To direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey title to certain irrigation project property in the Humboldt Project, Nevada, to the Pershing County Water Conservation District, Pershing County, Lander County, and the State of Nevada.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Humboldt Project Conveyance Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act:
            (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (2) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Nevada.
            (3) PCWCD.--The term ``PCWCD'' means the Pershing County 
        Water Conservation District, a public entity organized under 
        the laws of the State of Nevada.
            (4) Pershing county.--The term ``Pershing County'' means 
        the Pershing County government, a political subunit of the 
        State of Nevada.
            (5) Lander county.--The term ``Lander County'' means the 
        Lander County government, a political subunit of the State of 
        Nevada.

SEC. 3. AUTHORITY TO CONVEY TITLE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall, as soon as practicable after 
the date of enactment of this Act, convey, all right, title, and 
interest in and to the lands and features of the Humboldt Project, 
including all water rights for storage and diversion, to PCWCD, the 
State, Pershing County, and Lander County, consistent with the terms 
and conditions set forth in the Memorandum of Agreement between PCWCD 
and Lander County dated January 24, 2000, the Conceptual Agreement 
between PCWCD and the State dated October 18, 2001, and the Letter of 
Agreement between Pershing County and the State dated April 16, 2002.
    (b) Compliance With Agreements.--All parties to the conveyance 
under subsection (a) shall comply with the terms and conditions of the 
agreements cited in subsection (a).
    (c) Report.--If the conveyance required by this section has not 
been completed within 18 months after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Resources 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate that describes--
            (1) the status of the conveyance;
            (2) any obstacles to completion of the conveyance; and
            (3) the anticipated date for completion of the conveyance.

SEC. 4. PAYMENT.

    (a) In General.--As consideration for any conveyance required by 
section 3, PCWCD shall pay to the United States the net present value 
of miscellaneous revenues associated with the lands and facilities to 
be conveyed.
    (b) Withdrawn Lands.--As consideration for any conveyance of 
withdrawn lands required by section 3, the entity receiving title shall 
pay the United States (in addition to amounts paid under subsection 
(a)) the fair market value for any such lands conveyed that were 
withdrawn from the public domain pursuant to the Secretarial Orders 
dated March 16, 1934, and April 6, 1956.
    (c) Administrative Costs.--Administrative costs for conveyance of 
any land or facility under this Act shall be paid in equal shares by 
the Secretary and the entity receiving title to the land or facility, 
except costs identified in subsections (d) and (e).
    (d) Real Estate Transfer Costs.--As a condition of any conveyance 
of any land or facility required by section 3, costs of all boundary 
surveys, title searches, cadastral surveys, appraisals, and other real 
estate transactions required for the conveyance shall be paid by the 
entity receiving title to the land or facility.
    (e) NEPA Costs.--Costs associated with any review required under 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for conveyance of any 
land or facility under section 3 shall be paid in equal shares by the 
Secretary and the entity receiving title to the land or facility.
    (f) State of Nevada.--The State shall not be responsible for any 
payments for land or facilities under this section. Any proposal by the 
State to reconvey to another entity land conveyed by the Secretary 
under this Act shall be pursuant to an agreement with the Secretary 
providing for fair market value to the United States for the lands, and 
for continued management of the lands for recreation, wildlife habitat, 
wetlands, or resource conservation.

SEC. 5. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAWS.

    Following the conveyance required by section 3, the district, the 
State, Pershing County, and Lander County shall, with respect to the 
interests conveyed, comply with all requirements of Federal, State, and 
local law applicable to non-Federal water distribution systems.

SEC. 6. REVOCATION OF WITHDRAWALS.

    Effective on the date of the conveyance required by section 3, the 
Secretarial Orders dated March 16, 1934, and April 6, 1956, that 
withdrew public lands for the Rye Patch Reservoir and the Humboldt 
Sink, are hereby revoked.

SEC. 7. LIABILITY.

    Effective on the date of the conveyance required by section 3, the 
United States shall not be held liable by any court for damages of any 
kind arising out of any act, omission, or occurrence relating to the 
Humboldt Project, except for damages caused by acts of negligence 
committed by the United States or by its employees or agents prior to 
the date of conveyance. Nothing in this section shall be considered to 
increase the liability of the United States beyond that currently 
provided in chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, popularly 
known as the Federal Tort Claims Act.

SEC. 8. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT.

    Prior to conveyance the Secretary shall complete all actions as may 
be required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.).

SEC. 9. FUTURE BENEFITS.

    Upon conveyance of the lands and facilities by the Secretary under 
this Act, the Humboldt Project shall no longer be a Federal reclamation 
project and the district shall not be entitled to receive any future 
reclamation benefits with respect to that project, except those 
benefits that would be available to other nonreclamation districts.




                                                 

Summary: Humboldt Project Conveyance Act - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to convey all right, title, and interest in and to the lands and features of the Humboldt Project, including all water rights for storage and diversion, to the Pershing County Water Conservation District (PCWCD), the State of Nevada, the Pershing County government, and the Lander County government, consistent with the terms and conditions set forth in the Memorandum of Agreement between PCWCD and Lander County dated January 24, 2002, the Conceptual Agreement between PCWCD and the State dated October 28, 2001, and the Letter of Agreement between Pershing County and the State dated April 16, 2002. Requires PCWCD to pay the United States the net present value of miscellaneous revenues associated with the lands and facilities to be conveyed. Requires the entity receiving title under this act to pay the United States the fair market value for any withdrawn land conveyed, as well as the real estate transfer costs for any land or facility conveyed. Declares that the State of Nevada will not be responsible for any payments for land or facilities under this Act. Declares that any proposal by the State to reconvey to another entity land conveyed by the Secretary must provide fair market value to the Unites States for the lands and for continued management of the lands for recreation, wildlife habitat, wetlands, or resource conservation. Revokes the Secretarial Orders dated March 16, 1934, and April 6, 1956, that withdrew public lands for the Rye Patch Reservoir and the Humboldt Sink. Exempts the United States from liability for damages arising out of any act, omission, or occurrence relating to the Humboldt project, except for damages caused by acts of negligence committed by the United States, its employees or agents prior to the date of conveyance. Requires the Secretary to complete, prior to conveyance, all actions required under the National Environment Policy Act of 1969. Declares that upon conveyance of the lands and facilities, the Humboldt Project will no longer be a Federal reclamation project and the district shall not be entitled to receive any future reclamation benefits with respect to the project, except those benefits that would be available to other nonreclamation districts.