Grain standards, forests and land bills

Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act of 2025

• Exchange specified forest and private land: If Big Winnie Land and Timber, LLC (BWLT) offers its land, the Secretary of Agriculture would exchange it for the specified federal parcel in Itasca County, Minnesota. The land the United States acquires would become part of the Chippewa National Forest
• Require appraisals and set payment rules: An independent, qualified appraiser agreed on by the Secretary and BWLT would value both parcels. The exchange must be for equal value; BWLT must pay the United States if the federal land is worth more, but the United States would not pay BWLT if its land is worth more—the difference would count as a donation
• Set conditions and reserve road access: Before the United States accepts BWLT’s land, BWLT must complete a satisfactory Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, and the Secretary must approve the title. The federal parcel would be conveyed with an easement for road access to National Forest System land west of it

1. Introduced
2. In committee
3. Reported
4. Passed House
5. Passed Senate
6. Law

What’s next: Passed the House. Next step: the Senate.