Engrossed in House

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 972 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 972

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

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.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Sloan Canyon Conservation and
Lateral Pipeline Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

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.

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).

            Passed the House of Representatives December 15, 2025.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
119th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 972

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

To amend the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Act to adjust the
boundary of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, and for other
                               purposes.