Date: 1990-09-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 4567. This legislation authorizes and directs an interstate exchange of land between the Homestakeo Mining Co.. of California and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. H.R. 4567 is necessary because existing law does not authorize USDA to carry out exchanges involving lands in more than one State. What H.R. 4567 does is quite simple. The bill basically proposes that the Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture acquire approximately 12.274 acres of scenic land in and adjacent to the Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota that is currently owned by the Homestake Mining Co. In exchange. the bill proposes that USDA convey to Homestake approximately 868 acres of National Forest land in Summit County. CO. along with approximately 40 acres of cabin sites in South Dakota. The bill also authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to sell an existing landfill site. also in Summit County. CO. totaling 477 acres to the county government for continued use as a landfill. Mr. Speaker. acquisition of the Homestakeowned land in South Dakota by the Forest Service will achieve a major land consolidation that will. according to the Forest Service. significantly enhance the management of the Black Hills National Forest and serve the public interest The proposed acquisition will include Spearfish Canyon. a wellknown scenic and recreational area in the Black Hils which has a significant trout stream. Acquisition of Spearfish Canyon will provide permanent. unrestricted public access to over 20 miles of stream bottom for fishing. hiking. and other recreational uses. In addition. the exchange will allow the Forest Service to acquire more than 8.000 acres in the socalled Piedmont region. near Rapid City. SD. The Piedmont is a tract of forested lands and canyons containing dramatic cliffs. caves. springs. and otter intsresting geological features. Because this land has been in private ownership for over a century. the area has been largely undisturbed by humans and is known for its interesting variety of plant species and a microclimate in the canyon bottoms. Mr. Speaker. the Homestake Mining Co. originally wanted to sell these holdings to the Forest Service -at fair market value. However. despite the Forest Service desire to acquire these areas for public use. the constraints of the Federal budget precluded this from happening in the foreseeable future. The logical altemative pursued by the Forest Service and Homestake was the negotiation of this proposed land exchange. The two parties identified some 868 acres of National Forest land consisting of six parcels of land in Summit County. CO. that was judged suitable for transfer to Homestake. These parcels include lands in and around the Keystone and Copper Mountain ski areas. as well as portions of other Forest Service lands in Summit County. In authorizing this land conveyance to Homestake. the bill expressly and permanently reserves public rights of access for fishing. bicycle path.. and hiking on the Colorado Trail. As with all exchanges. H.R. 4567 mandates that the lands exchanged be of equal dollar value as determined by standard appraisal practices. Although the Committee on Agriculture would have preferred the acquisition of Homestakes entire estatesurface and mineralsin South Dakota. mineral rights will not be acquired. This concession will permanently protect the areas outstanding scenic and riparian values while allowing Homestake to engage in underground mining if minerals are ever discovered. The bill also provides a sense of Congress statement that the exchange be completed within 270 days of enactment of H.R. 4567 and seeks to facilitate this process by expediting the appraisal process and the execution of a final exchange agreement. I would like to thank the sponsors of this bill. Representatives TIM JOHNSON of South Dakota and BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL of Colorado. both of whom serve on the Committee on Agriculture. for their leadership in developing and moving this legislation. Mr. Speaker. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4567.