119-s1636

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1636 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 1636

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish oversight mediation 
 committees to help resolve property boundary disputes regarding 
 National Forest System land, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 May 7, 2025

 Mr. Rounds introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
 referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish oversight mediation 
 committees to help resolve property boundary disputes regarding 
 National Forest System land, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Fence Line Fairness Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM OVERSIGHT MEDIATION COMMITTEES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this 
section as the ``Secretary''), in consultation with State departments 
of agriculture and State departments of natural resources, shall 
establish in each State in which National Forest System land is located 
an oversight mediation committee (referred to in this section as a 
``mediation committee'') to help resolve disputes between private 
landowners and the Secretary regarding the location of boundaries 
between National Forest System land and private land.

    (b) Composition.--

    (1) In general.--A mediation committee shall be composed 
 of--
        (A) 2 individuals who are private, active farmers 
 or ranchers from the State in which the mediation 
 committee is established, to be appointed by the 
 Secretary; and
        (B) 3 individuals who are private, active farmers 
 or ranchers from the State in which the mediation 
 committee is established, to be appointed by the 
 applicable State department of agriculture or State 
 department of natural resources.

    (2) Terms.--A member of a mediation committee--
        (A) shall be appointed for a term of 5 years; and
        (B) may serve for not more than 2 terms.
            (c) Notification.--If there is a dispute regarding the location of 
a boundary between National Forest System land and private land, the 
Secretary shall--

    (1) notify the private landowner of the dispute not later 
 than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary becomes 
 aware of the dispute; and

    (2) provide to the private landowner the option to use the 
 mediation committee process described in subsection
            (d) to help 
 resolve the dispute.
            (d) Dispute Resolution Process.--

    (1) Referral.--If a private landowner notifies the 
 Secretary that the landowner chooses to use the mediation 
 committee process referred to in subsection
            (c) (2) , the 
 Secretary shall refer the dispute to the applicable mediation 
 committee not later than 60 days after the date on which the 
 private landowner notifies the Secretary.

    (2) Process.--With respect to a dispute referred to a 
 mediation committee under paragraph

    (1) , the mediation 
 committee shall--
        (A) hold private hearings regarding the dispute to 
 analyze information and testimony from the private 
 landowner and appropriate officials of the Forest 
 Service;
        (B) provide to the parties to the dispute described 
 in subparagraph
        (A) recommendations for actions that 
 can be taken by the parties to resolve the dispute; and
            (C) submit a report describing findings of fact 
 regarding the dispute and recommendations described in 
 subparagraph
        (B) to--
            (i) the Secretary;
            (ii) the Chief of the Forest Service;
            (iii) the head of the applicable State 
 department of agriculture;
            (iv) the head of the applicable State 
 department of natural resources;
            (v) the Committee on Agriculture, 
 Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate; and
            (vi) the Committee on Agriculture of the 
 House of Representatives.

    (3) Timeline.--Not later than 180 days after the date on 
 which a dispute is referred to a mediation committee under 
 paragraph

    (1) , the mediation committee shall commence holding 
 hearings under paragraph

    (2)
        (A) .
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