A bill to authorize the acquisition of the Valles Caldera, to provide for an effective land and wildlife management program for this resource within the Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes.
Latest Action
Became Public Law No: 106-248.
Official Summary
Title I: Valles Caldera National Preserve and Trust - Valles Caldera Preservation Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to acquire all or part of the Baca ranch in New Mexico.Requires the Secretary of the Interior, upon acquisition of the Baca ranch, to assume administrative jurisdiction over those lands within the boundaries of the Bandelier National Monument.Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Forest Service, to: (1) prepare a report of management alternatives which may provide more coordinated land management within the Lower Alamo watershed, allow for improved management of elk and other wildlife populations ranging between the Santa Fe National Forest and the Bandelier National Monument, and include proposed boundary adjustments between such Forest and Monument to facilitate those objectives; and (2) submit the report to specified congressional committees.Makes the acquisition of the ranch subject to all outstanding valid existing mineral interests. Authorizes and directs the Secretary to negotiate the acquisition of any fractional interest in the subsurface estate on a willing seller basis for up to the appraised fair market value.Authorizes the Secretary to assign to the Pueblo of Santa Clara rights to acquire for fair market value portions of the Baca ranch.(Sec. 105) Establishes: (1) upon the date of acquisition of the Baca ranch, the Valles Caldera National Preserve as a unit of the National Forest System; and (2) the Valles Caldera Trust, as a wholly owned Government corporation, to provide management and administrative services for the Preserve and for other specified purposes.(Sec. 107) Requires the Trust: (1) to be governed by a nine member Board of Trustees; and (2) to manage the land and resources of the Preserve, subject to specified requirements, including development of a comprehensive program for the management of lands, resources, and facilities within the Preserve.Authorizes the Trust to construct and upgrade roads and bridges and provide other facilities for recreational activities. Directs that the public be given reasonable access to the Preserve for recreation purposes.(Sec. 109) Sets forth provisions regarding authorities of the Secretary, termination of the Trust, and funding limitations.(Sec. 111) Authorizes appropriations.(Sec. 112) Requires the General Accounting Office to conduct an interim study, and a subsequent study, of the activities of the Trust. Provides for a report to Congress of study results.Title II: Federal Land Transaction Facilitation - Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act - Directs the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to: (1) establish a procedure to identify, by State, inholdings within federally designated areas in Alaska and the 11 contiguous western States for which the landowner has indicated a desire to sell the land or an interest in land to the Federal Government and to establish the date upon which the land or interest in land identified became an inholding; and (2) provide in the Federal Register and through other means as deemed appropriate periodic notice to the public of such policy, including any information to consider an inholding for acquisition. Provides that an inholding shall be considered for identification only if the appropriate Secretary receives notification of a desire to sell from the owner in response to such a notice and shall be deemed to have been established as of the later of the earlier of the date on which the land was withdrawn from the public domain or established or designated for special management, or the date on which the inholding was acquired by the current owner.Directs the Secretary to establish a program, using funds from a Federal Land Disposal Account of the Treasury established by this Act, to complete appraisals and satisfy other legal requirements for the sale or exchange of public land identified for disposal under approved land use plans. Sets forth reporting and program termination requirements.Requires that gross proceeds generated by the sale or exchange of public land under this Act be deposited in the Federal Land Disposal Account.Sets forth provisions regarding use of the Account, contaminated sites and sites difficult and uneconomic to manage, and program termination.
GovScope Watchdog™
AI Government Intelligence™This bill authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to acquire the Valles Caldera, specifically the Baca ranch in New Mexico, and establishes the Valles Caldera National Preserve as part of the National Forest System. It creates the Valles Caldera Trust, a government corporation responsible for managing the Preserve, including land, wildlife, and recreational facilities. The bill also directs the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to identify and facilitate the acquisition of inholdings within federally designated areas in Alaska and the western contiguous states, using proceeds from land sales to fund these activities. Oversight provisions include studies by the General Accounting Office and reporting requirements to Congress.
The bill establishes a new national preserve managed by a government trust and sets up a federal program to facilitate land transactions to improve public land management in designated areas.
- Authorizes acquisition of the Baca ranch and establishes the Valles Caldera National Preserve under the Department of Agriculture.
- Creates the Valles Caldera Trust, governed by a nine-member board, to manage the Preserve's lands, resources, and recreational facilities.
- Directs identification and potential acquisition of inholdings within federally designated areas in Alaska and 11 western states, funded by proceeds from public land sales.
['U.S. Department of Agriculture and Forest Service', 'Valles Caldera Trust and its Board of Trustees', 'Pueblo of Santa Clara (with rights to acquire portions of the Baca ranch)', 'Federal land management agencies', 'Public recreation users and wildlife management programs']
['Implementation complexity related to coordinating land management across multiple federal agencies and jurisdictions.', 'Funding and financial sustainability of the Valles Caldera Trust and land acquisition programs.', "Oversight challenges in ensuring the Trust's management aligns with congressional requirements and public interests.", 'Potential conflicts arising from mineral rights and fractional subsurface interests during land acquisition.', 'Balancing public access with conservation and wildlife management objectives.']
The bill was enacted as Public Law No: 106-248 on July 25, 2000, reflecting congressional efforts to enhance federal land management and conservation in New Mexico and other western states. It integrates land acquisition, preservation, and management within existing federal frameworks, involving multiple agencies and stakeholders. The inclusion of provisions for the Pueblo of Santa Clara indicates recognition of tribal interests in land management.
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['Improved coordination of land and wildlife management in the Lower Alamo watershed and between the Santa Fe National Forest and Bandelier National Monument.', 'Potential enhancement of recreational opportunities due to development and upgrading of roads, bridges, and facilities within the Preserve.', 'Possible increased involvement of tribal entities, such as the Pueblo of Santa Clara, in land acquisition and management.', 'Long-term impacts on local ecosystems and wildlife populations through comprehensive management programs.']
The bill includes provisions for oversight through General Accounting Office studies and congressional reporting, which are important for transparency. However, the complexity of interagency coordination and reliance on land sale proceeds for funding warrant continued monitoring to ensure effective implementation and fiscal accountability. The management of mineral rights and subsurface interests also requires careful oversight to prevent conflicts and ensure compliance with statutory requirements.
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