Sponsor
Cliff Bentz
Representative · R-OR
Representative · R-OR
The bill transfers roughly 150 acres of National Forest land to a city at no purchase price to enable municipal water infrastructure and local services, trading a direct local infrastructure benefit and retained administrative oversight for reduced public landholdings, environmental/conservation value, and shifted costs and legal risks onto the city and local residents.
Local residents and the City can gain municipal water supply and related infrastructure because the City can acquire ~150 acres of National Forest land at no purchase cost, enabling improved local water services and infrastructure development.
The conveyance requires filing a map and survey and remains subject to existing rights and Secretary-imposed protections, maintaining a level of public oversight and preserving some conditions on land use.
The Forest Service permanently loses ~150 acres of public land that could otherwise remain in conservation or recreation use, reducing environmental, habitat, and recreational values for nearby communities.
The City and local residents must bear conveyance-related costs (surveys, administrative fees), which could divert limited local funds from other priorities or increase local costs.
The quitclaim deed and conveyance 'subject to existing rights' may leave unresolved title, access, or easement issues, exposing the City and utilities/developers to legal or practical complications that could delay or raise project costs.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Conveys an approximately 150-acre parcel of Mount Hood National Forest to the City of The Dalles for public purposes if requested within one year, with the City paying conveyance costs.
Transfers a defined ~150-acre parcel of Mount Hood National Forest to the City of The Dalles, Oregon, by quitclaim deed at no purchase price if the City requests the conveyance within one year of enactment. The conveyance requires a survey, is subject to valid existing rights and any protective terms the Forest Service sets, and the City must pay all associated costs. The transferred land must be used for public purposes (including municipal water supply and related infrastructure) and will revert to the United States if used inconsistently with that requirement. The Forest Service must keep a referenced map on file and may correct minor map errors.
Official title: Dalles Watershed Development Act
Introduced January 23, 2025 by Cliff Bentz · Last progress December 10, 2025