H.R. 10136: Crossett Experimental Forest Act of 2026

This bill would require the Secretary of Agriculture, through the Forest Service, to transfer ownership of the Crossett Experimental Forest in Arkansas to the State of Arkansas if the state asks for it within 180 days after the bill becomes law.

What would be transferred

The transfer would include the Crossett Experimental Forest, the R.R. Reynolds Research Natural Area, and related facilities shown on the bill’s referenced map. The land would be conveyed without payment to the federal government and by quitclaim deed, meaning the federal government would transfer whatever interest it has in the property without making broader warranties about title.

Conditions on the transfer

The transfer would be subject to any valid existing rights, and the State would pay the costs of the transfer, including surveying and administrative expenses. The Secretary of Agriculture could also set other terms to protect federal interests, as long as they fit within the bill.

How the land would have to be used

If the land is transferred, Arkansas would have to rename it the Crossett State Forest and manage it as a state forest under Arkansas law, unless a state law conflicts with the bill’s requirements.

The state would be required to use the land for:

• forest research, education, and demonstration purposes;
• activities consistent with the forest’s historical research role; and
• coordination with the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, including reasonable access for research and education.

What happens if the state does not comply

If the Secretary of Agriculture decides Arkansas is not managing or using the forest as required, the Secretary must notify the state in writing. If the problem is not corrected within 180 days, the federal government could reclaim all or part of the land.

Other legal effects

The bill says the conveyance would not count as a “major Federal action” under the National Environmental Policy Act, which means that particular federal environmental review requirement would not apply to the transfer. It also says a separate historic-property law provision would not apply to the conveyance.

Relevant Companies

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