[House Report 112-439]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
112th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 112-439
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LAND EXCHANGE FOR INYO NATIONAL FOREST
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April 16, 2012.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Hastings of Washington, from the Committee on Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 2157]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 2157) to facilitate a land exchange involving
certain National Forest System lands in the Inyo National
Forest and for other purposes, having considered the same,
report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that
the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of H.R. 2157 is to facilitate a land exchange
involving certain National Forest System lands in the Inyo
National Forest.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
H.R. 2157 authorizes the U.S. Forest Service to acquire two
parcels of land outside the boundary of the Inyo National
Forest in exchange for conveyance of 20 acres of national
forest land to the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area (MMSA). The main
base of the MMSA currently operates under a special-use permit
from the Forest Service and has been working to acquire
ownership of the parcel to allow for needed renovations. The
Inyo National Forest currently operates facilities on land that
is owned by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
outside the boundary of the forest. H.R. 2157 authorizes the
Inyo National Forest to acquire those parcels in the process of
exchanging lands with the MMSA. In addition, the value of the
parcels to be acquired by the MMSA exceeds the value of the
lands to be exchanged to the Forest Service so the legislation
authorizes the Forest Service to accept a cash equalization
payment greater than the 25 percent cap under current law.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 2157 was introduced on June 13, 2011, by Congressman
Howard ``Buck'' McKeon (R-CA). The bill was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. On
December 2, 2011, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill.
On February 29, 2012, the Full Natural Resources Committee met
to consider the bill. The Subcommittee on National Parks,
Forests and Public Lands was discharged by unanimous consent.
No amendments were offered and the bill was then ordered
favorably reported to the House of Representatives by voice
vote.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII
1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(2)(B)
of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Under clause 3(c)(3) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section
403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has
received the following cost estimate for this bill from the
Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
H.R. 2157--A bill to facilitate a land exchange involving certain
National Forest System lands in the Inyo National Forest, and
for other purposes
H.R. 2157 would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to
accept certain nonfederal lands in exchange for 20 acres of
federal land within the Inyo National Forest in California.
Based on information provided by the Forest Service, CBO
estimates that implementing the legislation would increase
offsetting receipts and associated direct spending; therefore,
pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO expects that those
changes would have no net impact on the deficit over the 2012-
2022 period. Enacting H.R. 2157 would not affect revenues.
H.R. 2157 would authorize the Secretary to accept private
lands located outside of the Inyo National Forest in exchange
for federal lands located within the forest. In addition, the
bill would allow the Secretary to accept a cash payment that is
greater than 25 percent of the value of the federal lands to
equalize the values of the properties that would be exchanged.
Under current law, the Secretary can only exchange federal
lands within a national forest for nonfederal lands located
within that forest and cannot accept a cash equalization
payment greater than 25 percent of the value of the federal
lands exchanged.
Formal appraisals of the properties have not been
completed, but, based on information provided by the Forest
Service, CBO estimates that the cash equalization payment could
be several million dollars (if the federal land is found to be
more valuable than the private land). Under the bill, amounts
received from such a payment would be retained by the agency
and spent, without further appropriation, to acquire other
lands in California. CBO estimates that those amounts would be
spent within five years of the bill's enactment.
H.R. 2157 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeff LaFave.
This estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
2. Section 308(a) of Congressional Budget Act. As required
by clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget
Act of 1974, this bill does not contain any new budget
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in
revenues or tax expenditures. Based on information provided by
the U.S. Forest Service, CBO estimates that implementing the
legislation would increase offsetting receipts and associated
direct spending; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply.
However, CBO expects that those changes would have no net
impact on the deficit over the 2012-2022 period.
3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill is to facilitate a land exchange
involving certain National Forest System lands in the Inyo
National Forest.
EARMARK STATEMENT
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4
This bill contains no unfunded mandates as defined under
Public Law 104-4.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW
This bill is not intended to preempt any local or tribal
law.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing
law.