Dalles Watershed Development Act

This bill would let the City of The Dalles, Oregon, take ownership of about 150 acres of federal land in the Mount Hood National Forest if the City asks within one year of the law taking effect. The U.S. Department of Agriculture would transfer the land as soon as possible after the request. The land must be used for public purposes, like the city’s water supply and related infrastructure. If it’s used for something else, it goes back to the federal government. The City would pay the administrative costs, including a survey to set the exact boundaries. The transfer would have no purchase price, be done by quitclaim deed, and remain subject to existing rights and any terms needed to protect the United States.

Key points:

• Who is affected: City of The Dalles and its public services; federal land managers in Mount Hood National Forest.
• What changes: About 150 acres would be conveyed to the City for public uses such as municipal water and infrastructure; if misused, the land reverts to the United States; the City pays the transfer costs; no purchase price is required.
• When: The City must submit a written request within one year of the law’s enactment; transfer happens as soon as practicable after that; the exact acreage will be confirmed by survey.