[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 972 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 972
To amend the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Act to adjust the
boundary of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 4, 2025
Ms. Titus introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Act to adjust the
boundary of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, 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 ``Sloan Canyon Conservation and
Lateral Pipeline Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Conservation area.--The term ``Conservation Area''
means the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of
Land Management.
SEC. 3. SLOAN CANYON NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT.
(a) Boundary Adjustment.--
(1) Map.--Section 603(4) of the Sloan Canyon National
Conservation Area Act (16 U.S.C. 460qqq-1(4)) is amended by
striking ``map entitled `Southern Nevada Public Land Management
Act' and dated October 1, 2002'' and inserting ``map entitled
`Proposed Sloan Canyon Expansion' and dated May 20, 2024''.
(2) Acreage.--Section 604(b) of the Sloan Canyon National
Conservation Area Act (16 U.S.C. 460qqq-2(b)) is amended by
striking ``48,438'' and inserting ``57,728''.
(b) Right-of-Way.--Section 605 of the Sloan Canyon National
Conservation Area Act (16 U.S.C. 460qqq-3) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``(h) Horizon Lateral Pipeline Right-of-Way.--
``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding sections 202 and 503 of
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C.
1712, 1763) and subject to valid existing rights and paragraph
(3), the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director
of the Bureau of Land Management (referred to in this
subsection as the `Secretary'), shall, not later than 1 year
after the date of enactment of this subsection, grant to the
Southern Nevada Water Authority (referred to in this subsection
as the `Authority'), not subject to the payment of rents or
other charges, the temporary and permanent water pipeline
infrastructure, and outside the boundaries of the Conservation
Area, powerline, facility, and access road rights-of-way
depicted on the map for the purposes of--
``(A) performing geotechnical investigations within
the rights-of-way; and
``(B) constructing and operating water transmission
and related facilities.
``(2) Excavation and disposal.--
``(A) In general.--The Authority may, without
consideration, excavate and use or dispose of sand,
gravel, minerals, or other materials from the tunneling
of the water pipeline necessary to fulfill the purpose
of the rights-of-way granted under paragraph (1).
``(B) Memorandum of understanding.--Not later than
30 days after the date on which the rights-of-way are
granted under paragraph (1), the Secretary and the
Authority shall enter into a memorandum of
understanding identifying Federal land on which the
Authority may dispose of materials under subparagraph
(A) to further the interests of the Bureau of Land
Management.
``(3) Requirements.--A right-of-way issued under this
subsection shall be subject to the following requirements:
``(A) The Secretary may include reasonable terms
and conditions, consistent with section 505 of the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43
U.S.C. 1765), as are necessary to protect Conservation
Area resources.
``(B) Construction of the water pipeline shall not
permanently adversely affect conservation area surface
resources.
``(C) The right-of-way shall not be located through
or under any area designated as wilderness.''.
(c) Preservation of Transmission and Utility Corridors and Rights-
of-Way.--The expansion of the Conservation Area boundary under the
amendment made by subsection (a)--
(1) shall be subject to valid existing rights, including
land within a designated utility transmission corridor or a
transmission line right-of-way grant approved by the Secretary
in a record of decision issued before the date of the enactment
of this Act;
(2) shall not preclude--
(A) any activity authorized in accordance with a
designated corridor or right-of-way referred to in
paragraph (1), including the operation, maintenance,
repair, or replacement of any authorized utility
facility within the corridor or right-of-way; or
(B) the Secretary from authorizing the
establishment of a new utility facility right-of-way
within an existing designated transportation and
utility corridor referred to in paragraph (1)--
(i) in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq.) and other applicable laws; and
(ii) subject to such terms and conditions
as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
(d) Management of the Conservation Area.--Except as provided in the
amendment made by subsection (b), nothing in this Act or the amendments
made by this Act shall modify the management of the Conservation Area
pursuant to section 605 of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area
Act (16 U.S.C. 460qqq-3).
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