§ 254.11 — Exchanges At Approximately Equal Value

(a) The authorized officer may exchange lands which are of approximately equal value upon a determination that:

(1) The exchange is in the public interest and the consummation of the proposed exchange will be expedited;

(2) The value of the lands to be conveyed out of Federal ownership is not more than $150,000 as based upon a statement of value prepared by a qualified appraiser and accepted by an authorized officer;

(3) The Federal and non-Federal lands are substantially similar in location, acreage, use, and physical attributes; and

(4) There are no significant elements of value requiring complex analysis.

(b) The authorized officer, not the non-Federal party, determines whether the Federal and non-Federal lands are approximately equal in value and must document how the determination was made.