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[DOCID: f:h1174ih.txt]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1174
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to dispose of all public lands
administered by the Bureau of Land Management that have been identified
for disposal under the Federal land use planning process.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 22, 2001
Mr. Duncan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to dispose of all public lands
administered by the Bureau of Land Management that have been identified
for disposal under the Federal land use planning process.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Lands Improvement Act of
2001''.
SEC. 2. PUBLIC LANDS DISPOSAL REQUIREMENT.
(a) Disposal Requirement.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 7 years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and subject to paragraphs (2), (3),
and (4), the Secretary of the Interior shall dispose of all
right, title, and interest of the United States in and to all
public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management
that, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, have been
identified for disposal under the land use planning process
under section 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1713).
(2) Milestones.--Of the lands referred to in paragraph (1),
the Secretary shall dispose of--
(A) at least \1/3\ before the end of the 3-year
period beginning on the date of the enactment of this
Act; and
(B) at least \2/3\ before the end of the 5-year
period beginning on such date.
(3) Retention of wilderness lands.--The Secretary shall not
under this section dispose of any lands located in any
wilderness area or wilderness study area.
(4) Net cost limitation.--The Secretary shall not under
this section dispose of a parcel of land if cost to the United
States of the disposal exceeds the amount that would be
received by the United States for the parcel.
(b) Manner of Disposal.--The Secretary shall dispose of public
lands under this section--
(1) in accordance with the procedures that apply under
subsection (f) of section 203 of the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1713(f)) to sales of public
lands under that section; and
(2) in parcels of 160 acres or less.
(c) Determination of Lands for Disposal.--The Secretary may
determine the public lands to be disposed of under this section.
(d) Use of Proceeds.--Of amounts received by the United States as
proceeds of disposals of public lands under this section--
(1) \1/3\ shall be deposited in the account established by
subsection (e);
(2) \1/3\ shall be paid to the county in which the lands
are located for use by the county for any purpose, which may
include education, transportation and infrastructure, or
preservation of open spaces; and
(3) \1/3\ shall be deposited in the general fund of the
Treasury and utilized to reduce the public debt.
(e) Special Account.--
(1) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of
the United States a separate account to be used in carrying out
this section.
(2) Contents.--The account shall consist of--
(A) amounts deposited in the account under
subsection (d); and
(B) interest added to the account under paragraph
(4) of this subsection.
(3) Use.--
(A) In general.--Amounts in the account shall be
available to the Secretary until expended, without
further appropriation, to pay--
(i) subject to subparagraph (B), costs
incurred by the Bureau of Land Management in
arranging disposals of public lands under this
section, including the costs of land boundary
surveys, compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq.), appraisals, environmental and
cultural clearances, and public notice;
(ii) the cost of acquisition from a willing
seller of environmentally sensitive land or
interests in such land in States in which are
located public lands disposed of under this
section;
(iii) the cost of carrying out any
necessary revision or amendment of a current
land use plan of the Bureau of Land Management
that relates to public lands disposed of under
this section;
(iv) the cost of projects or programs to
restore or protect wetlands, riparian areas, or
cultural, historic, prehistoric, or
paleontological resources on public lands,
including petroglyphs; and
(v) the cost of projects, programs, or land
acquisition to stabilize or restore water
quality for water located or used on public
lands.
(B) Limitations.--
(i) Costs in arranging land disposals.--
Costs charged against the account for the
purposes described in subparagraph (A)(i) shall
not exceed the minimum amount practicable in
view of the fair market value of the public
lands disposed of.
(ii) Acquisition.--Not more than 50 percent
of the amounts deposited in the account in any
fiscal year may be used in that fiscal year or
any subsequent fiscal year for the purpose
described in subparagraph (A)(ii).
(C) Plan revisions and amendments.--The process of
revising or amending a land use plan shall not cause
delay or postponement in the implementation of this
section.
(f) Annual Report.--Not later than October 31 of each year, the
Secretary shall report to the Congress describing in detail the use
under subsection (d) during the preceding fiscal year of proceeds of
disposals of public lands under this section, including the
expenditures in that fiscal year of amounts made available under
subsection (e).
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Public lands.--The term ``public lands'' has the
meaning that term has under section 103(e) of the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702(e)).
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
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