John Chenoweth: “H.R. 1019 provides for a boundary adjustment and land conveyance involving the Raggeds Wilderness, White River National…”

“H.R. 1019 provides for a boundary adjustment and land conveyance involving the Raggeds Wilderness, White River National Forest in Colorado, to correct the effects of earlier erroneous land surveys. This bill is identical to legislation which passed within the House of Representatives last year by voice vote. However, the legislation was not acted upon by the Senate prior to the conclusion of the 104th Congress. In 1993, following a boundary survey, the White River National Forest discovered an encroachment into the Raggeds Wilderness area just west of the town of Marble in Colorado. The encroachment consists of approximately 400 feet of power line and 400 feet of road. In addition, portions of four subdivision lots extend into this wilderness. The road is a county road and provides the sole legal access to the four lots. The entire encroachment is less than 1 acre of land. The Bureau of Land Management/Forest Service surveys found that the original survey of the Crystal Meadows subdivision was erroneous. Although less than 1 acre is affected, the Forest Service cannot settle the matter under the authority of the Small Tracts Act because the lands in question are within the Raggeds Wilderness. The wilderness boundary may only be modified by an act of Congress. H.R. 1019 follows the guidelines established by the Small Tracts Act, Public Law 97-465. The bill is noncontroversial, Mr. Speaker, and I urge its passage. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”