H.R. 837
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona.
Sponsor: Elijah Crane · 0 cosponsors
In plain English: what this bill does
Summary
This bill would require the U.S. Forest Service to transfer about 232.9 acres of federal land in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona to Gila County, if the county asks in writing within 180 days of the bill becoming law. The transfer would be free, made by quitclaim deed, and the county would pay all costs of the transfer. The county could use the land only to serve and support veterans, and the land would return to the federal government if it is used for something else.
Who this affects
- Gila County, Arizona: may receive the land if it submits a written request within 180 days, and must pay all costs of the transfer, including any survey, environmental analysis, and historic preservation review.
- The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Forest Service: must convey the land if the county asks, and is not required to provide any environmental covenant or warranty for the land.
- Veterans of the Armed Forces: are the group the land must serve and support under the bill's conditions.
Words to know
- Quitclaim deed: a legal document that transfers whatever interest the seller has in property, without promising that the title is clear.
- Covenant or warranty: a formal promise about the condition or ownership of property, such as a promise that it is free of contamination.
- Reversion: a return of property to its original owner when a condition attached to the transfer is broken.
- Valid existing rights: rights other people already hold in the land, such as permits or easements, that remain in place after the transfer.
For example
Made-up situation: Suppose the county asks for the land on day 100 and pays for the survey and required reviews. The county then transfers the land to itself at no price, but if it later leases the site to a private business instead of using it to serve veterans, the land would go back to the federal government at the Secretary's discretion.
Written by AI from the bill's text below; it can be wrong. How it's written
Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
This bill directs the Forest Service to convey specified property to Gila County, Arizona, upon the county's submission of a written request for such conveyance. The property, identified as the Gila County Area, consists of approximately 232.9 acres of National Forest System land located in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona.
The county must use the land for the purposes of serving and supporting veterans. If any land conveyed under this bill ceases to be used for such purpose, all right, title, and interest in and to the land shall revert to the United States, at the discretion of the Forest Service.
The conveyance must be made with a quitclaim deed and without consideration (value, such as payment, provided in exchange for the property).
The Forest Service must not be required to provide any covenant or warranty for the land and improvements conveyed to the county under such conveyance.
As a condition of the conveyance, the county must pay all the costs associated with the conveyance, including any (1) surveys, (2) environmental analysis or resource survey required under federal law, and (3) analysis required to comply with certain provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act.
Text of the bill
(a) Definitions. In this section:
(1) County. The term County means Gila County, Arizona.
(2) Map. The term map means the map entitled Pleasant Valley Admin Site Proposal and dated September 23, 2021.
(3) Secretary. The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
(b) Conveyance required. Subject to this section, if the County submits to the Secretary a written request for conveyance of the property described in subsection (c) not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall convey to the County all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the property described in subsection (c).
(c) Description of property
(1) In general. The property referred to in subsection (b) is the parcel of real property, including all land and improvements, generally depicted as Gila County Area on the map, consisting of approximately 232.9 acres of National Forest System land located in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona.
(2) Map
(A) Minor errors. The Secretary may correct minor errors in the map.
(B) Availability. A copy of the map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Forest Service.
(3) Survey. The exact acreage and legal description of the National Forest System land to be conveyed under subsection (b) shall be determined by a survey satisfactory to the Secretary.
(d) Terms and conditions. The conveyance under subsection (b) shall be—
(1) subject to valid existing rights;
(2) made without consideration;
(3) made by quitclaim deed; and
(4) subject to such other terms and conditions as the Secretary considers to be appropriate to protect the interests of the United States.
(e) Costs of conveyance. As a condition of the conveyance under subsection (b), the County shall pay all costs associated with the conveyance, including the cost of—
(1) a survey, if necessary, under subsection (c)(3);
(2) any environmental analysis or resource survey required under Federal law; and
(3) any analysis required to comply with division A of subtitle III of title 54, United States Code (commonly referred to as the National Historic Preservation Act).
(f) Environmental conditions. Notwithstanding section 120(h)(3)(A) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9620(h)(3)(A)), the Secretary shall not be required to provide any covenant or warranty for the land and improvements conveyed to the County under subsection (b).
(g) Use of land. The land conveyed to the county under subsection (b) shall be used by the County only for the purposes of serving and supporting veterans of the Armed Forces.
(h) Reversion. If any land conveyed under subsection (b) is used in a manner that is inconsistent with the requirements of subsection (g), all right, title, and interest in and to the land shall revert to the United States, at the discretion of the Secretary.