Mountain View Corridor Completion Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2468) to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the State of Utah certain Federal land under the administrative jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management within the boundaries of Camp Williams, Utah, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2468

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Mountain View Corridor Completion Act''. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) Covered land.--The term ``covered land'' means the approximately 200.18 acres of land depicted as ``Land Proposed for Conveyance'' on the map entitled ``Mountain View Corridor Completion Act'' and dated October 6, 2023.

(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.

(3) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Utah. SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT LAND TO STATE OF UTAH.

(a) Conveyance Required.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall convey to the State all rights, title, and interest of the United States in and to the covered land.

(b) Requirements.--

(1) In general.--The conveyance of the covered land under this section shall be subject to valid existing rights.

(2) Payment of fair market value.--As consideration for the conveyance of the covered land under this section, the State shall pay to the Secretary an amount equal to the fair market value of the covered land, as determined--

(A) in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and

(B) based on an appraisal that is conducted in accordance with--

(i) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions; and

(ii) the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.

(c) Application of Executive Order.--Executive Order 1922 of April 24, 1914, as modified by section 907 of the Camp W.G. Williams Land Exchange Act of 1989 (Public Law 101-628; 104 Stat. 4500), shall not apply to the covered land.

(d) Map and Legal Description.--

(1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall finalize a map and a legal description of the covered land to be conveyed under this section.

(2) Controlling document.--In the case of a discrepancy between the map and legal description finalized under paragraph (1), the map shall control.

(3) Corrections.--The Secretary and the State, by mutual agreement, may correct minor errors in the map or the legal description finalized under paragraph (1).

(4) Map on file.--The map and legal description finalized under paragraph (1) shall be kept on file and available for public inspection in each appropriate office of the Bureau of Land Management.

(e) Reversionary Interest.--If the Secretary, after consultation with the State, determines that the covered land conveyed under this section was sold, attempted to be sold, or used for non-transportation or non-defenses purposes by the State, all right, title, and interest in and to the covered land shall revert to the Secretary, at the discretion of the Secretary, after providing--

(1) to the State notice and a hearing or an opportunity to correct any identified deficiencies; and

(2) to the public notice and an opportunity to comment.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. 2468, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Representative Owens' bill, the Mountain View Corridor Completion Act.

This legislation would expedite the completion of the Mountain View Corridor by transferring roughly 200 acres from the Bureau of Land Management to the State of Utah to complete the final segment of this large and urgently needed transportation project in Utah.

Finishing the Mountain View Corridor will improve road safety and reduce traffic congestion, results that Utah residents will readily welcome.

Over 60 percent of Utah's land is federally owned. Without these types of conveyances, Western States have limited land they can develop into the homes, schools, and roads that growing communities demand.

H.R. 2468 is an example of Federal agencies, local stakeholders, and Congress successfully collaborating productively to address the problems of a growing population.

I hope this kind of collaboration will continue with all Federal land management issues in Utah and across the West.

Mr. Speaker, I commend Representative Owens for leading this effort, which will finally deliver the Mountain View Corridor to the growing populations of Salt Lake and Utah Counties. He worked with local communities and stakeholders, including the Utah Department of Transportation, to address this need.

Mr. Speaker, I support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, this is straightforward, commonsense legislation done correctly by prioritizing engagement with local stakeholders.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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