text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Small Lands Tracts Conveyance Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. SPECIAL CONVEYANCE AUTHORITY REGARDING SMALL PARCELS OF 
                NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LAND AND PUBLIC LANDS.
  
      (a) Definitions.--In this section:
              (1) Director concerned.--The term ``Director concerned'' 
          means the Director of the Bureau of Land Management for a 
          State.
              (2) Eligible federal lands parcel.--The term ``eligible 
          Federal lands parcel'' means a parcel of National Forest System 
          land or the public lands that--
                      (A) shares one or more boundaries with non-Federal 
                  land;
                      (B) is located within the boundaries of an 
                  incorporated or unincorporated area with a population 
                  of at least 500 residents;
                      (C) is not subject to existing rights held by a 
                  non-Federal entity;
                      (D) does not contain an exceptional resource; and
                      (E) is not habitat for an endangered species or a 
                  threatened species determined under section 4 of the 
                  Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533).
              (3) Exceptional resource.--The term ``exceptional 
          resource'' means a resource of scientific, historic, cultural, 
          or recreational value on a parcel of public lands that the 
          Director concerned or Regional Forester concerned determines, 
          on the record and after an opportunity for a hearing--
                      (A) is documented by a Federal, State, or local 
                  governmental authority; and
                      (B) requires extraordinary conservation and 
                  protection to maintain the resource for the benefit of 
                  the public.
              (4) National forest system land.--
                      (A) In general.--The term ``National Forest System 
                  land'' means land within the National Forest System, as 
                  defined in section 11(a) of the Forest and Rangeland 
                  Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 
                  1609(a)), including the National Grasslands and land 
                  utilization projects designated as National Grasslands 
                  administered pursuant to the Act of July 22, 1937 (7 
                  U.S.C. 1010-1012).
                      (B) Exclusions.--The term does not include any land 
                  managed by the Forest Service that is included in a 
                  national monument, an area of critical environmental 
                  concern, a national conservation area, a national 
                  riparian conservation area, a national recreation area, 
                  a national scenic area, a research natural area, a 
                  national outstanding natural area, a national natural 
                  landmark, a wilderness area, a wilderness study area, 
                  the national wild and scenic rivers system, or the 
                  national system of trails.
              (5) Public lands.--
                      (A) In general.--The term ``public lands'' has the 
                  meaning given that term in section 103(e) of the 
                  Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 
                  U.S.C. 1702(e)).
                      (B) Exclusions.--The term does not include any land 
                  managed by the Bureau of Land Management that is 
                  included in a national monument, an area of critical 
                  environmental concern, a national conservation area, a 
                  national riparian conservation area, a national 
                  recreation area, a national scenic area, a research 
                  natural area, a national outstanding natural area, a 
                  national natural landmark, a wilderness area, a 
                  wilderness study area, the national wild and scenic 
                  rivers system, or the national system of trails.
              (6) Regional forester concerned.--The term ``Regional 
          Forester concerned'' means the Regional Forester with 
          jurisdiction over the National Forest System land of a specific 
          Forest Service Region.
      (b) Selection of Parcels for Conveyance.--
              (1) Two selection methods.--The Director concerned or the 
          Regional Forester concerned shall select an eligible Federal 
          lands parcel for conveyance under this section--
                      (A) in response to a request submitted by an owner 
                  of non-Federal land that shares one or more boundaries 
                  with the parcel; or
                      (B) upon the recommendation of the District Office 
                  of the Bureau of Land Management or unit of the 
                  National Forest System exercising administration over 
                  the parcel.
              (2) Review of landowner request.--When a landowner submits 
          a request under paragraph (1)(A) for conveyance of a parcel of 
          National Forest System land or public lands, the Director 
          concerned or the Regional Forester concerned shall review the 
          parcel and determine, within 30 days after receipt of the 
          request, whether the parcel satisfies the definition of 
          eligible Federal lands parcel for conveyance.
              (3) Rejection of landowner request.--If the Director 
          concerned or the Regional Forester concerned determines under 
          paragraph (2) that all or a portion of the parcel of National 
          Forest System land or public lands covered by a landowner 
          request under paragraph (1)(A) fails to satisfy the definition 
          of eligible Federal lands parcel, the Director concerned or the 
          Regional Forester concerned shall give the landowner--
                      (A) a written explanation of the reasons for the 
                  rejection, which specifically specifies--
                              (i) which of the elements of the definition 
                          of eligible Federal lands parcel the parcel 
                          fails to satisfy and how and why the parcel 
                          fails to satisfy that element;
                              (ii) how the continued administration of 
                          the parcel by the Bureau of Land Management or 
                          the Forest Service would impact the parcel and 
                          surrounding economy; and
                              (iii) why the Federal Government needs to 
                          maintain ownership of the parcel and would be 
                          the best land ownership steward of the parcel; 
                          and
                      (B) an opportunity to appeal the rejection under 
                  subsection (e).
      (c) Parcel and Acreage Limitations.--
              (1) Acreage.--An eligible Federal lands parcel conveyed 
          under this section may not exceed 160 acres unless a request 
          for additional acreage is approved by the Director concerned or 
          the Regional Forester concerned.
              (2) Number of parcels.--A person may only acquire one 
          eligible Federal lands parcel under this section per year, 
          except that, if the parcel is less than 160 acres in size, the 
          person may acquire additional eligible Federal lands parcels 
          during that year so long as the total acreage acquired does not 
          exceed 160 acres unless a request for additional acreage is 
          approved by the Director concerned or the Regional Forester 
          concerned.
      (d) Conveyance Process.--
              (1) Public notice.--The Director concerned or the Regional 
          Forester concerned shall provide public notice of the 
          availability of an eligible Federal lands parcel, even in cases 
          in which the parcel shares a boundary with only a single parcel 
          of non-Federal land or with multiple parcels owned by the same 
          landowner. The notice shall state that the parcel satisfies the 
          definition of eligible Federal lands parcel for conveyance.
              (2) Single adjacent landowner.--If the eligible Federal 
          lands parcel shares a boundary with only a single parcel of 
          non-Federal land or with multiple parcels owned by the same 
          landowner, the Director concerned or the Regional Forester 
          concerned shall carry out a negotiated sale of the eligible 
          Federal lands parcel with the landowner.
              (3) Multiple adjacent landowners.--If multiple parcels of 
          non-Federal land, owned by different landowners, share a 
          boundary with an eligible public lands parcel, the sale of the 
          eligible public lands parcel under this section shall be 
          conducted using competitive bidding procedures established 
          under section 203(f) of the Federal Land Policy and Management 
          Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1713(f)).
              (4) Rejection of offers.--The Director concerned or the 
          Regional Forester concerned may reject any offer made under 
          this subsection that does not offer the minimum consideration 
          required by subsection (f). The landowner shall be given an 
          opportunity to appeal the rejection under subsection (e).
              (5) Compliance with local planning and zoning.--As a 
          condition of the conveyance of an eligible public lands parcel 
          under this section, the Director concerned or the Regional 
          Forester concerned shall require the purchaser of the parcel to 
          agree to comply all local land use ordinances and any master 
          zoning plan applicable to the parcel or the adjacent non-
          Federal land of the purchaser.
              (6) Form of conveyance.--When an eligible Federal lands 
          parcel is to sold under this section, the Director concerned or 
          the Regional Forester concerned shall convey, by quitclaim 
          deed, all right, title, and interest, including the mineral 
          estate, of the United States in and to the parcel.
      (e) Appeals Process.--
              (1) Availability of appeal.--If the Director concerned or 
          the Regional Forester concerned rejects a landowner request 
          under subsection (b)(1)(A) for selection of a parcel of 
          National Forest System land or public lands for conveyance 
          under this section or rejects a landowner offer for purchase of 
          an eligible Federal lands parcel under subsection (d), the 
          Director concerned or the Regional Forester concerned shall 
          provide an appeals process for reconsideration of the rejection 
          using the expedited Forest Service appeals process available 
          under section 322(d) of Public Law 102-381 (16 U.S.C. 1612 
          note).
              (2) Administering official.--For purposes of applying 
          section 322(d) of Public Law 102-381 (16 U.S.C. 1612 note), 
          references to the Chief of the Forest Service or the Secretary 
          of Agriculture shall be deemed to mean the Director concerned 
          or the Regional Forester concerned.
      (f) Consideration.--
              (1) Fair market value.--As consideration for the sale of an 
          eligible Federal lands parcel under this section, the Director 
          concerned or the Regional Forester concerned shall require a 
          cash payment in an amount that is equal to not less than the 
          fair market value of the parcel, including the mineral estate, 
          being conveyed by the Director concerned or the Regional 
          Forester concerned.
              (2) Establishment.--The fair market value of an eligible 
          Federal lands parcel shall be established by an appraisal 
          submitted by the landowner seeking to purchase the parcel, 
          unless the Director concerned or the Regional Forester 
          concerned rejects such appraisal within 45 days after 
          submission. In the case of the rejection of the appraisal, the 
          Director concerned or the Regional Forester concerned shall 
          cause another appraisal to be conducted, within 30 days, in 
          accordance with the regulations regarding appraisals issued 
          under section 206(f) of the Federal Land Policy and Management 
          Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716(f)).
      (g) Treatment of Proceeds.--
              (1) Sharing and deposit of proceeds.--Of the consideration 
          received by the Director concerned or the Regional Forester 
          concerned under subsection (f) for the sale of an eligible 
          Federal lands parcel under this section, the Director concerned 
          or the Regional Forester concerned shall--
                      (A) subject to paragraph (2), pay 50 percent of the 
                  consideration to the county government of the county in 
                  which the parcel is located; and--
                      (B) deposit the remainder in the general fund of 
                  the Treasury.
              (2) Effect of county purchase.--If an eligible Federal 
          lands parcel is purchased by a State, county, or city 
          government or any agency thereof, the county government in 
          which the parcel is located shall not receive a portion of the 
          consideration paid for the parcel. Instead, the entire amount 
          of the consideration shall be deposited in the general fund of 
          the Treasury.
      (h) Payment of Costs of Conveyance.--
              (1) Payment required.--The Director concerned or the 
          Regional Forester concerned shall require the purchaser of an 
          eligible Federal lands parcel under this section to cover the 
          costs to be incurred, or to reimburse the Director concerned or 
          the Regional Forester concerned for costs incurred, to carry 
          out the conveyance, including survey and appraisal costs, costs 
          for environmental documentation, and any other administrative 
          costs related to the conveyance. If amounts are collected from 
          the purchaser of the parcel in advance of the Director 
          concerned or the Regional Forester concerned incurring the 
          actual costs, and the amount collected exceeds the costs 
          actually incurred by the Director concerned or the Regional 
          Forester concerned to carry out the conveyance, the Director 
          concerned or the Regional Forester concerned shall refund the 
          excess amount to the purchaser.
              (2) Treatment of amounts received.--Amounts received as 
          reimbursement under paragraph (1) shall be credited to the fund 
          or account that was used to cover those costs in carrying out 
          the conveyance. Amounts so credited shall be merged with 
          amounts in such fund or account, and shall be available for the 
          same purposes, and subject to the same conditions and 
          limitations, as amounts in such fund or account.
      (i) Time for Conveyance.--It is the intent of the Congress that the 
  sale of an eligible Federal lands parcel under this section, from 
  selection of the parcel for conveyance through completion of the sale, 
  should take no more than 18 months.
      (j) NEPA Exemption.--The conveyance of eligible Federal lands 
  parcels under this section is not a major Federal action significantly 
  affecting the quality of the human environment under section 102(2)(C) 
  the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)) 
  because each conveyance involves only a small parcel of National Forest 
  System land or the public lands and has no significant impact on 
  critical habitats or endangered or threatened species, critical 
  environments, exceptional resources.
      (k) Additional Authority.--The conveyance authority provided by 
  this section is in addition to the sale authority provided by section 
  203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 
  1713) or any other provision of law.
target: Small Lands Tracts Conveyance Act - Requires the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for a state (respecting certain public lands) or the Regional Forester (respecting certain National Forest System lands) to select an eligible federal lands parcel for conveyance: (1) in response to a request by an owner of non-federal land that shares one or more boundaries with such parcel, or (2) upon the recommendation of the BLM District Office or System unit that exercises administration over such parcel.
  
  Bars a conveyed eligible parcel from exceeding 160 acres unless the Director or Regional Forester concerned approves a request for additional acreage. Permits acquisition by a person of only one eligible parcel a year, subject to an exception.
  
  Instructs the Director or Regional Forester concerned, as consideration for the sale of an eligible parcel, to require a cash payment in an amount equal to not less than the fair market value of such parcel, including the mineral estate, being conveyed.
  
  Requires the Director or the Regional Forester concerned to: (1) pay 50% of the consideration received for the sale of an eligible parcel to the county government in which such parcel is located, and (2) deposit the remaining amount in the general Treasury fund.
  
  Requires the purchaser of an eligible federal lands parcel under this Act to cover the costs to be incurred, or to reimburse the Director or Regional Forester concerned for the costs incurred, in carrying out the conveyance.
feat_title: To provide for the conveyance of small parcels of National Forest System land and small parcels of public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management to landowners whose lands share a boundary with the National Forest System land or public lands, and for other purposes.