[Page H10492]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

CONVEYING CERTAIN LAND IN WYOMING

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the Senate bill (S. 610) to direct the Secretary of the Interior
to convey certain land under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land
Management in Washakie County and Big Horn County, Wyoming, to the
Westside Irrigation District, Wyoming, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read as follows:

S. 610

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE.

(a) In General.--On completion of an environmental analysis
under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Secretary of the Interior, acting
through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management
(referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary''), shall convey
to the Westside Irrigation District, Wyoming (referred to in
this Act as ``Westside''), all right, title, and interest
(excluding the mineral interest) of the United States in and
to such portions of the Federal land in Big Horn County and
Washakie County, Wyoming, described in subsection (c), as the
district enters into an agreement with the Secretary to
purchase.
(b) Price.--The price of the land conveyed under subsection
(a) shall be equal to the appraised value of the land, as
determined by the Secretary.
(c) Land Description.--
(1) In general.--The land referred to in subsection (a) is
the approximately 16,500 acres of land in Big Horn County and
Washakie County, Wyoming, as depicted on the map entitled
``Westside Project'' and dated May 9, 2000.
(2) Adjustment.--On agreement of the Secretary and
Westside, acreage may be added to or subtracted from the land
to be conveyed as necessary to satisfy any mitigation
requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
(d) Use of Proceeds.--Proceeds of the sale of land under
subsection (a) shall be deposited in a special account in the
Treasury of the United States and shall be available to the
Secretary of the Interior, without further Act of
appropriation, for the acquisition of land and interests in
land in the Worland District of the Bureau of Land Management
in the State of Wyoming that will benefit public recreation,
public access, fish and wildlife habitat, or cultural
resources.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George
Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young).
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise in support of S. 610, a bill to direct the conveyance of
certain BLM lands to the Westside Irrigation District of Wyoming.
Mr. Speaker, S. 610 directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey
roughly 37,000 acres of land under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of
Land Management in Washakie County and Big Horn County, Wyoming, to the
Westside Irrigation District.
In turn, Westside Irrigation District will irrigate these lands and
sell them as farmland parcels. Proceeds raised from the land sales will
be given to the Secretary of the Interior for the acquisition of the
land in the Worland District of the Bureau of Land Management, for the
purpose of benefiting public recreation, increasing public access,
enhancing fish and wildlife habitat, and improving cultural resources.
In recent years, expanded residential development in Washakie and Big
Horn Counties has resulted in key loss to the economy: farmland. This
legislation will afford communities an opportunity to retain their
economic vitality, while protecting cultural and natural resources and
the environment.
I would personally like to congratulate everyone who worked so
diligently on this measure. I believe it is a job well done between the
Federal agencies of the State and individual landholders. I ask my
colleagues to support S. 610.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
As the gentleman has explained, this is an exchange of land or the
direct sale of land in Wyoming, and while the administration is
concerned that not all of the lands have been identified, we have no
objections to the bill at this time, and we urge its passage.
S. 610 (Enzi) is a Senate passed measure that directs the sale of
16,500 acres of public land in Wyoming to the Westside Irrigation
District. Mineral estate would remain with the United States.
District required to pay fair market value for the lands.
Prior to any sale there has to be completed an environmental analysis
under NEPA.
Bill allows the Secretary and the District to add or subtract lands
if necessary to satisfy the mitigation requirements of the NEPA
analysis.
Administration had raised a number of concerns with the bill as
introduced. While the bill was amended in the Senate to address some of
these concerns, the Administration still does not support passage.
Administration concerned that they are required to sell lands that
had not been identified for disposal. The lands contain significant
paleontological resources and provide important wildlife habitat.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the Senate bill, S. 610.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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