Public Law

[119th Congress Public Law 91]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

[[Page 821]]

           SLOAN CANYON CONSERVATION AND LATERAL PIPELINE ACT

[[Page 140 STAT. 822]]

Public Law 119-91
119th Congress

                                 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. <<NOTE: May 19, 2026 -  [H.R. 972]>>

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Sloan Canyon
Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act. 16 USC 460qqq-1 note.>>

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

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) <<NOTE: Water. Deadlines.>> 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

[[Page 140 STAT. 823]]

        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) <<NOTE: Record.>> 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

[[Page 140 STAT. 824]]

Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Act (16 U.S.C. 460qqq-3).

    Approved May 19, 2026.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 972:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 119-279 (Comm. on Natural Resources).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
                                                        Vol. 171 (2025):
                                    Dec. 15, considered and passed
                                        House.
                                                        Vol. 172 (2026):
                                    Feb. 26, considered and passed
                                        Senate.

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