115 



_ United States Forest Washington 14th & Independence SW 



VVTi- Department of Service Office P.O. Box 96090 



<^, Agriculture Washington, DC 20090-6090 



File Code: 5400 



Date: JUN 1 8 19S5 



Honorable James V. Hansen 

 Chairman, Subcommittee on National 



Parks, Forests and Lands 

 U.S. House of Representatives 

 Washington, D.C. 20515 



Dear Mr. Chairman: 



During the Subcommittee hearing held on June 6, 1996, Acting Chairman 

 Richard Pombo asked Forest Service witness, Mr. Gray Reynolds, the following 

 question : 



In how many previous instances have National Forest System lands been 

 conveyed, without consideration, for school -related uses? 



Mr. Reynolds did not have this specific information at that time and advised 

 that we would respond later to the Subcommittee. As noted during 

 Mr. Reynolds' testimony, there is no existing authority for the Forest Service 

 to convey National Forest System lands without consideration. Conveyance 

 without consideration would require legislation, therefore, we reviewed our 

 records and found that during the last 10 years, two legislated transfers 

 conveyed lands for local school -related uses. These are summarized as 

 follows : 



Public Law 101-612, enacted on November 16, 1990, conveyed 12.0 acres of 

 land to Del Norte County, California, for a camp for juvenile delinquent 

 boys . 



Public Law 103-398, enacted on October 22, 1994, conveyed 30.0 acres of 

 land to Lincoln County, Montana, for Libby Junior High School. 



In both instances, the transfers were made subject to a reversionary clause. 

 Under this provision, the land would revert back to the United States should 

 the intended use be discontinued by the county. 



Please do not hesitate to contact me again, if you should need any further 

 information on these two legislative conveyances. 



Sincerely, 



r^^- 



/Ch 



■CK WARD THOMAS 

 Chief 



)u.^s( 



Caring for the Land and Serving People 



