August 20, 2026
Mr. Westerman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Crossett Experimental Forest to the State of Arkansas, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Crossett Experimental Forest Act of 2026
.
Sec. 2. Conveyance of the Crossett Experimental Forest
(a) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
(2) State
The terms State means the State of Arkansas.
(3) Forest
The term Forest means the Crossett Experimental Forest, the R.R. Reynolds Research Natural Area, and associated facilities, generally depicted as USDA Forest Service
on the map entitled Crossett Experimental Forest
, version 1, and dated May 1, 2026.
(b) Conveyance required
Subject to this section, if the State submits to the Secretary a written request for conveyance of the Forest not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall convey to the State all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the Forest.
(c) Terms and conditions
The conveyance under subsection (b) shall be—
(1)
subject to valid existing rights;
(2)
made without consideration;
(3)
made by quitclaim deed;
(4)
subject to the requirements under subsection (f); and
(5)
subject to such other terms and conditions as the Secretary considers to be appropriate to protect the interests of the United States.
(d) Costs of conveyance
Any costs relating to the conveyance under subsection (b), including costs for surveys and other administrative costs, shall be paid by the State.
(e) Map corrections
The Secretary and the State may, by mutual agreement—
(1)
make minor boundary adjustments to the Forest to be conveyed under subsection (b); and
(2)
correct any minor errors in the map, an acreage estimate, or the description of the Forest.
(f) Use of conveyed land
(1) State forest designation
As a condition of conveyance, the State, upon conveyance, shall designate the Forest as the Crossett State Forest
and manage and maintain the Forest under such designation and in accordance with all laws and regulations applicable to Arkansas State forests, to the extent that such laws and regulations do not conflict with the requirements of this section.
(2) Use
The State shall use the conveyed Forest—
(A)
for forest research, education, and demonstration purposes in a manner consistent with the historic research mission of the Forest; and
(B)
in coordination with the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, including by providing such entities with reasonable research and education access to the Forest for research and educational purposes.
(3) Reversionary interest
If the Secretary determines that the State has failed to manage and maintain the Forest in accordance with paragraph (1) or use the Forest in accordance with paragraph (2)—
(A)
the Secretary shall issue to the State written notice of the failure; and
(B)
if the State does not correct the failure within 180 days after receiving such written notice, all right, title, and interest in and to the Forest, or the portion of the Forest affected by the failure, may, at the discretion of the Secretary, revert to the United States.
(g) Applicability of Federal law
(1) Major Federal action
A conveyance under subsection (b) shall not be considered a major Federal action for purposes of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)).
(2) Effect of undertaking on historic property
Section 306108 of title 54, United States Code, shall not apply with respect to a conveyance under subsection (b).