What This Bill Does
This bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer land called the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona. Gila County must submit a written request within 180 days after the bill becomes law. The land must be used to serve military veterans.
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Who It Affects
- Gila County, Arizona
- The Secretary of Agriculture (through the Forest Service)
- Veterans of the Armed Forces
- The general public (the map showing the property location will be available for public inspection)
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Key Provisions
- The Secretary must transfer all federal ownership rights to the land if Gila County requests it within 180 days of the bill becoming law (Sec. 1(b))
- The property consists of approximately 232.9 acres of National Forest System land located in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona (Sec. 1(c)(1))
- Gila County must pay all costs associated with the transfer, including survey costs and any environmental analysis required by federal law (Sec. 1(e))
- The land must be used only to provide recreational and other services to military veterans (Sec. 1(g)(1))
- If the land stops being used for veteran services, ownership automatically returns to the United States at the Secretary's discretion (Sec. 1(g)(2))
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What Changes
If this bill becomes law, Gila County, Arizona will own approximately 232.9 acres of federal forest land that it currently does not own. The county will then be responsible for maintaining and operating the property to serve veterans. The federal government will retain the right to take the land back if it is no longer used for veteran services.
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Important Definitions
- "County" means Gila County, Arizona (Sec. 1(a)(1))
- "Map" means the map titled "Pleasant Valley Admin Site Proposal" dated September 24, 2021 (Sec. 1(a)(2))
- "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service (Sec. 1(a)(3))
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Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
II
Calendar No. 296
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 1015
[Report No. 118–144]
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger
District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 28, 2023
Mr. KELLY (for himself and Ms. SINEMA) introduced the following bill; which
was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources
DECEMBER 20, 2023
Reported by Mr. MANCHIN, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleas-
ant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila
County, Arizona.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
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•S 1015 RS
SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF PLEASANT VALLEY RANGER
1
DISTRICT
ADMINISTRATIVE
SITE
TO
GILA
2
COUNTY, ARIZONA.
3
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
4
(1) COUNTY.—The term ‘‘County’’ means Gila
5
County, Arizona.
6
(2) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map en-
7
titled ‘‘Pleasant Valley Admin Site Proposal’’ and
8
dated September 24, 2021.
9
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
10
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the
11
Chief of the Forest Service.
12
(b) CONVEYANCE REQUIRED.—Subject to this sec-
13
tion, if the County submits to the Secretary a written re-
14
quest for conveyance of the property described in sub-
15
section (c) not later than 180 days after the date of enact-
16
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall convey to the County
17
all right, title, and interest of the United States in and
18
to the property described in subsection (c).
19
(c) DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY.—
20
(1) IN GENERAL.—The property referred to in
21
subsection (b) is the parcel of real property, includ-
22
ing all land and improvements, generally depicted as
23
‘‘Gila County Area’’ on the map, consisting of ap-
24
proximately 232.9 acres of National Forest System
25
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•S 1015 RS
land located in the Tonto National Forest in Ari-
1
zona.
2
(2) MAP.—
3
(A) MINOR ERRORS.—The Secretary may
4
correct minor errors in the map.
5
(B) AVAILABILITY.—A copy of the map
6
shall be on file and available for public inspec-
7
tion in the appropriate offices of the Forest
8
Service.
9
(3) SURVEY.—The exact acreage and legal de-
10
scription of the National Forest System land to be
11
conveyed under subsection (b) shall be determined
12
by a survey satisfactory to the Secretary.
13
(d)
TERMS
AND
CONDITIONS.—The
conveyance
14
under subsection (b) shall be—
15
(1) subject to valid existing rights;
16
(2) made without consideration;
17
(3) made by quitclaim deed; and
18
(4) subject to such other terms and conditions
19
as the Secretary considers to be appropriate to pro-
20
tect the interests of the United States.
21
(e) COSTS OF CONVEYANCE.—As a condition of the
22
conveyance under subsection (b), the County shall pay all
23
costs associated with the conveyance, including the cost
24
of—
25
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•S 1015 RS
(1) a survey, if necessary, under subsection
1
(c)(3); and
2
(2) any environmental analysis or resource sur-
3
vey required under Federal law.
4
(f)
ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITIONS.—Notwith-
5
standing section 120(h)(3)(A) of the Comprehensive Envi-
6
ronmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of
7
1980 (42 U.S.C. 9620(h)(3)(A)), the Secretary shall not
8
be required to provide any covenant or warranty for the
9
land and improvements conveyed to the County under sub-
10
section (c).
11
(g) REVERSION.—If any land conveyed under sub-
12
section (b) ceases to be used for purposes of serving vet-
13
erans of the Armed Forces, all right, title, and interest
14
in and to the land shall revert to the United States.
15
SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF PLEASANT VALLEY RANGER
16
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE SITE TO GILA
17
COUNTY, ARIZONA.
18
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
19
(1) COUNTY.—The term ‘‘County’’ means Gila
20
County, Arizona.
21
(2) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map enti-
22
tled ‘‘Pleasant Valley Admin Site Proposal’’ and
23
dated September 24, 2021.
24
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•S 1015 RS
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
1
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief
2
of the Forest Service.
3
(b) CONVEYANCE REQUIRED.—Subject to this section,
4
if the County submits to the Secretary a written request
5
for conveyance of the property described in subsection (c),
6
not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this
7
Act, the Secretary shall convey to the County all right, title,
8
and interest of the United States in and to the property
9
described in subsection (c).
10
(c) DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY.—
11
(1) IN GENERAL.—The property referred to in
12
subsection (b) is the parcel of real property, including
13
all land and improvements, generally depicted as
14
‘‘Gila County Area’’ on the map, consisting of ap-
15
proximately 232.9 acres of National Forest System
16
land located in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona.
17
(2) MAP.—
18
(A) MINOR ERRORS.—The Secretary may
19
correct minor errors in the map.
20
(B) AVAILABILITY.—A copy of the map
21
shall be on file and available for public inspec-
22
tion in the appropriate offices of the Forest Serv-
23
ice.
24
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•S 1015 RS
(3) SURVEY.—The exact acreage and legal de-
1
scription of the National Forest System land to be
2
conveyed under subsection (b) shall be determined by
3
a survey satisfactory to the Secretary.
4
(d) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—The conveyance under
5
subsection (b) shall be—
6
(1) subject to valid existing rights;
7
(2) made without consideration;
8
(3) made by quitclaim deed; and
9
(4) subject to such other terms and conditions as
10
the Secretary considers to be appropriate.
11
(e) COSTS OF CONVEYANCE.—As a condition of the
12
conveyance under subsection (b), the County shall pay all
13
costs associated with the conveyance, including the cost of—
14
(1) a survey, if necessary, under subsection
15
(c)(3); and
16
(2) any analysis, review, or resource survey re-
17
quired under Federal law.
18
(f) ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.—Notwithstanding
19
section 120(h)(3)(A) of the Comprehensive Environmental
20
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42
21
U.S.C. 9620(h)(3)(A)), the Secretary shall not be required
22
to provide any covenant or warranty for the land and im-
23
provements conveyed to the County under subsection (b).
24
(g) USE OF LAND; REVERSION.—
25
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•S 1015 RS
(1) USE OF LAND.—The land and improvements
1
conveyed to the County under subsection (b) shall be
2
used by the County only for the purpose of providing
3
recreational and other services to veterans of the
4
Armed Forces.
5
(2) REVERSION.—If any land conveyed to the
6
County under subsection (b) ceases to be used for the
7
purposes described in paragraph (1), all right, title,
8
and interest in and to the land may, at the discretion
9
of the Secretary, revert to the United States.
10
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S1015
Calendar No. 296
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 1015
[Report No. 118–144]
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey
the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administra-
tive Site to Gila County, Arizona.
DECEMBER 20, 2023
Reported with an amendment
VerDate Sep 11 2014
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