George P. Radanovich: “Mr. Speaker, H.R. 409 provides for the exchange of land within the Sierra National Forest in California. This bill…”

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 409 provides for the exchange of land within the Sierra National Forest in California. This bill originally passed the House of Representatives on September 20, 2005, but was recently amended by the Senate. The land exchange portion of the bill remains unchanged and would exchange 160 acres of Forest Service property, of which only 15 acres is above water, for 80 acres of private land surrounded by national forest. The land owner has agreed to pay the difference of $50,000 to the Forest Service to finalize the land transfer. After the completion of the exchange, the land owner will then convey the property to the Sequoia Council Boy Scouts who have run a camp on the land under a special use permit for the last 30 years. The Senate amendment reduces funding for a biomass grant program authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 1995 to pay, in part, for the funding authorized by the unrelated package of other energy and natural resource-related bills.”