H.R. 1214 — Introduced in House

I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1214 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 3, 2015 Mr. Amodei introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To amend the Small Tracts Act to expand the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to sell or exchange small parcels of National Forest System land to enhance the management of the National Forest System, to resolve minor encroachments, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the National Forest Small Tracts Act Amendments Act of 2015. 2. Additional authority for sale or exchange of small parcels of National Forest System land (a) Increase in maximum value of small parcels Section 3 of Public Law 97–465 (commonly known as the Small Tracts Act; 16 U.S.C. 521e) is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking $150,000 and inserting $500,000. (b) Additional conveyance purposes Section 3 of Public Law 97–465 (16 U.S.C. 521e) is further amended— (1) by striking ; or at the end of paragraph (2) and inserting a semicolon; (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (3) and inserting a semicolon; and (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs: (4) parcels of 40 acres or less which are determined by the Secretary to be physically isolated, to be inaccessible, or to have lost their National Forest character; (5) parcels of 10 acres or less which are not eligible for conveyance under paragraph (2), but which are encroached upon by permanent habitable improvements for which there is no evidence that the encroachment was intentional or negligent; or (6) parcels used as a cemetery, a landfill, or a sewage treatment plant under a special use authorization issued by the Secretary. . (c) Disposition of proceeds Section 2 of Public Law 97–465 (16 U.S.C. 521d) is amended— (1) by striking The Secretary is authorized and inserting the following: (a) Conveyance authority; consideration The Secretary is authorized ; (2) by striking The Secretary shall insert and inserting the following: (b) Inclusion of terms, covenants, conditions, and reservations The Secretary shall insert ; (3) by striking convenants and inserting covenants; and (4) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (c) Disposition of proceeds (1) Deposit in sisk fund The net proceeds derived from any sale or exchange conducted under the authority of paragraph (4), (5), or (6) of section 3 shall be deposited in the fund established by Public Law 90–171 (commonly known as the Sisk Act; 16 U.S.C. 484a). (2) Use Amounts deposited under paragraph (1) shall be available to the Secretary, without further appropriation and until expended, for— (A) the acquisition of land or interests in land for administrative sites for the National Forest System in the State from which the amounts were derived; (B) the acquisition of land or interests in land for inclusion in the National Forest System in that State, including land or interests in land which enhance opportunities for recreational access; or (C) the performance of deferred maintenance on administrative sites for the National Forest System in that State or other deferred maintenance activities in that State which enhance opportunities for recreational access. .