[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5355 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5355
To convey certain Federal land in California to Apple Valley,
California, Twentynine Palms, California, Barstow, California, and
Victorville, California.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 23, 2021
Mr. Obernolte introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To convey certain Federal land in California to Apple Valley,
California, Twentynine Palms, California, Barstow, California, and
Victorville, California.
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 ``Desert Community Lands Act''.
SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE FOR APPLE VALLEY OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE RECREATION
AREA.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(2) Town.--The term ``Town'' means the town of Apple
Valley, California.
(b) Conveyance of Federal Land to Town.--
(1) Conveyance required.--At the request of the Town, not
later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary shall convey to the Town, without consideration,
all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to
the surface estate of the approximately 4,630 acres of land
generally depicted as ``Proposed Conveyance Area'' on the map
entitled ``Conveyance to Town of Apple Valley'' and dated June
1, 2015. Such land shall be known and designated as the ``Apple
Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area''.
(2) Existing rights and mineral estate.--The conveyance
under this subsection--
(A) is subject to valid existing rights; and
(B) does not include the mineral estate.
(c) Use of Conveyed Land.--
(1) In general.--The land conveyed under subsection (b) may
be used by the Town for any public purpose authorized in
paragraph (2), consistent with the Act of June 14, 1926
(commonly known as the Recreation and Public Purposes Act; 43
U.S.C. 869 et seq.).
(2) Authorized purposes.--The purposes of the conveyance
under subsection (b) are to allow the Town to use the conveyed
land to provide--
(A) a suitable location for the establishment of a
centralized off-road vehicle recreation park;
(B) the public with opportunities for off-road
vehicle recreation, including a location for races,
competitive events, training, and other commercial
services that directly support a centralized off-road
vehicle recreation area and Town park; and
(C) a designated area and facilities that would
discourage unauthorized use of off-highway vehicles in
areas that have been identified by the Federal
Government, the State of California, or San Bernardino
County as containing environmentally sensitive land.
(3) Disposal prohibited.--The land conveyed under
subsection (b) may not be disposed of by the Town without the
approval of the Secretary.
SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE TO CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA.
(a) Conveyance Required.--At the request of the city of Twentynine
Palms, California, not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall convey to
the city of Twentynine Palms, California, without consideration, all
right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the surface
estate of the land generally depicted as ``Proposed Conveyance to
Twentynine Palms'' on the map entitled ``Proposed Conveyance to
Twentynine Palms'' and dated September 18, 2015.
(b) Existing Rights and Mineral Estate.--The conveyance under this
section--
(1) is subject to valid existing rights; and
(2) does not include the mineral estate.
SEC. 4. CONVEYANCE TO CITY OF BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA.
(a) Conveyance Required.--At the request of the city of Barstow,
California, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall convey to the city of
Barstow, California, without consideration, all right, title, and
interest of the United States in and to the surface estate of the land
generally depicted as ``Proposed Conveyance'' on the map entitled
``Proposed Conveyance to the City of Barstow'' and dated January 13,
2017.
(b) Existing Rights and Mineral Estate.--The conveyance under this
section--
(1) is subject to valid existing rights; and
(2) does not include the mineral estate.
SEC. 5. CONVEYANCE TO CITY OF VICTORVILLE, CALIFORNIA.
(a) Conveyance Required.--At the request of the city of
Victorville, California, not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall convey to
the city of Victorville, California, without consideration, all right,
title, and interest of the United States in and to the surface estate
of the land generally depicted as ``Proposed Conveyance'' on the map
entitled ``Proposed Conveyance to the City of Victorville'' and dated
April 25, 2017.
(b) Existing Rights and Mineral Estate.--The conveyance under this
subsection--
(1) is subject to valid existing rights;
(2) does not include the mineral estate; and
(3) is subject to the reservation of a permanent easement
and right of way for flood control, utility, pipeline, or
telecommunications facilities located within the strips of land
described in the right of way grant from the United States
Department of the Interior to Pacific Gas and Electric Company,
Serial Number R 06259, dated March 2, 1965, and the easement
from J. Harley Long to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, dated
February 4, 1957, and recorded in Book 4192, Official Records
at page 42, San Bernardino County Records.
These easements include the right, at any time and from time to time,
to construct, reconstruct, maintain, operate, replace, remove, repair,
renew, and enlarge facilities for public utility purposes, the right to
trim and cut down trees and brush that the public utility may deem to
be a hazard to its facilities, and the requirement that the strips of
land be kept open and free of buildings, structures, and wells of any
kind.
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