Sponsors (2)
The bill facilitates a land exchange that slightly increases Black River State Forest acreage and streamlines deed recording, but it also conveys a separate parcel to private ownership and transfers federal interest without payment—trading modest local conservation gains and administrative clarity against loss of public land, potential fiscal foregone value, and precedent risks.
State of Wisconsin and local communities: adds about 37.27 acres to Black River State Forest, modestly expanding public forest land for recreation and conservation.
State and local governments: receives a clear, recordable quitclaim deed from the USDA conveying the U.S. interest, enabling the land exchange to proceed and reducing legal uncertainty for the transfer.
State governments: permits minor legal-description corrections in consultation with the State to avoid technical delays in recording the deed, smoothing administrative completion of the swap.
Local residents and the public: approximately 31.83 acres of currently public-use State forest land would be conveyed to a private company (Deli, Inc.), reducing acreage held for perpetual public-purpose use.
State governments and rural communities: the exchange could set a precedent allowing lands with federal reversionary interests to be converted to private use via exchanges, potentially weakening long-term protections for public-purpose lands.
Taxpayers: the federal government conveys its reversionary interest via a quitclaim deed without receiving payment, meaning taxpayers forego consideration for that federal interest.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows the U.S. to release its reversionary interest in ~31.83 acres of Black River State Forest if Wisconsin swaps that land to Deli, Inc. for ~37.27 acres owned or optioned by Deli, Inc.
Introduced April 2, 2025 by Ron Johnson · Last progress April 2, 2025
Permits the United States to release its reversionary interest in about 31.83 acres of Black River State Forest in Millston, Wisconsin if the State conveys that forest land to a private party, Deli, Inc., in exchange for about 37.27 acres owned or optioned by Deli, Inc. The Secretary of Agriculture must deliver a quitclaim deed conveying any U.S. interest to the State without consideration and record it promptly to allow the land exchange to proceed. The provision defines the parcels and controlling map, requires the quitclaim deed be provided for recording before the exchange deeds are recorded, and allows the Secretary to consult with the State to correct legal descriptions. No other substantive provisions are included.