To direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Federal property located in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to the Olgoonik Corporation, an Alaska Native Corporation established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5167) to direct the Administrator of General Services, on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, to convey certain Federal property located in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to the Olgoonik Corporation, an Alaska Native Corporation established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The Wainwright Short Range radar site is an old Distant Early Warning station, commonly referred to as the Wainwright DEW Line site.

Historically, the U.S. Air Force maintained a radar site on the property, but it is no longer operational. The Air Force is in the final stages of cleaning up the property, which is expected to be finished this summer, and the Olgoonik Corporation, an Alaska Native Corporation, is collaborating on the effort.

When it finishes the cleanup, the Air Force is set to relinquish its right to the property, which is owned by the Department of the Interior and managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

The Native corporation has been working with the Bureau to acquire the site which sits in the middle of land already owned by the Native corporation. However, language in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska Act of 1976 prevents the Bureau from conveying this land.

H.R. 5167 directs the Secretary of the Interior to sell the site at fair market value to the Native corporation. This will allow the Alaska Natives to incorporate the land into their existing land use management plan and policies, thus turning a potential abandoned and unused parcel into a useful property.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill as reported unanimously from the Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5167 directs the Administrator of General Services, on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, to convey 1,518 acres of Federal land in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to the Olgoonik Corporation.

The parcel in question was previously used by the U.S. Air Force and is no longer needed by the Department of Defense. It contains a pipeline to the Chukchi Sea and would likely be used to support offshore energy extraction. It is surrounded by land already owned by the Olgoonik Corporation that was conveyed under the Alaska Native Settlement Claims Act.

Transferring the isolated parcel would help simplify BLM management of the preserve and provide needed economic development for the Alaska Native Corporations.

While I have some concerns with this legislation, including an unrealistic 180-day timeframe for survey and conveyance of the parcel, the waiver of requirements to provide an environmental review according to NEPA, and the use of a non-Federal appraisal agent, we support the passage of H.R. 5167.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.