Federal Lands

This briefing report reviews the status of federal land transactions authorized under four acts--the El Malpais National Monument and National Conservation Area; the Nevada-Florida Land Exchange Authorization Act of 1988; the Apex Project, Nevada Land Transfer and Authorization Act of 1989; and the Targhee National Forest Land Exchange Act. GAO discusses (1) actions taken to complete the land transactions and (2) the use and development of the lands transferred out of federal ownership.

GAO found that: (1) the land transactions authorized under the El Mapais National Monument and National Conservation Act, the Nevada-Florida Land Exchange Authorization Act of 1988, and the Apex Project, Nevada Land Transfer and Authorization Act of 1989 were completed; (2) implementation of the land transactions authorized in Idaho and Wyoming under the Targhee National Forest Land Exchange Act has been delayed until the Forest Service prepares an environmental impact statement; (3) only some of the land transferred out of federal ownership is being used and developed either as specified in the acts or as contemplated by the parties involved in the transfers; (4) the land transferred out of federal ownership under the El Mapais Act consolidated lands owned by New Mexico, and the state is leasing those lands for livestock grazing; (5) the new employment opportunities that were to have been created through the construction of an assembly plant authorized under the Nevada-Florida Land Exchange Authorization Act have yet to materialize; and (6) although the federal land transferred under the Apex project has created an isolated area in Nevada for the location of industries that generate hazardous materials, only one company identified in the act has relocated a portion of its operations to the area.