HR 621, Disposal of Excess Federal Lands Act

[Rand Man]

"Jan 26, 2017
Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz's bill identifies 3.3 million acres across 10 states to be 'disposed of' and sold off, just a few days after the House passed a rules package that makes such land seizure plans easier to execute.

Fellow Utah Congressman Rob Bishop, seeming to nurse an eternal grudge against the very idea of public lands, concocted the latter provision for just this purpose. Right now, the Congressional Budget Office, which provides lawmakers with data so they can make budget decisions, officially considers public lands to have no monetary value, meaning that legislation like Chaffetz's has an easier path to enactment."

Full briefing here:
http://wilderness.org/blog/their-plan-w ... blic-lands

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Chaffetz
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Bishop

For the current congress, it House bill HR 621, the text of which is not yet online, but Chaffetz has introduced similar legislation repeatedly, starting the year after he first took office. The text of those bills are online.


This year:

HR 621: To direct the Secretary of the Interior to sell certain Federal lands ...
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-con ... e-bill/621

Previously:

HR 5339: Disposal of Excess Federal Lands Act of 2010
https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-con ... -bill/5339

HR 1126: Disposal of Excess Federal Lands Act of 2011
https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-con ... -bill/1126

HR 2657: Disposal of Excess Federal Lands Act of 2013
https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-con ... -bill/2657

HR 435: Disposal of Excess Federal Lands Act of 2015
https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-con ... e-bill/435

Other:

Chaffetz's coleague in the Senate, Sen Lee has introduce companion bills #

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Lee_ ... olitician)

https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-con ... e-bill/635
https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-con ... e-bill/361

[Rand Man]

BLM strongly opposed the bill in 2011:

https://www.doi.gov/ocl/hearings/112/HR1126_102511

[Rand Man]

Today in the The Guardian:

Republicans move to sell off 3.3m acres of national land, sparking rallies

Caty Enders

Tuesday 31 January 2017 13.43 GMT
Last modified on Tuesday 31 January 2017 16.34 GMT

Now that Republicans have quietly drawn a path to give away much of Americans’ public land, US representative Jason Chaffetz of Utah has introduced what the Wilderness Society is calling “step two” in the GOP’s plan to offload federal lands.

The new piece of legislation would direct the interior secretary to immediately sell off an area of public land the size of Connecticut. In a press release for House Bill 621, Chaffetz, a Tea Party Republican, claimed that the 3.3m acres of national land, maintained by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), served “no purpose for taxpayers”.

Full article at:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... t-chaffetz

[Rand Man]

FYI, as Merkley said at the Town Hall Meeting in SE PDX this past Saturday, and as promulgated on the web, the most effective way to get your voice heard is by a phone call to their office. Second is email, third is signing a petition. He did say, though, that showing up in-person at a congressman's office or Town Hall meeting is even more effective. Public lands were not discussed at last Saturday's Town Hall, though there was one shout out from the 3700 attendees.

[Rand Man]

Big congratulations are due to all who spoke up: after persistently reintroducing the bill in every congress since 2010, Chaffetz has relented due to activist pressure, withdrawing HR 621 a few hours ago:

Republicans back off bill to sell 3.3m acres of public land after outcry
https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... n-chaffetz

[miah66]

That is great! However HR 622 is still out there, seeking to eliminate Federal law enforcement jurisdiction on Federal Lands. This is really really bad, not good. This is exactly what the Bundy Bros and their ilk were on about. They want non-enforcement of law on Federal lands so they can pillage as they please. Please keep the pressure on and get them to drop this bill as well!

[Rand Man]

Yeah, I'm not sure which is worse: HR 622 or Zinke's pro-extraction stance.

Since Chaffetz likely wouldn't have Zinke's support for 621 (Zinke voted against last year's incarnation), and since the bill has failed repeatedly in past congresses, I'm guessing the withdrawal wasn't much of yield by Chaffetz.

But there is also this:

Wilderness Society on HR 621 withdrawal:

“Rep. Chaffetz did the right thing by withdrawing his bill,” said Brad Brooks, deputy director of The Wilderness Society Idaho office. “H.R. 621 would have allowed the sell off of 3.3 million acres of national public land in 10 western states. Citizens throughout the U.S. who treasure public lands expressed outrage about the bill.

"However, Rep. Chaffetz has also made it clear that he aims to dismantle Teddy Roosevelt’s legacy elsewhere, by attacking national monuments and the Antiquities Act and promoting other measures designed to starve national federal lands of law enforcement resources needed to prevent vandalism and protect wildlife.

"This is one victory in a broader defense of public lands at large, and we plan to hold Rep. Chaffetz and the rest of Congress accountable every time they fail to protect the places that celebrate our outdoor and cultural heritage.”

Brad Brooks, deputy director, Idaho office

At:
http://wilderness.org/press-release/rep ... ern-states

[Rand Man]

The promised withdrawal of HR 621 has yet to appear on congress.gov as an action, if Chaffetz is indeed going to go through with it.

The 3.3 million acres called out in the bill all fell under BLM. No NPS or USFS lands. The tracts were identified as a result of a nationwide search back in 1997 when Clinton was seeking funds for the Florida Everglades.

Out of 10 states, Oregon ranked second to last in total disposable acreage. Nevada ranked first with 900,000 acres. Washington wasn't even on the list.

In Oregon, disposable lands totaled about 70,000 acres, or less than one half of one percent of the 16 million Oregon acres under current BLM administration. The 70k is comprised of 19 assessments totaling 464 parcels. Parcels may or may not adjoin other parcels. Many of the assessments note access issues and encumbrances.

Their 1997 value was $10 million, for an average of $143 per acre. However, many value estimates were based on a non-contextual $1000 per acre.

It is not clear if any of these parcels were available for purchase by the general public back in 1997, technically speaking. But the prices seem very affordable for ordinary citizens. Currently, the Lands FAQ on the BLM website says there are no parcels in Oregon that are available to the general public.

Code: Select all

   pg  blm district       preparer           county     acres parcels   est.$ snippets of notes
 1 127 Eugene             Wold               Lane            9    2    $35000 right-of-way for  tank
 2 128 Burns/Prineville   Renchler/Wortman   Harney      44533 ~151  $2672540 encumbered by grazing
 3 129 Lakeview           Stewardson         Lake         4140   30   $270000
 4 130 Prineville         Wortman            Crook         640    9   $128000
 5 131 Prineville         Wortman            Deschutes    1475   16  $1622500
 6 132 Prineville         Wortman            Gilliam      3200   40   $224000 most parcels isolated
 7 133 Prineville         Wortman            Hood River    240    6   $120000
 8 134 Prineville         Wortman            Jefferson    2120   36   $636000 most parcels isolated
 9 135 Prineville/Klamath Wortman/Cottingham Klamath      7506   54   $778600 $+timber
10 136 Prineville         Wortman            Sherman       800    9    $56000
11 137 Prineville         Wortman            Wasco        1880   31   $188000 most parcels isolated
12 138 Medford            Miller             Jackson       174    5    $50000
13 139 Medford            Miller             Josephine     810   10   $325000
14 140 Salem              Saunders           Lincoln      1932   36  $1932000
15 141 Tillamook          Kirkpatrick        Clatsop        40    1    $40000
16 142 Salem              Abdon              Linn          399   11   $399000
17 143 Salem              Abdon              Marion          1    1     $1000
18 144 Tillamook          Kirkpatrick        Tillamook     402   11   $402000 Physical location
19 145 Tillamook          Kirkpatrick        Yamhill         7    5     $7000 Physical location

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