HR4559SEP29

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Week Ending September 29, 2006

HR 4559 To provide for the conveyance of certain National Forest System land to the towns of Laona and Wabeno, Wisconsin,

At the request of Laona, Wisconsin the Secretary of Agriculture will convey all right, title and interest of the US in approximately 176 acres of National Forest System (NFS) land in Forest County, WI for the purpose of permitting the town to use the parcels as a site for an industrial park. Laona will pay the appraised market value of $300,000.

At its request the town of Wabeno, WI will receive all right, title and interest in 173 acres NFS land in Forest County to be used as an industrial park. Wabeno will pay $320,000 for the land.

The bill further authorizes the Secretary to sell all right, title and interest of the US in NFS land outside the boundary of the Cequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Florence County and Langlade County, WI. The land is about 480 acres. The land can be sold at auction or otherwise but the Secretary can reject any offer that he considers is not in the public interest. Funds from the sale can be used to buy other land to be included in the National Forest.

Sponsor:

Vote: Passed House by voice vote September 26, 2006

Cost to the taxpayers: No cost.

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MORE INFORMATION

) Conveyance to Town of Laona-

(1) CONVEYANCE- At the request of the town of Laona, Wisconsin (referred to in this subsection as the `town'), the Secretary of Agriculture shall convey to the town all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the parcel of National Forest System land in Forest County, Wisconsin, consisting of approximately 176 acres, as further described in paragraph (2), for the purpose of permitting the town to use the parcel as a site for an industrial park and for other purposes.

(2) LEGAL DESCRIPTION- The parcel of land referred to in paragraph (1) consists of the N 1/2 SW 1/4 , SW 1/4 NW 1/4 , S 1/2 SE 1/4 NW 1/4 , and that part of the W 1/2 NE 1/4 lying south of the Rat River, excluding Lot #1 of Forest County Certified Survey Map #157861 and a 100-foot wide former rail road right-of-way running through the W 1/2 NE 1/4 , all in section 6, township 35 north, range 15 east, Laona Township, Forest County, Wisconsin.

(3) CONSIDERATION- As consideration for the conveyance under this subsection, the town shall pay to the Secretary an amount equal to $300,000, which is the appraised fair market value of the parcel of National Forest System land to be conveyed.

(b) Conveyance to Town of Wabeno-

(1) CONVEYANCE- At the request of the town of Wabeno, Wisconsin (referred to in this subsection as the `town'), the Secretary of Agriculture shall convey to the town all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the parcel of National Forest System land in Forest County, Wisconsin, consisting of approximately 173 acres, as further described in paragraph (2), for the purpose of permitting the town to use the parcel as a site for an industrial park and for other purposes.

(2) LEGAL DESCRIPTION- The parcel of land referred to in paragraph (1) consists of the S 1/2 NW 1/4 , E 1/2 SW 1/4 , and east 17.30 acres of the NW 1/4 SW 1/4 , excluding a 100-foot wide former rail road right-of-way running through the NE 1/4 SW 1/4 and SE 1/4 NW 1/4 and a 0.02 acre parcel in the SW 1/4 NW 1/4 , a 0.93 acre parcel in the SE 1/4 SW 1/4 , and a 2.36 acre parcel in the E 1/2 SW 1/4 reserved for highway purposes, as described in volume 7, 276-277, Forest County Records, and all in section 7, township 34 north, range 15 east, Wabeno Township, Forest County, Wisconsin.

(3) CONSIDERATION- As consideration for the conveyance under this subsection, the town shall pay to the Secretary an amount equal to $320,000, which is the appraised fair market value of the parcel of National Forest System land to be conveyed.

(c) Survey- If necessary, the exact acreage and legal description of the lands to be conveyed under subsections (a) and (b) shall be determined by surveys satisfactory to the Secretary. The cost of a survey shall be borne by the recipient of the land.

(d) Additional Terms and Conditions- The Secretary may require such additional terms and conditions in connection with the conveyances under this section as the Secretary considers appropriate to protect the interests of the United States.

(a) Authority to Convey- The Secretary of Agriculture may sell all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the parcels of National Forest System land described in subsection (b), which are located outside of the contiguous boundary of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Florence County and Langlade County, Wisconsin.

(b) Covered Parcels-

(1) LEGAL DESCRIPTION- The parcels of land referred to in subsection (a) consist of the following:

(A) Approximately 480 acres in the NE 1/4 NE 1/4 and the S 1/2 NE 1/4 of section 9, the S 1/2 NE 1/4 of section 25, and the NE 1/4 , the SW 1/4 NW 1/4 , and the E 1/2 NW 1/4 of section 36, township 39 north, range 16 east, Florence County, Wisconsin.

(B) Approximately 80 acres in the E 1/2 NW 1/4 of section 22, township 33 north, range 9 east, Langlade County, Wisconsin.

(2) MODIFICATION- For the purpose of soliciting offers for the purchase of the land authorized to be sold under this section, the Secretary may modify the legal descriptions specified in paragraph (1) based on a survey of the land or a determination by the Secretary that the modification would be in the best interest of the public.

(c) Methods of Sale- The Secretary may sell the land authorized to be sold under this section at public or private sale, including at auction, in accordance with such terms, conditions, and procedures as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. The Secretary may reject any offer received under this section if the Secretary determines that the offer is not adequate or is not in the public interest. To facilitate the sale of the land, the Secretary may use a real estate broker and pay the real estate broker a commission in an amount that is comparable to the amounts of commission generally paid for real estate transactions in the area in which the sale occurs.

(d) Consideration- As consideration for the purchase of land under this section, the purchaser shall pay to the United States an amount equal to the fair market value of the land, as determined by an appraisal satisfactory to the Secretary and conforming to the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions.

(e) Deposit and Use of Proceeds-

(1) DEPOSIT- The Secretary shall deposit the proceeds from the sale of land under this section in the fund established under Public Law 90-171 (commonly known as the Sisk Act; 16 U.S.C. 484a).

(2) USE- Funds deposited pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be available to the Secretary, without further appropriation and until expended--

(A) to acquire land and interests in land for inclusion in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin; and

(B) to reimburse costs incurred by the Secretary in carrying out land sales under this section, including the payment of real estate broker commissions under subsection (c).

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