[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8517 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8517
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Federal land
in Arizona to La Paz County, Arizona, and for other purposes.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 23, 2024
Mr. Gosar introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
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A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Federal land
in Arizona to La Paz County, Arizona, 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 ``La Paz County Solar Energy and Job
Creation Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) County.--The term ``County'' means La Paz County,
Arizona.
(2) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means the
approximately 3,400 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land
Management and designated as ``Federal Land to be Conveyed'' on
the map.
(3) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map prepared by the
Bureau of Land Management entitled ``BLM Arizona - La Paz
County Land Conveyance Map'' and dated June 29, 2023.
SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE TO LA PAZ COUNTY, ARIZONA.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding the planning requirement of
sections 202 and 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712, 1713) and in accordance with this section and
other applicable law, as soon as practicable after receiving a request
from the County to convey the Federal land, the Secretary shall convey
the Federal land to the County.
(b) Restrictions on Conveyance.--
(1) In general.--The conveyance under subsection (a) shall
be subject to--
(A) valid existing rights; and
(B) such terms and conditions as the Secretary
determines to be necessary.
(2) Exclusion.--The Secretary shall exclude from the
conveyance under subsection (a) any Federal land that contains
significant cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational
resources.
(c) Payment of Fair Market Value.--The conveyance under subsection
(a) shall be for the fair market value of the Federal land to be
conveyed, as determined--
(1) in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and
(2) based on an appraisal that is conducted in accordance
with--
(A) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal
Land Acquisitions; and
(B) the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal
Practice.
(d) Protection of Tribal Cultural Artifacts.--As a condition of the
conveyance under subsection (a), the County shall, and as a condition
of any subsequent conveyance, any subsequent owner shall--
(1) make good faith efforts to avoid disturbing Tribal
artifacts;
(2) minimize impacts on Tribal artifacts if they are
disturbed;
(3) coordinate with the Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal
Historic Preservation Office to identify artifacts of cultural
and historic significance; and
(4) allow Tribal representatives to rebury unearthed
artifacts at or near where they were discovered.
(e) Availability of Map.--
(1) In general.--The map shall be on file and available for
public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of
Land Management.
(2) Corrections.--The Secretary and the County may, by
mutual agreement--
(A) make minor boundary adjustments to the Federal
land to be conveyed under subsection (a); and
(B) correct any minor errors in the map, an acreage
estimate, or the description of the Federal land.
(f) Withdrawal.--The Federal land is withdrawn from the operation
of the mining and mineral leasing laws of the United States.
(g) Costs.--As a condition of the conveyance of the Federal land
under subsection (a), the County shall pay--
(1) an amount equal to the appraised value determined in
accordance with subsection (c)(2); and
(2) all costs related to the conveyance, including all
surveys, appraisals, and other administrative costs associated
with the conveyance of the Federal land to the County under
subsection (a).
(h) Proceeds From the Sale of Land.--The proceeds from the sale of
land under this section shall be--
(1) deposited in the Federal Land Disposal Account
established by section 206(a) of the Federal Land Transaction
Facilitation Act (43 U.S.C. 2305(a)); and
(2) used in accordance with that Act (43 U.S.C. 2301 et
seq.).
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