 11 East, Section 32;
“(D) Township 21 North, Range 14 East, Sections 28, 22, 36, 26 and 16;
“(E) Township 18 North, Range 15 East, Sections 13, 12 and 2;
“(F) Township 18 North, Range 15 East, Section 1; and
“(G) Township 18 North, Range 15 East, Section 17, Willamette Meridian.
“(e) Once the values of the offered and selected lands are equalized to the maximum extent practicable under subsections (c) or (d), any cash equalization balance due the Secretary or Plum Creek shall be made through cash equalization payments under subsection 206(b) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716
“(f) Use of Proceeds by the Secretary.—The amount of any cash equalization payment received by the Secretary under this section shall be retained by the Secretary and shall be used by the Secretary until fully expended to purchase land from willing sellers in the State of Washington for addition to the National Forest System.
“SEC. 606. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.
“(a) Status of Lands After Exchange.—
“(1) Land acquired by the secretary.—
“(A) In general.—Land acquired by the Secretary under this Act shall become part of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie, Gifford Pinchot or Wenatchee National Forests, as appropriate.
“(B) Modification of boundaries.—
“(1) If any land acquired by the Secretary lies outside the exterior boundaries of the national forests identified in subparagraph (A), the boundaries of the appropriate national forest are hereby modified to include such land.
“(2) Nothing in this section shall limit the authority of the Secretary to adjust the boundaries of such National Forests pursuant to section 11 of the Act of March 1, 1911 (commonly known as the ‘Weeks Act’) [16 U.S.C. 521].
“(3) For purposes of section 7 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 4601–9 [460l–9]) the boundaries of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie, Wenatchee and Gifford Pinchot as modified by this Act shall be considered to be the boundaries of such forests as of January 1, 1965.
“(C) Management.—Land acquired by the Secretary under this Act shall have the status of lands acquired under the Act of March 1, 1911 [act Mar. 1, 1911, ch. 186, 36 Stat. 961, see Tables for classification] and shall be managed in accordance with the laws, rules, regulations and guidelines applicable to the National Forest System.
“(2) Land acquired by plum creek.—Land acquired by Plum Creek under this Act shall become private land for all purposes of law, unless the deed by which conveyance is made to Plum Creek contains a specific reservation.
“(b) Post-Exchange Access to Land.—
“(1) Finding.—Congress finds that Plum Creek and the Secretary should have adequate and timely post-exchange access to lands acquired pursuant to this Act over existing primary, secondary, or other national forest system roads as may be needed.
“(2) Intention.—It is the intention of Congress that Plum Creek have access to all lands it acquires under this Act, and when such access requires construction of new roads, it shall be granted in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act [of 1969] [42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.], the Endangered Species Act [of 1973] [16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.], the National Historic Preservation Act [16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.], and other applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
“(3) Access within cost share agreement areas.—Within Cost Share Construction and Use Agreement Areas, Plum Creek and the Secretary will convey road access, at no cost, to the lands acquired by each party upon consummation of the exchange pursuant to this Act in accordance with the appropriate terms and procedures of said cost share construction and use agreements.
“(4) Access outside cost share agreement areas.—Outside of Cost Share Construction and Use Agreement Areas, the Secretary shall grant Plum Creek road access easements at no cost in a form set out in Forest Service Handbook 2709.12, 35. In the case of new road construction, they shall conform to the Secretary’s rules and regulations 36 CFR 251, subpart B, for the roads identified on the map entitled ‘Plum Creek Access Road Needs’, dated September 1998, including mitigation under existing law.
“(c) Access to Certain Lands Acquired by the United States.—Outside of Cost Share Construction and Use Agreement Areas, Plum Creek shall grant the Secretary road access easements at no cost on the locations identified by the Secretary in a format acceptable to the Secretary.
“(d) Timing.—The Secretary and Plum Creek shall make the adjustments directed in section 604
(a) and (b) and consummate the land exchange within 30 days of the enactment of the Interstate 90 Land Exchange Amendment [Nov. 29, 1999], unless the Secretary and Plum Creek mutually agree to extend the consummation date.
“(e) Withdrawal of Selected Land.—Effective upon the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 21, 1998], all selected land identified for exchange to Plum Creek under section 604
(b) is hereby withdrawn from all forms of entry and appropriation under the U.S. mining and mineral leasing laws, including the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 [30 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.], until such time as the exchange is consummated, or until a particular parcel or parcels are deleted from the exchange under section 605
“(f) Withdrawal of Cle Elum River Lands.—Lands acquired by the Secretary under this Act that are located in Township 23 North, Range 14 East, and Township 22 North, Range 14 East, Willamette Meridian, shall upon the date of their acquisition be permanently withdrawn from all forms of entry and appropriation under the U.S. mining and mineral leasing laws, including the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 [30 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.].
“(g) Parcels Subject to Historic or Cultural Resource Restrictions.—
“(1) Report to plum creek.—No later than 180 days after enactment of this Act [Oct. 21, 1998], the Secretary shall complete determinations and consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act [16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.] and submit a report to Plum Creek and other consulting parties under the National Historic Preservation Act listing by exact aliquot part description any parcel or parcels of selected land on which cultural properties have been identified and for which protection, use restrictions or mitigation requirements will be imposed. Such report shall include an exact description of each restriction or mitigation action required.
“(2) Plum creek response.—Within 30 days of receipt of the Secretary’s report under paragraph (1), Plum Creek shall notify the Secretary as to: (i) those parcels it will accept subject to the identified use restrictions or mitigation requirements; and (ii) those parcels it will not accept because the restrictions or mitigation requirements are deemed by Plum Creek to be an unacceptable encumbrance on the land.
“(3) Parcel deletion.—The Secretary shall delete from the selected land those parcels identified by Plum Creek as unacceptable for conveyance under paragraph (2).
“(4) Appraisal adjustment.—The fair market value of any parcels deleted under paragraph (3), or any modification in fair market value caused by the use restrictions or mitigation requirements on land accepted by Plum Creek, shall be based on their contributory value to the final approved appraised value of the selected land and subtracted from such value prior to consummation of the exchange.
“(h) Access Limitation.—The Secretary shall not grant any road easements that would access the offered lands listed in section 604
(a) prior to consummation of the exchange: Provided, That this provision shall not apply should either party withdraw from the exchange.
“SEC. 607. LAND PURCHASE.
“(a) Finding.—The Congress finds that certain lands owned by Plum Creek in the vicinity of the offered lands (but which are not included in the land exchange under this Act, or are deleted under section 605
(c)) are highly desirable for addition to the National Forest System, and that Plum Creek has indicated its willingness to sell certain such lands to the United States. It is the intention of Congress that such lands be acquired by the United States, subject to the availability of funds, by purchase at fair market value consistent with the land acquisition procedures of the Secretary, and with the consent of Plum Creek, in order to preserve their outstanding scenic and natural values for the benefit of future generations.
“(b) Purchase Consultation.—In furtherance of subsection (a), the Secretary is authorized and directed to consult with Plum Creek to determine the precise lands Plum Creek is willing to sell.
“(c) Other Agreements.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit the Secretary from entering into additional agreements or contracts with Plum Creek to purchase, exchange or otherwise acquire lands from Plum Creek in Washington or any other state under the laws, rules and regulations generally applicable to Federal land acquisitions.
“SEC. 608. TIETON RIVER STUDY.
“The Secretary is authorized and directed to consult with Plum Creek concerning opportunities for the United States to acquire by exchange or purchase Plum Creek lands along the Tieton River in Township 14 North, Range 15 East, Willamette Meridian.
“SEC. 609. FUTURE LAND EXCHANGE OPPORTUNITY.
“(a) Finding.—The Congress finds that certain lands which were identified for exchange to the United States in the I–90 Land Exchange process have been, or may be, deleted from the final exchange under this Act due to value equalization or other reasons. However, some or all of such deleted lands, or other Plum Creek lands, may possess attributes that merit their conveyance to the United States in a follow-up land exchange, including lands in or around the Carbon River, the Yakima River, the Pacific Crest Trail, Watch Mountain and Goat Mountain on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the Green River and the Manastash late successional reserve.
“(b) Future Exchange.—In furtherance of subsection (a), the Secretary is authorized and directed to consult with Plum Creek in examining opportunities for the United States to acquire such deleted lands, or other Plum Creek lands in the State of Washington, in a future exchange.
“(c) Report to Congress.—Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 21, 1998], the Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and the Committee on Resources [now Committee on Natural Resources] of the United States House of Representatives briefly outlining future land exchange opportunities with Plum Creek, including those for which the Secretary is required to consult under section 608, which the Secretary determines merit detailed analysis and consideration. The Secretary should identify the most urgent acquisitions for purchase or exchange in the report.
“SEC. 610. WILDERNESS STUDY AREA.
“In furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness Act [16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.], if the land exchange directed by this Act is consummated, the area of land comprising approximately 15,000 acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Alpine Lakes Wilderness Study Area’, dated October 1998, shall be reviewed by the Secretary of Agriculture as to its suitability for preservation as wilderness. The Secretary shall submit a report and findings to the President, and the President shall submit his recommendations to the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate no later than three years after the first date on which deeds are exchanged to consummate the land exchange. Subject to valid existing rights and existing uses, such lands shall, until Congress determines otherwise or until December 31, 2003, be administered by the Secretary to maintain their wilderness character existing as of the date of enactment of this Act and potential for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System, and shall be withdrawn from all forms of entry and appropriation under the U.S. mining and mineral leasing laws, including the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 [30 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.].
“SEC. 611. KELLY BUTTE SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA.
“SEC. 612. EFFECT ON COUNTY REVENUES.
“The Secretary shall consult with the appropriate Committees of Congress, and local elected officials in the counties in the State of Washington in which the offered lands are located, regarding options to minimize the adverse effect on county revenues of the transfer of the offered lands from private to Federal ownership.”