summary
Introduced
03/03/2015
03/03/2015
In Committee
04/30/2015
04/30/2015
Crossed Over
09/17/2015
09/17/2015
Passed
Dead
01/03/2017
01/03/2017
Introduced Session
114th Congress
Bill Summary
National Forest Small Tracts Act Amendments Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) Amends the Small Tracts Act (the Act) to permit the sale, exchange, or interchange under such Act of National Forest System (NFS) lands the sale or exchange of which is not practicable under any other authority of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) which have a value determined to be not more than $500,000. Includes as those lands permitted to be sold, exchanged, or interchanged under the Act: parcels of 40 acres or less which are determined to be physically isolated, to be inaccessible, or to have lost their National Forest character; parcels of 10 acres or less which are not eligible for conveyance under such Act, but which are encroached upon by permanent habitable improvements for which there is no evidence that the encroachment was intentional or negligent; and parcels used as a cemetery, a landfill, or a sewage treatment plant under a special use authorization issued by the USDA. Allows the sale, exchange, or interchange of a cemetery that is expected to reach capacity within 10 years to include, in the USDA's sole discretion, up to 1 additional acre abutting the permit area to facilitate the expansion of that cemetery. Requires any proceeds under this Act to be deposited in the special fund established under the Sisk Act and made available for: the acquisition of land or interests in land for administrative sites for the NFS in the state from which the amounts were derived; the acquisition of land or interests in land for inclusion in the NFS in that state, including those which enhance opportunities for recreational access; the performance of deferred maintenance on administrative sites for the NFS in that state or other deferred maintenance activities in that state which enhance opportunities for recreational access; and the reimbursement of the USDA for costs incurred in preparing a competitive sale conducted under the authority of the Act.
AI Summary
This bill amends the Small Tracts Act to allow the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to sell or exchange National Forest System (NFS) lands valued at up to $500,000, provided these sales or exchanges are not feasible under other USDA authorities. Specifically, it permits the sale or exchange of parcels of 40 acres or less that are isolated, inaccessible, or have lost their National Forest character, as well as parcels of 10 acres or less that are encroached upon by permanent structures without evidence of intentional or negligent encroachment. Additionally, parcels used as cemeteries, landfills, or sewage treatment plants under a special use permit can be sold or exchanged, with the possibility of including an extra acre for cemeteries nearing capacity. Proceeds from these transactions will be deposited into a special fund established by the Sisk Act and can be used for acquiring land for NFS administrative sites or for inclusion in the NFS in the state where the proceeds were generated, including land that improves recreational access, for deferred maintenance on NFS administrative sites or other activities that enhance recreational access, and to reimburse the USDA for costs associated with competitive sales.
Committee Categories
Agriculture and Natural Resources, Government Affairs
Sponsors (4)
Last Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (on 09/17/2015)
Official Document
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