HR 3937: Wabeno Economic Development Act

HR 3937 in plain English: This bill requires the U.S. Forest Service to sell approximately 14 acres of federal land, including mineral rights, in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin to Tony's Wabeno Redi-Mix, LLC at market value. The buyer must make an offer within 180 days of an approved appraisal and cover all associated costs. The Department of the Interior must also publish a review of federal permitting processes for stone, sand, and gravel development on federal lands.

Stated purpose

The bill requires the federal government to sell approximately 14 acres of national forest land in Wisconsin, including mineral rights, to a specific private company at market value, and requires a government review of federal permitting processes for stone, sand, and gravel development on federal lands.

Key points

• Requires the Forest Service to sell approximately 14 acres in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, including mineral rights, to Tony's Wabeno Redi-Mix, LLC
• Purchase price must equal the land's appraised market value, with the buyer also paying all associated costs
• Buyer must submit an offer within 180 days of federal approval of the appraisal
• Requires the Department of the Interior to publish a review of federal permitting for stone, sand, and gravel development on federal lands

Arguments supporters make

• Selling the land at full market value puts federal acreage to productive private use and supports local economic development without costing taxpayers money.
• The company pays all costs, including the appraisal and environmental reviews, so the public bears no financial burden from the transaction.
• The permitting review could identify unnecessary delays and duplicative steps that slow down construction material supply, which benefits infrastructure projects broadly.

Arguments opponents make

• Transferring national forest land, including mineral rights, to a single private company sets a precedent for removing public lands from public ownership for the benefit of one business.
• The bill bypasses the normal competitive public land disposal process by naming one specific company as the sole eligible buyer, raising questions about equal treatment.
• A permitting review with recommendations to streamline regulations could lead to weakened environmental protections for stone, sand, and gravel extraction on federal lands.

Tradeoffs

The sale converts a small piece of permanently public national forest land into private ownership in exchange for local economic activity and full market-value payment, trading long-term public land access for near-term economic use. The permitting review may improve efficiency for industry but could also reduce the scrutiny that environmental and resource protections currently require.

Current status in Congress: Passed House.

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