A bill to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain National Forest System land located in Franklin County, Mississippi, and for other purposes.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2440 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2440

   To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain National 
  Forest System land located in Franklin County, Mississippi, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 24, 2025

Mrs. Hyde-Smith introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain National 
  Forest System land located in Franklin County, Mississippi, and for 
                            other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. OKHISSA LAKE RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAND CONVEYANCE.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Alliance.--The term ``Alliance'' means the Scenic 
        Rivers Development Alliance.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.
    (b) Request.--Subject to the requirements of this section, if the 
Alliance submits a written request for conveyance by not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act and the Secretary 
determines that it is in the public interest to convey the National 
Forest System land described in subsection (c), the Secretary shall 
convey to the Alliance all right, title, and interest of the United 
States in and to the National Forest System land described in 
subsection (c) by quitclaim deed through a public or private sale, 
including a competitive sale by auction or bid.
    (c) Description of National Forest System Land.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the National 
        Forest System land referred to in subsection (b) is--
                    (A) the approximately 137.7 acres of real property 
                located in secs. 5 and 6, T. 5 N., R. 4 E., and sec. 
                31, T. 6 N., R. 4 E., Franklin County, Mississippi, as 
                depicted on the map prepared for the Alliance by 
                Marling Surveying, LLC, entitled ``Map of Survey of a 
                137.70 Acre Tract, a Portion of U.S. Department of 
                Agriculture Forest Service Homochitto National Forest 
                Tracts H-41g & H-307'', and dated September 16, 2024; 
                and
                    (B) the approximately 173 acres of real property 
                located in secs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, T. 5 N., R. 4 E., 
                Franklin County, Mississippi, as depicted on the map 
                prepared for the Alliance by Marling Surveying, LLC, 
                entitled ``Map of Survey of a +/- 173 Acre Tract, a 
                Portion of U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest 
                Service Homochitto National Forest Tracts H-1, H-3b, H-
                41g & H-307'', and dated September 16, 2024.
            (2) Survey.--The exact acreage and legal description of the 
        National Forest System land to be conveyed under this section 
        shall be determined by a survey satisfactory to the Secretary.
    (d) Consideration.--
            (1) In general.--The consideration for the conveyance of 
        any National Forest System land under this section shall be--
                    (A) provided in the form of cash; and
                    (B) in an amount equal to the fair market value of 
                the National Forest System land being conveyed, as 
                determined under paragraph (2).
            (2) Fair market value determination.--The fair market value 
        of the National Forest System land conveyed under this section 
        shall be determined--
                    (A) in the case of a method of conveyance described 
                in subsection (b), by an appraisal that is--
                            (i) conducted in accordance with the 
                        Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land 
                        Acquisitions; and
                            (ii) approved by the Secretary; or
                    (B) in the case of a conveyance by a method other 
                than a method described in subsection (b), by 
                competitive sale.
    (e) Terms and Conditions.--The conveyance under this section shall 
be subject to--
            (1) valid existing rights; and
            (2) such other terms and conditions as the Secretary 
        considers to be appropriate to protect the interests of the 
        United States.
    (f) Proceeds From Sale.--The Secretary shall deposit the proceeds 
of the conveyance of any National Forest System land under this section 
in the fund established under Public Law 90-171 (commonly known as the 
``Sisk Act'') (16 U.S.C. 484a).
    (g) Costs.--As a condition for the conveyance under this section, 
the Secretary shall require the Alliance to pay at closing--
            (1) any reasonable appraisal costs; and
            (2) the costs of any administrative or environmental 
        analysis required by applicable law (including regulations).
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