A bill to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the city of Sisters, Oregon, a certain parcel of land for use in connection with a sewage treatment facility.
PL 106-144 (S.416), enacted 12/07/1999

113 STAT. 1708 
PUBLIC LAW 106-144—DEC. 7, 1999 
Public Law 106-144 
106th Congress 
An Act 
Dec. 7, 1999 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey to the city of Sisters, Oregon, 
[S. 416] 
^ certain parcel of land for use in connection with a sewage treatment facility. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) the city of Sisters, Oregon, faces a pubhc health threat 
from a major outbreak of infectious diseases due to the lack 
of a sewer system; 
(2) the lack of a sewer system also threatens groundwater 
and surface water resources in the area; 
(3) the city is surrounded by Forest Service land and has 
no reasonable access to non-Federal parcels of land large 
enough, and with the proper soil conditions, for the development 
of a sewage treatment facility; 
(4) the Forest Service currently must operate, maintain, 
and replace 11 separate septic systems to serve existing Forest 
Service facilities in the city of Sisters; and 
(5) the Forest Service currently administers 77 acres of 
land within the city limits that would increase in value as 
a result of construction of a sewer system. 
SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE. 
Deadline. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable and upon completion 
of any documents or analysis required by einy environmental law, 
but not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall convey to the city of Sisters, 
Oregon (hereinafter referred to as the "city") an amount of land 
that is not more than is reasonably necessary for a sewage treat-
ment facility and for the disposal of treated effluent consistent 
with subsection (c). 
(b) LAND DESCRIPTION.—^The amount of land conveyed under 
subsection (a) shall be 160 acres or 240 acres from within— 
(1) the SE quarter of section 09, township 15 south, range 
10 west, W.M., Deschutes, Oregon, and the portion of the 
SW quarter of section 09, township 15 south, range 10 west, 
W.M., Deschutes, Oregon, that lies east of Three Creeks Lake 
Road, but not including the westernmost 500 feet of that por-
tion; and 
(2) the portion of the SW quarter of section 09, township 
15 south, range 10 west, W.M., Deschutes County, Oregon, 
l)dng easterly of Three Creeks Lake Road. 
(c) CONDITION.— 
PUBLIC LAW 106-144—DEC. 7, 1999 
113 STAT. 1709 
(1) IN GENERAL.—^The conveyance under subsection (a) shall 
be made on the condition that the city— 
(A) shall conduct a public process before the final deter-
mination is made regarding land use for the disposition 
of treated effluent; 
(B) except as provided by paragraph (2), shall be 
responsible for system development charges, mainline 
construction costs, and equivalent dwelling unit monthly 
service fees as set forth in the agreement between the 
city and the Forest Service in the letter of understanding 
dated October 14, 1999; and 
(C) shall pay the cost of preparation of any documents 
required by any environmental law in connection with the 
conveyance. 
(2) ADJUSTMENT IN FEES.— 
(A) VALUE HIGHER THAN ESTIMATED.—If the land to 
be conveyed pursuEint to subsection (a) is appraised for 
a value that is 10 percent or more higher than the value 
estimated for such land in the agreement between the 
city and the Forest Service in the letter of understanding 
dated October 14, 1999, the city shall be responsible for 
additional charges, costs, fees, or other compensation so 
that the total amount of charges, costs, and fees for which 
the city is responsible under paragraph (1)(B) plus the 
value of the amount of charges, costs, fees, or other com-
pensation due under this subparagraph is equal to such 
appraised value. The Secretary and the city shall agree 
upon the form of additional charges, costs, fees, or other 
compensation due under this subparagraph. 
(B) VALUE LOWER THAN ESTIMATED.—If the land to 
be conveyed pursuant to subsection (a) is appraised for 
a value that is 10 percent or more lower than the value 
estimated for such land in the agreement between the 
city and the Forest Service in the letter of understanding 
dated October 14, 1999, the amount of equivalent dwelling 
unit monthly service fees for which the city shall be respon-
sible under paragraph (1)(B) shall be reduced so that the 
total amount of charges, costs, and fees for which the 
city is responsible under that paragraph is equal to such 
appraised vgJue. 
(d) USE OF LAND.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The land conveyed under subsection (a) 
shall be used by the city for a sewage treatment facility and 
for the disposal of treated effluent. 
(2) OPTIONAL REVERTER.—If at any time the land conveyed 
under subsection (a) ceases to be used for a purpose described 
in paragraph (1), at the option of the United States, title 
to the land shall revert to the United States. 
113 STAT. 1710 
PUBLIC LAW 106-144—DEC. 7, 1999 
(e) AUTHORITY TO ACQUIRE LAND IN SUBSTITUTION.—Subject 
to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall acquire 
land within Oregon, and within or in the vicinity of the Deschutes 
National Forest, of an acreage equivalent to that of the land con-
veyed under subsection (a). Any lands acquired shall be added 
to and administered as part of the Deschutes National Forest. 
Approved December 7, 1999. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 416: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 106-453 (Comm. on Resources). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 106-60 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 145 (1999): 
July 1, considered and passed Senate. 
Nov. 17, considered ana passed House, amended. 
Nov. 19, Senate concurred in House amendment.