Randy Neugebauer: “H.R. 482 provides for a small land exchange between Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico and Lubbock Christian…”

“H.R. 482 provides for a small land exchange between Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico and Lubbock Christian University in my district. This land exchange is a fair exchange and provides benefits for both parties. One of the good things about this exchange is that we are exchanging 80 acres of pristine land that LCU currently controls that has National Forest all of the way around it, giving that 80 acres back so we do not have a doughnut in the middle of a National Forest, in consideration for 80 acres adjacent to a camp that is already up and going and has many facilities already on it and is serving many young people in the summertime. And in the fall and the winter, adult groups are able to utilize this facility. I thank the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce). This land is in his district. The gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce) has been very cooperative, and we appreciate that. I also thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo) and the Committee on Resources for their work and thank them for getting this to the floor for a vote so that LCU can begin putting improvements on this land, and hopefully some of those improvements may be available for this summer. This is a like-kind exchange between two pieces of property. This bill provides for if there is perceived to be some difference in compensation. This bill gets this off center. This request has been pending for a couple of years, and we are able to expedite this issue and get it in place.…”