Interstate 90 Land Exchange
[Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(3) [title III, § 346(a), (e)–(g), (i)]], Nov. 29, 1999, [113 Stat. 1535], 1501A–204, 1501A–206, provided that:“(a)
This section [enacting and amending provisions set out as notes below] shall be referred to as the ‘Interstate 90 Land Exchange Amendment’.
“(e)
Section 604(b) [section 101(e) [title VI, § 604(b)] of [Pub. L. 105–277], set out below] is further amended by inserting the following before the colon: ‘except Township 19 North, Range 10 East, W.M., Section 4, Township 20 North, Range 10 East, W.M., Section 32, and Township 21 North, Range 14 East, W.M., W½W½ of Section 16, Township 12 North, Range 7 East, Sections 4 and 5, W.M., Township 13 North, Range 7 East, Sections 32 and 33, W.M., Township 8 North, Range 4 East, Section 17 and the S½ of 16, W.M., which shall be retained by the United States’. The Appraisal shall be adjusted by subtracting the values determined for Township 19 North, Range 10 East, W.M., Section 4, Township 20 North, Range 10 East, W.M., Section 32, Township 12 North, Range 7 East, Sections 4 and 5, W.M., Township 13 North, Range 7 East, Sections 32 and 33, W.M., Township 8 North, Range 4 East, Section 17 and the S½ of Section 16, W.M. during the Appraisal process in the context of the whole estate to be conveyed.
“(f)
After adjustment of the Appraisal, the values of the offered and selected lands, including the offered lands held in escrow, shall be equalized as follows:
“(1)
the appraised value of the offered lands, as such lands and appraised value have been adjusted hereby, minus the appraised value of the offered lands to be placed into escrow, shall be compared to the appraised value of the selected lands, as such lands and appraised value have been adjusted hereby, and the Secretary shall equalize such values by the payment of cash to Plum Creek at the time that deeds are exchanged, such cash to come from currently appropriated funds, or, if necessary, by reprogramming; and
“(2)
the Secretary shall compensate Plum Creek for the lands placed into escrow, based upon the values determined for each such parcel during the Appraisal process in the context of the whole estate to be conveyed, through the following, including any combination thereof:
“(A)
conveyance of any other lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary acceptable to Plum Creek and the Secretary after compliance with all applicable Federal environmental and other laws; and
“(B)
to the extent sufficient acceptable lands are not available pursuant to paragraph (A) of this subsection, cash payments as and to the extent funds become available through appropriations, private sources, or, if necessary, by reprogramming.
The Secretary shall promptly seek to identify lands acceptable to equalize values under paragraph (A) of this subsection and shall, not later than July 1, 2000, provide a report to the Congress outlining the results of such efforts.
“(g)
As funds or lands are provided to Plum Creek by the Secretary, Plum Creek shall release to the United States deeds for lands and interests in lands held in escrow based on the values determined during the Appraisal process in the context of the whole estate to be conveyed. Deeds shall be released for lands and interests in lands in the following order: Township 21 North, Range 12 East, Section 15, W.M., Township 21 North, Range 12 East, Section 23, W.M., Township 21 North, Range 12 East, Section 25, W.M., Township 19 North, Range 13 East, Section 7, Township 19 North, Range 15 East, Section 31, Township 19 North, Range 14 East, Section 25, Township 22 North, Range 11 East, Section 3, W.M., and Township 22 North, Range 11 East, Section 19, W.M.
“(i)
The deadline for the Report to Congress required by section 609(c) of the Interstate 90 Land Exchange Act of 1998 [section 101(e) [title VI, § 609(c)] of [Pub. L. 105–277], set out below] is hereby extended. Such Report is due to the Congress 18 months from the date of the enactment of this Interstate 90 Land Exchange Amendment [Nov. 29, 1999].”
[Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(e) [title VI]], Oct. 21, 1998, [112 Stat. 2681–231], 2681–326, as amended by [Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(3) [title III, § 346(b)–(e), (h), (j)]], Nov. 29, 1999, [113 Stat. 1535], 1501A–204 to 1501A–206; [Pub. L. 113–287, § 5(d)(14)], Dec. 19, 2014, [128 Stat. 3265], provided that:“SEC. 601.
SHORT TITLE.
“This Act [probably should be “this title” meaning [Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(e) [title VI]]] may be cited as the ‘Interstate 90 Land Exchange Act of 1998’.
“SEC. 602.
FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
“(a)
Findings.—
Congress finds that—
“(1)
certain parcels of private land located in central and southwest Washington are intermingled with National Forest System land owned by the United States and administered by the Secretary of Agriculture as parts of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Wenatchee National Forest, and Gifford Pinchot National Forest;
“(2)
the private land surface estate and some subsurface is owned by the Plum Creek Timber Company, L.P. in an intermingled checkerboard pattern, with the United States or Plum Creek owning alternate square mile sections of land or fractions of square mile sections;
“(3)
the checkerboard land ownership pattern in the area has frustrated sound and efficient land management on both private and National Forest lands by complicating fish and wildlife habitat management, watershed protection, recreation use, road construction and timber harvest, boundary administration, and protection and management of threatened and endangered species and old growth forest habitat;
“(4)
acquisition by the United States of certain parcels of land that have been offered by Plum Creek for addition to the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and Wenatchee National Forest will serve important public objectives, including—
“(A)
enhancement of public access, aesthetics and recreation opportunities within or near areas of very heavy public recreational use including—
“(i)
the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area;
“(ii)
the Pacific Crest Trail;
“(iv)
Cle Elum Lake, Kachess Lake and Keechulus Lake; and
“(v)
other popular recreation areas along the Interstate 90 corridor east of the Seattle-Tacoma Metropolitan Area;
“(B)
protection and enhancement of old growth forests and habitat for threatened, endangered and sensitive species, including a net gain of approximately 28,500 acres of habitat for the northern spotted owl;
“(C)
consolidation of National Forest holdings for more efficient administration and to meet a broad array of ecosystem protection and other public land management goals, including net public gains of approximately 283 miles of stream ownership, 14 miles of the route of the Pacific Crest Trail, 20,000 acres of unroaded land, and 7,360 acres of riparian land; and
“(D)
a significant reduction in administrative costs to the United States through—
“(i)
consolidation of Federal land holdings for more efficient land management and planning;
“(ii)
elimination of approximately 300 miles of boundary identification and posting;
“(iii)
reduced right-of-way, special use, and other permit processing and issuance for roads and other facilities on National Forest System land; and
“(iv)
other administrative cost savings;
“(5)
Plum Creek has selected certain parcels of National Forest System land that are logical for consolidation into Plum Creek ownership utilizing a land exchange because the parcels—
“(A)
are intermingled with parcels owned by Plum Creek; and
“(B)
(i)
are generally located in less environmentally sensitive areas than the Plum Creek offered land; and
“(ii)
have lower public recreation and other public values than the Plum Creek offered land;
“(6)
time is of the essence in consummating a land exchange because delays may force Plum Creek to road or log the offered land and thereby diminish the public values for which the offered land is to be acquired; and
“(7)
it is in the public interest to complete the land exchange at the earliest practicable date so that the offered land can be acquired and preserved by the United States for permanent public management, use, and enjoyment.
“(b)
Purpose.—
It is the purpose of this Act to further the public interest by authorizing, directing, facilitating, and expediting the consummation of the Interstate 90 land exchange so as to ensure that the offered land is expeditiously acquired for permanent public use and enjoyment.
“SEC. 603.
DEFINITIONS.
“In this Act:
“(1)
Offered land.—
The term ‘offered land’ means all right, title and interest, including the surface and subsurface interests, in land described in section 604(a) to be conveyed into the public ownership of the United States under this Act.
“(2)
Plum creek.—
The term ‘Plum Creek’ means Plum Creek Timber Company, L.P., a Delaware Limited Partnership, or its successors, heirs, or assigns.