Wabeno Economic Development Act

House Votes

This act lets the U.S. Forest Service sell about 14 acres of federal land in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin to a local company, Tony’s Wabeno Redi-Mix, LLC. The sale would include mineral rights. The company must pay the full market price and cover all costs, like the appraisal, survey, and any required environmental reviews. The government has up to 300 days to complete the appraisal. After the appraisal is approved, the company has 180 days to make its offer. If an offer is made, the agency must complete the sale within 180 days, and the transfer is subject to any existing rights on the land.

The act also requires the Department of the Interior to review how federal permits are handled for stone, sand, and gravel projects on federal lands. Within 180 days of the law taking effect, the department must publish a report that explains the current process, average timelines, problem spots, and suggestions to make the process faster, along with the economic impacts of today’s timelines.

Key points

• Who is affected: A local company in Wabeno, nearby communities, and agencies overseeing federal land and permitting.
• What changes: A small piece of national forest land could move to private ownership with mineral rights; the company pays market value and all related costs; the federal government must review and report on permitting for stone, sand, and gravel projects.
• When: Appraisal due within 300 days of enactment; company’s offer due within 180 days after appraisal approval; the permitting review report due within 180 days of enactment.