Bill Summary
This legislation is an Act that aims to release a federal reversionary interest in Chester County, Tennessee, and to manage certain Federal land in Bath County, Virginia. The Act will allow for the transfer of ownership of the Webb property to the State of Tennessee for inclusion in the Chickasaw State Forest and the transfer of the State forest land to the State or a non-State entity. This will release a reversionary interest of the United States in the State forest land, which required the land to be used for public purposes. The Act also allows for the sale of mineral rights in the State forest land, with the State being responsible for administrative costs and the market value of the mineral interests. Additionally, the Act designates certain land in the George Washington National Forest as potential wilderness areas, with the potential for one of these areas to become designated as wilderness in the future. The Act also allows for certain activities to improve water quality and aquatic passage in the potential wilderness area, using motorized equipment and mechanized transport if necessary.
Possible Impacts
1. The release of the reversionary interest in Chester County, Tennessee could affect people by potentially allowing the State of Tennessee to use the land for non-public purposes, which could have an impact on nearby communities or individuals who use the land for recreational purposes.
2. The sale of mineral rights in Bath County, Virginia could affect people by potentially disrupting the natural ecosystem and wildlife in the area, as well as potentially impacting the local economy and community if the mineral rights are sold to a non-State entity.
3. The potential wilderness designation and management plans for the Rough Mountain and Rich Hole areas in the George Washington National Forest could affect people by limiting access to certain areas for recreational activities, such as hunting or off-roading, and potentially impacting local businesses that rely on these activities for revenue. The use of motorized equipment and mechanized transport for water quality improvement could also impact the wilderness character of these areas.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3076 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3076
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To release a federal reversionary interest in Chester County,
Tennessee, to manage certain Federal land in Bath County, Virginia, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CHESTER COUNTY REVERSIONARY INTEREST RELEASE.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
(2) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of
Tennessee.
(3) State forest land.--The term ``State forest land''
means the approximately 0.62-acre parcel of land in Chickasaw
State Forest that is identified as ``State Forest Land'' on the
map prepared by the Forest Service entitled ``State Forest Land
Detail Map'' and dated December 13, 2019.
(4) Webb property.--The term ``Webb property'' means the
approximately 0.90-acre parcel of land owned by Kirby and Leta
Webb identified as ``Webb Property Lot 1'' on the map entitled
``Webb Property Detail Map'' and dated December 13, 2019.
(b) Release of Reversionary Interest.--
(1) Release.--On the transfer of ownership of the Webb
property to the State for inclusion in the Chickasaw State
Forest and the transfer of the State forest land to the State
or a non-State entity, by request of the State, the Secretary
shall release to the State, without consideration, the
reversionary interest of the United States in and to the State
forest land described in paragraph (2).
(2) Description of reversionary interest.--The reversionary
interest referred to in paragraph (1) is the reversionary
interest of the United States in and to the State forest land
that--
(A) requires that the State forest land be used for
public purposes; and
(B) is contained in a deed--
(i) granting from the United States to the
State the State forest land;
(ii) dated August 12, 1955; and
(iii) registered on pages 588 through 591
of book 48 of the record of deeds for Chester
County, Tennessee.
(c) Sale of Mineral Rights.--
(1) In general.--Subject to any valid existing rights of
third parties, as soon as practicable after the date on which
all actions described in subsection (b)(1) have been carried
out, the Secretary shall offer to sell to the State the
undivided mineral interests of the United States in and to the
State forest land.
(2) Terms of sale.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
determine--
(i) the mineral character of the State
forest land; and
(ii) the market value of the mineral
interests referred to in paragraph (1), as
determined by an appraisal conducted in
accordance with subparagraph (C).
(B) Payment of costs.--As a condition of any sale
under this subsection, the State shall pay to the
United States--
(i) any administrative costs incurred by
the United States in selling to the State the
mineral interests referred to in paragraph (1),
including the costs incurred by the Secretary
in making the determinations required under
subparagraph (A); and
(ii) an amount equal to the market value of
the mineral interests referred to in paragraph
(1), as determined under subparagraph (A)(ii).
(C) Appraisal requirements.--An appraisal conducted
under subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be--
(i) consistent with the Uniform Appraisal
Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions and the
Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal
Practice; and
(ii) subject to the approval of the
Secretary.
SEC. 2. ADDITIONS TO ROUGH MOUNTAIN AND RICH HOLE WILDERNESSES.
(a) Rough Mountain Addition.--Section 1 of Public Law 100-326 (16
U.S.C. 1132 note; 102 Stat. 584; 114 Stat. 2057; 123 Stat. 1002) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(21) Rough mountain addition.--Certain land in the George
Washington National Forest comprising approximately 1,000
acres, as generally depicted as the `Rough Mountain Addition'
on the map entitled `GEORGE WASHINGTON NATIONAL FOREST - South
half - Alternative I - Selected Alternative Management
Prescriptions - Land and Resources Management Plan Final
Environmental Impact Statement' and dated March 4, 2014, which
is incorporated in the Rough Mountain Wilderness Area
designated by paragraph (1).''.
(b) Rich Hole Addition.--
(1) Potential wilderness designation.--In furtherance of
the purposes of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.),
certain land in the George Washington National Forest
comprising approximately 4,600 acres, as generally depicted as
the ``Rich Hole Addition'' on the map entitled ``GEORGE
WASHINGTON NATIONAL FOREST - South half - Alternative I -
Selected Alternative Management Prescriptions - Land and
Resources Management Plan Final Environmental Impact
Statement'' and dated March 4, 2014, is designated as a
potential wilderness area for incorporation in the Rich Hole
Wilderness Area designated by section 1(2) of Public Law 100-
326 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; 102 Stat. 584; 114 Stat. 2057; 123
Stat. 1002).
(2) Wilderness designation.--The potential wilderness area
designated by paragraph (1) shall be designated as wilderness
and incorporated in the Rich Hole Wilderness Area designated by
section 1(2) of Public Law 100-326 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; 102
Stat. 584; 114 Stat. 2057; 123 Stat. 1002) on the earlier of--
(A) the date on which the Secretary publishes in
the Federal Register notice that the activities
permitted under paragraph (4) have been completed; or
(B) the date that is 5 years after the date of
enactment of this Act.
(3) Management.--Except as provided in paragraph (4), the
Secretary shall manage the potential wilderness area designated
by paragraph (1) in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.).
(4) Water quality improvement activities.--
(A) In general.--To enhance natural ecosystems
within the potential wilderness area designated by
paragraph (1) by implementing certain activities to
improve water quality and aquatic passage, as set forth
in the Forest Service document entitled ``Decision
Notice for the Lower Cowpasture Restoration and
Management Project'' and dated December 2015, the
Secretary may use motorized equipment and mechanized
transport in the potential wilderness area until the
date on which the potential wilderness area is
incorporated into the Rich Hole Wilderness Area under
paragraph (2).
(B) Requirement.--In carrying out subparagraph (A),
the Secretary, to the maximum extent practicable, shall
use the minimum tool or administrative practice
necessary to carry out that subparagraph with the least
amount of adverse impact on wilderness character and
resources.
Passed the Senate January 6, 2020.
Attest:
Secretary.
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3076
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To release a federal reversionary interest in Chester County,
Tennessee, to manage certain Federal land in Bath County, Virginia, and
for other purposes.