SELECTED FEDERAL LEGISLATION RELATING TO PUBLIC LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE 114TH CONGRESS

Current as of November 10, 2015

Conveyance

H.R. 925: Rep. [R-NV2] (Introduced: February 12, 2015) Referred to Committee: Feb 12, 2015

S. 472: Sponsor: Sen. [R-NV] (Introduced: February 12, 2015) Referred to Committee: February 12, 2015

Directs the Forest Service (USFS) for National Forest System land and the Department of the Interior (DOI) for land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to convey approximately 7,990 acres of specified federal land to Douglas County, , to be used for flood control or any other public purpose. Prohibits such land from being disposed of by the county.

Directs the USFS to convey approximately 67 acres of certain Forest Service land (Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park) to the state of Nevada to be used for the conservation of wildlife or natural resources or for a public park.

Transfers all interest of the United States in the approximately 1,016 acres of certain federal land which shall be held in trust for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, and which shall become part of the Tribe's reservation. Prohibits the conduct of certain gaming on such land.

Designates approximately 12,330 acres of specified federal land managed by the BLM, to be known as the Burbank Canyons Wilderness, as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Releases the approximately 1,065 acres of public land in the Burbank Canyons Wilderness Study Area not designated as wilderness by this Act from further study for designation as wilderness.

H.R. 1484: Rep. Mark Amodei [R-NV2] (Introduced: March 19, 2015) Referred to Committee: Mar 19, 2015

Directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the DOI to convey, in phases and without consideration, to the state of Nevada all interest of the United States in federal lands owned, managed, or controlled by the federal government through the USDA or DOI for the purpose of permitting the state to use them to support select beneficiaries. Specifies exceptions, including

EXHIBIT C - LANDS Document consists of 8 pages. Entire exhibit provided. Meeting Date: 11-18-15 components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, National Park System, and National Wildlife System, and federally recognized Indian reservations and lands.

H.R. 2324: Rep. Mark Amodei [R-NV2] (Introduced: May 14, 2015) Referred to Committee: May 14, 2015

Requires the BLM for a state (respecting certain public lands) or the USFS (respecting certain National Forest System lands) to select an eligible federal lands parcel for conveyance: (1) in response to a request by an adjacent landholder (any holder of non-federal land that shares one or more boundaries with such a parcel and who requests to purchase such a parcel), or (2) upon the recommendation of the BLM District Office or System unit that exercises administration over such parcel. Directs the USDA and the DOI to each create a process by which an adjacent landholder may request to purchase an eligible parcel. Instructs that such process be open to the public and available on the Internet.

Emergency Response

H.R. 373: Sponsor: Rep. Joseph Heck [R-NV3] (Introduced: January 14, 2015) Passed House: April 28, 2015

S. 160: Sen. Dean Heller [R-NV] (Introduced: January 13, 2015) Referred to Committee: January 13, 2015

Directs the DOI and the USDA to implement a process to provide eligible organizations and individuals expedited access to federal land to conduct good Samaritan search-and-recovery missions, which are searches for one or more missing individuals believed to be deceased at the time that the search is initiated. Sets forth procedures for the approval or denial of requests made by eligible organizations or individuals to carry out a good Samaritan search-and- recovery mission.

Federal Land Disposal

H.R. 435: Rep. Jason Chaffetz [R-UT3] (Introduced: January 21, 2015) Referred to Committee: Jan 21, 2015

S. 361: Sen. Mike Lee [R-UT] (Introduced: February 4, 2015) Referred to Committee: January 4, 2015

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Directs the Secretary of the Interior to sell certain federal lands in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming, previously identified as suitable for disposal, and for other purposes.

Grazing

H.R. 1792: Rep. Chris Stewart [R-UT2] (Introduced: April 14, 2015) Referred to Committee: April 14, 2015

S. 937: Sen. Orrin Hatch [R-UT] (Introduced: April 14, 2015) Referred to Committee: April 14, 2015

Amends the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to require the BLM, upon the request of a state governor, to enter into 20-year cooperative agreements providing for a state to manage grazing allotments on eligible federal land in that state. Defines "eligible federal land" as public land that is subject to a grazing permit or lease issued by the BLM, excluding a unit of the National Wilderness Preservation System or an area of critical environmental concern.

Invasive Species

H.R. 1485: Rep. Mark Amodei [R-NV2] (Introduced: March 19, 2015) Referred to Committee: March 19, 2015

Directs the DOI (respecting federal lands administered through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, BLM, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and the USDA (respecting federal lands administered through the USFS) to plan and carry out activities on lands directly managed by the department concerned to control and manage invasive species in order to inhibit or reduce their populations and to effectuate restoration or reclamation efforts.

Land Disposal

H.R. 1214: Rep. Mark Amodei [R-NV2] (Introduced: March 3, 2015) Passed House: September 16, 2015

Amends the Small Tracts Act of 1938 to expand the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to sell or exchange small parcels of National Forest System land to enhance the management of the National Forest System, to resolve minor encroachments, and for other purposes.

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Law Enforcement

H.R. 3824: Rep. Cresent Hardy [R-NV4] (Introduced: October 23, 2015) Referred to Committee: October 23, 2015

Reforms oversight of law enforcement activities of the USFS and the DOI and to improve coordination and cooperation with local law enforcement agencies, and for other purposes.

Mining

H.R. 1937: Rep. Mark Amodei [R-NV2] (Introduced: April 22, 2015) Passed House: October 22, 2015

Requires the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to more efficiently develop domestic sources of the minerals and mineral materials of strategic and critical importance to United States economic and national security and manufacturing competitiveness.

Public Access

S. 146: Sen. Jeff Flake [R-AZ] (Introduced: January 12, 2015) Referred to Committee: January 12, 2015

Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into agreements with states and political subdivisions of states providing for the continued operation, in whole or in part, of public land, units of the National Park System, units of the National Wildlife Refuge System, and units of the National Forest System in the state during any period in which the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture is unable to maintain normal level of operations at the units due to a lapse in appropriations, and for other purposes.

Renewable Energy

H.R. 2663 Rep. Paul Gosar [R-AZ4] (Introduced: June 4, 2015) Referred to Committee: June 4, 2015

S. 1407: Sen. Dean Heller [R-NV] (Introduced: May 20, 2015) Referred to Committee: May 20, 2015

Directs the BLM to establish priority and variance areas on covered land for geothermal, solar, and wind energy projects. Requires the DOI to establish a program to improve federal permit coordination with respect to renewable

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energy projects carried out on public land administered by the DOI and not excluded from the development of geothermal, solar, or wind energy (covered land).

Revenue

S. 517: Sen. Ron Wyden [D-OR] (Introduced: February 12, 2015) Referred to Committee: February 12, 2015

Extends the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Program through Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 at FY2011 funding levels. This program provides payments to state jurisdictions to compensate for the cost of providing services in tax-exempt federal lands within such jurisdictions. The bill also eliminates the fiscal year limitation on funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program. This program compensates local governments for tax revenue lost due to tax-exempt federal lands within their boundaries.

H.R. 3257: Rep. Mark Meadows [R-NC11] (Introduced: July 28, 2015) Referred to Committee: July 28, 2015

Appropriates funds to carry out the PILT Program for the first full fiscal year after the enactment of this Act and for each of the following four fiscal years. The bill amends the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 to extend payment and project authorities for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Program for five years.

Special Designations

S. 232: Sen. Dean Heller [R-NV] (Introduced: January 22, 2015) Referred to Committee: January 22, 2015

Prohibits any further extension or establishment of national parks and monuments in Nevada from being undertaken, except by express authorization of Congress. Prohibits the DOI from implementing, administering, or enforcing Secretarial Order No. 3310 issued on December 22, 2010, which requires the BLM to inventory public lands with wilderness characteristics.

H.R. 488: Rep. Mark Amodei [R-NV2] (Introduced: January 22, 2015) Referred to Committee: January 22, 2015

Prohibits any further extension or establishment of national parks and monuments in Nevada from being undertaken, except by express authorization of Congress.

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H.R. 807: Rep. [D-NV1] (Introduced: February 5, 2015) Referred to Committee: February 5, 2015

Designates the peak of Frenchman Mountain in Nevada as the "Maude Frazier Mountain."

H.R. 856: Rep. Dina Titus [D-NV1] (Introduced: February 10, 2015) Referred to Committee: February 10, 2015

S. 199: Sen. [D-NV] (Introduced: January 20, 2015) Referred to Committee: January 20, 2015

Establishes the Gold Butte National Conservation Area in Nevada, which shall consist of 348,515 acres of public land administered by the BLM. Withdraws public land within the conservation area from: (1) entry, appropriation, operation, or disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) disposition under the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and the geothermal leasing laws. Establishes the Gold Butte National Conservation Area Advisory Council. Designates specified wilderness areas administered by the National Park Service or BLM in Clark County, Nevada, as wilderness and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Authorizes BLM to establish a visitor center and field office in Mesquite, Nevada, to assist in fulfilling the purposes of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, and the conservation area.

H.R. 857: Rep. Dina Titus [D-NV1] (Introduced: February 10, 2015) Referred to Committee: February 10, 2015

S. 196: Sen Reid [D-NV] (Introduced January 20, 2015) Referred to Committee: January 20, 2015

Withdraws 805,100 acres of federal land in Garden Valley, Nevada, from: (1) entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.

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H.R. 1815: Rep. Cresent Hardy [R-NV4] (Introduced: April 15, 2015) Referred to Committee: April 15, 2015

S. 953: Sen. Dean Heller [R-NV] (Introduced: April 15, 2015) Referred to Committee: April 15, 2015

Facilitates certain pinyon-juniper related projects in Lincoln County, Nevada, to modify the boundaries of certain wilderness areas in the State of Nevada, and to provide for the implementation of a conservation plan for the Virgin River, Nevada.

H.R. 2258: Rep. Ken Buck [R-CO4] (Introduced May 12, 2015) Referred to Committee: May 12, 2015

S. 2004: Sen. Mike Lee [R-UT] (Introduced: August 6, 2015) Referred to Committee: August 6, 2015

Declares that any proclamation of a national monument or reservation of a parcel of land as part of a national monument shall expire three years after the proclamation or reservation unless specifically approved by: (1) a federal law enacted after the date of the proclamation or reservation; and (2) a state law, for each state where the land involved is located, that is enacted after such date.

H.R. 2308: Rep. Cresent Hardy [R-NV4] (Introduced: May 13, 2015) Referred to Committee: May 13, 2015

Designates a specified peak in Nevada as Mount Reagan.

Water

H.R. 1732: Sponsor: Rep. Shuster [R-PA9] (Introduced: April 13, 2015) Status: Passed House: May 12, 2015

Rolls back a new regulation that redefines “Waters of the United States.”

Wild Fire Funding

H.R. 167: Rep. Michael “Mike” Simpson [R-ID2] (Introduced: January 6, 2015) Referred to Committee: January 6, 2015

Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to require specified adjustments to discretionary spending limits in FY2015-FY2022 to accommodate appropriations for wildfire suppression operations in the Wildland Fire Management accounts at the USDA or the DOI.

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If the USDA or DOI determines that supplemental appropriations are necessary for wildfire suppression operations, the bill requires the relevant department to submit to Congress a request for the funding and a plan for obligating the funds.

Wild Horses

H.R. 3172: Rep. Chris Stewart [R-UT2] (Introduced: July 22, 2015) Referred to Committee: July 22, 2015

S. 1845: Sen. Orrin Hatch [R-UT] (Introduced: July 23, 2015) Referred to Committee: July 23, 2015

Amends the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 to direct the DOI and the USDA, upon request, to allow a state or an Indian tribe to assume all management and protection functions under the Act with regard to wild free-roaming horses and burros on land within the boundaries of the state or the tribe.

Prepared by: Legislative Counsel Bureau Research Division November 10, 2015

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