II 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 1983 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land 

Management and the Bureau of Reclamation, to convey, by quitclaim 

deed, to the City of Fernley, Nevada, all right, title, and interest of 

the United States, to any Federal land within that city that is under 

the jurisdiction of either of those agencies. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 3, 2014 

Mr. HELLER introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the 

Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Reclamation, to convey, by quitclaim deed, to the City of 

Fernley, Nevada, all right, title, and interest of the 

United States, to any Federal land within that city that 

is under the jurisdiction of either of those agencies. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fernley Economic Self5 Determination Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

2 In this Act: 

3 (1) CITY.—The term ‘‘City’’ means the City of 

4 Fernley, Nevada. 

5 (2) FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘Federal land’’ 

6 means the approximately 9,407 acres of land located 

7 in the City of Fernley, Nevada, that is identified by 

8 the Secretary and the City for conveyance under this 

9 Act. 

10 (3) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map en11 titled ‘‘Proposed Fernley, Nevada, Land Sales’’ and 

12 dated January 25, 2013. 

13 SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF CERTAIN FEDERAL LAND TO CITY 

14 OF FERNLEY, NEVADA. 

15 (a) CONVEYANCE AUTHORIZED.—Subject to valid ex16 isting rights and not later than 180 days after the date 

17 on which the Secretary of the Interior receives an offer 

18 from the City to purchase the Federal land depicted on 

19 the map, the Secretary, acting through the Bureau of 

20 Land Management and the Bureau of Reclamation, shall 

21 convey, notwithstanding the land use planning require22 ments of sections 202 and 203 of the Federal Land Policy 

23 and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712, 1713), 

24 to the City in exchange for consideration in an amount 

25 equal to the fair market value of the Federal land, all 


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1 right, title, and interest of the United States in and to 

2 such Federal land. 

3 (b) APPRAISAL TO DETERMINE FAIR MARKET

4 VALUE.—The Secretary shall determine the fair market 

5 value of the Federal land to be conveyed— 

6 (1) in accordance with the Federal Land Policy 

7 and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et 

8 seq.); and 

9 (2) based on an appraisal that is conducted in 

10 accordance with nationally recognized appraisal 

11 standards, including— 

12 (A) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for 

13 Federal Land Acquisition; and 

14 (B) the Uniform Standards of Professional 

15 Appraisal Practice. 

16 (c) AVAILABILITY OF MAP.—The map shall be on file 

17 and available for public inspection in the appropriate of18 fices of the Bureau of Land Management. 

19 (d) RESERVATION OF EASEMENTS AND RIGHTS-OF20 WAY.—The City and the Bureau of Reclamation may re21 tain easements or rights-of-way on the Federal land to be 

22 conveyed, including easements or rights-of-way the Bu23 reau of Reclamation determines are necessary to carry 

24 out— 


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1 (1) the operation and maintenance of the 

2 Truckee Canal; or 

3 (2) the Newlands Project. 

4 (e) COSTS.—The City shall, at closing for the convey5 ance authorized under subsection (a), pay or reimburse 

6 the Secretary, as appropriate, for the reasonable trans7 action and administrative personnel costs associated with 

8 the conveyance authorized under such subsection, includ9 ing the costs of appraisal, title searches, maps, and bound10 ary and cadastral surveys. 

11 (f) CONVEYANCE NOT A MAJOR FEDERAL ACTION.— 

12 A conveyance or a combination of conveyances made under 

13 this section shall not be considered a major Federal action 

14 for purposes of section 102(2) of the National Environ15 mental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)). 

16 SEC. 4. RELEASE OF UNITED STATES. 

17 Upon making the conveyance under section 3, not18 withstanding any other provision of law, the United States 

19 is released from any and all liabilities or claims of any 

20 kind or nature arising from the presence, release, or threat 

21 of release of any hazardous substance, pollutant, contami22 nant, petroleum product (or derivative of a petroleum 

23 product of any kind), solid waste, mine materials or min24 ing related features (including tailings, overburden, waste 

25 rock, mill remnants, pits, or other hazards resulting from 


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1 the presence of mining related features) on the Federal 

2 land in existence on or before the date of the conveyance. 

3 SEC. 5. WITHDRAWAL. 

4 Subject to valid existing rights, the Federal land to 

5 be conveyed under section 3 of this Act shall be withdrawn 

6 from all forms of— 

7 (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the 

8 public land laws; 

9 (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining 

10 laws; and 

11 (3) disposition under the mineral leasing, min12 eral materials, and geothermal leasing laws. 

Æ 


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