[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1657 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 279
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1657
[Report No. 118-135]
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land to La
Paz County, Arizona, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 17, 2023
Ms. Sinema (for herself and Mr. Kelly) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
December 12, 2023
Reported by Mr. Manchin, with amendments
[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land to La
Paz County, Arizona, 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 ``La Paz County Solar Energy and Job
Creation Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) County.--The term ``County'' means La Paz County,
Arizona.
(2) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means the
approximately 4,800 3,400 acres of land managed by the Bureau
of Land Management and designated as ``Federal Land To Be
Conveyed'' on the map.
<DELETED> (3) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map prepared
by the Bureau of Land Management entitled ``La Paz County Land
Conveyance Map'' and dated September 1, 2020.</DELETED>
(3) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``BLM
Arizona--La Paz County Land Conveyance Map, Bureau of Land
Management--Colorado River District, Yuma Field Office'' and
dated June 29, 2023.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE TO LA PAZ COUNTY, ARIZONA.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding the planning requirement of
sections 202 and 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712, 1713) and in accordance with this section and
other applicable law, as soon as practicable after receiving a request
from the County to convey the Federal land, the Secretary shall convey
the Federal land to the County.
(b) Restrictions on Conveyance.--
(1) In general.--The conveyance under subsection (a) shall
be subject to--
(A) valid existing rights; and
(B) such terms and conditions as the Secretary
determines to be necessary.
(2) Exclusion.--The Secretary shall exclude from the
conveyance under subsection (a) any Federal land that contains
significant cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational
resources.
(c) Payment of Fair Market Value.--The conveyance under subsection
(a) shall be for the fair market value of the Federal land to be
conveyed, as determined--
(1) in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and
(2) based on an appraisal that is conducted in accordance
with--
(A) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal
Land Acquisitions; and
(B) the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal
Practice.
(d) Protection of Tribal Cultural Artifacts.--As a condition of the
conveyance under subsection (a), the County shall, and as a condition
of any subsequent conveyance, any subsequent owner shall--
(1) make good faith efforts to avoid disturbing Tribal
artifacts;
(2) minimize impacts on Tribal artifacts if the artifacts
are disturbed;
(3) coordinate with the Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal
Historic Preservation Office to identify artifacts of cultural
and historic significance; and
(4) allow Tribal representatives to rebury unearthed
artifacts at or near where the artifacts were discovered.
(e) Availability of Map.--
(1) In general.--The map shall be on file and available for
public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of
Land Management.
(2) Corrections.--The Secretary and the County may, by
mutual agreement--
(A) make minor boundary adjustments to the Federal
land to be conveyed under subsection (a); and
(B) correct any minor errors in the map, an acreage
estimate, or the description of the Federal land.
(f) Withdrawal.--The Federal land is withdrawn from the operation
of the mining and mineral leasing laws of the United States.
(g) Costs.--As a condition of the conveyance of the Federal land
under subsection (a), the County shall pay--
(1) an amount equal to the appraised value determined in
accordance with subsection (c)(2); and
(2) all costs related to the conveyance, including all
surveys, appraisals, and other administrative costs associated
with the conveyance of the Federal land to the County under
subsection (a).
(h) Proceeds From the Sale of Land.--The proceeds from the sale of
land under this section shall be--
(1) deposited in the Federal Land Disposal Account
established by section 206(a) of the Federal Land Transaction
Facilitation Act (43 U.S.C. 2305(a)); and
(2) used in accordance with that Act (43 U.S.C. 2301 et
seq.).
Calendar No. 279
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1657
[Report No. 118-135]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land to La
Paz County, Arizona, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
December 12, 2023
Reported with amendments