To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona.
Latest Action
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
Official Summary
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.
GovScope Watchdog™
AI Government Intelligence™This bill directs the U.S. Forest Service to transfer approximately 232.9 acres of National Forest System land located in the Tonto National Forest, Arizona, to Gila County upon the county's written request. The land must be used to serve and support veterans. If the land ceases to be used for this purpose, ownership reverts to the United States at the Forest Service's discretion. The conveyance is to be made via quitclaim deed without any payment from the county, and the Forest Service is not required to provide any warranties or covenants. Gila County must cover all costs related to the conveyance, including surveys, environmental analyses, and compliance with historic preservation laws.
The bill facilitates the transfer of federal land to Gila County, Arizona, for veteran support purposes, with conditions on use and cost responsibilities placed on the county.
- Conveys approximately 232.9 acres of National Forest System land in Tonto National Forest to Gila County, Arizona.
- Land must be used to serve and support veterans; reverts to the U.S. if use changes.
- Conveyance is via quitclaim deed without financial consideration, with no warranties from the Forest Service.
- Gila County is responsible for all costs related to surveys, environmental and resource analyses, and historic preservation compliance.
- The Forest Service retains discretion over reversion of the land if conditions are not met.
['Gila County, Arizona', 'Veterans residing in or served by Gila County', 'U.S. Forest Service (through cost avoidance on conveyance)', 'Local community organizations supporting veterans']
['The county bears all costs for surveys and environmental compliance, which could be substantial.', 'The Forest Service provides no warranties or covenants, potentially increasing risk for the county.', 'Reversion clause may require ongoing oversight to ensure land use compliance.', 'No financial consideration may raise questions about federal asset valuation and precedent for future conveyances.']
The bill is currently in process and has been ordered reported favorably with an amendment by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. It addresses federal land management and local government use of National Forest System lands, focusing on veteran support within the public lands and natural resources policy area.
High concern review — 3 hidden impact flags detected
GovScope reviewed 3 policy-risk categories. Hover for a quick definition. Click detected flags for bill-specific details.
['Potential increased local support services and infrastructure development for veterans in Gila County.', 'Possible precedent for future conveyances of National Forest System land to local governments for specific purposes.', 'Administrative burden on the Forest Service to monitor land use compliance and enforce reversion conditions.', 'Financial impact on Gila County due to responsibility for conveyance-related costs.']
The bill includes clear conditions on land use and reversion, but oversight mechanisms for ensuring compliance are delegated to the Forest Service without detailed enforcement provisions. The absence of warranties in the conveyance shifts risk to the county. Transparency on the valuation and cost implications of the conveyance would support public understanding. The bill's progress and any amendments should be monitored for changes affecting these conditions.
GovScope Intelligence Roadmap
Future bill intelligence will connect sponsors, committee referrals, related votes, campaign finance, disclosures, and stock trades into one legislative intelligence view.