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[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 986 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 986

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Griffith Project 
                to the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 6, 1999

  Mr. Reid (for himself and Mr. Bryan) 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 to convey the Griffith Project 
                to the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

    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 ``Griffith Project Prepayment and 
Conveyance Act.''

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Authority.--The term ``Authority'' means the Southern 
        Nevada Water Authority, organized under the laws of the State 
        of Nevada.
            (2) Griffith project.--The term ``Griffith Project'' means 
        the Robert B. Griffith Water Project, authorized by Public Law 
        89-292 (commonly known as the ``Southern Nevada Water Project 
        Act'') (79 Stat. 1068), including all pipelines, conduits, 
        pumping plants, intake facilities, aqueducts, laterals, water 
        storage and regulatory facilities, electric substations, and 
        related works constructed and all interests in land acquired 
        under Public Law 89-292.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

 SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF GRIFFITH PROJECT.

    (a) In General.--In consideration of the assumption by the 
Authority from the United States of all liability for administration, 
operation, and maintenance of the Griffith Project and subject to the 
payment by the Authority of the net present value of the remaining 
repayment obligation (as determined in accordance with Office of 
Management and Budget Circular A-129, as in effect on the date of 
payment and conveyance), the Secretary shall convey and assign to the 
Authority all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to 
the Griffith Project.
    (b) Right To Use and Occupy Public Land.--On and after the date of 
the conveyance under subsection (a), the Authority shall have the right 
to use and occupy without charge all public land, including withdrawn 
public land--
            (1) on which the Griffith Project is situated; or
            (2) that is used for the purposes of the Griffith Project 
        as of that date.
    (c) Report.--If the conveyance under subsection (a) has not 
occurred by July 1, 2000, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
report on the status of the conveyance.
    (d) Administrative Costs.--
            (1) In general.--If the Secretary completes the conveyance 
        under subsection (a) before the deadline under subsection (c), 
        50 percent of the cost of administrative action and 
        environmental compliance for the conveyance shall be paid by 
        the Secretary, and 50 percent shall be paid by the Authority.
            (2) Failure to meet deadline.--If the Secretary fails to 
        complete the conveyance under this Act before the deadline 
        under subsection (c), 100 percent of the cost described in 
        paragraph (1) shall be paid by the Secretary.

SEC. 4. RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING OPERATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Nothing in this Act expands or changes the use or 
operation of the Griffith Project from its use and operation as of the 
day before the date of enactment of this Act.
    (b) Future Alterations.--If the Authority changes the use or 
operation of the Griffith Project, the Authority shall comply with all 
applicable laws (including regulations) governing the changes at that 
time.

SEC. 5. RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING CONTRACTS.

    The Secretary and the Authority may modify Contract No. 7-07-30-
W004 as necessary to conform the contract to this Act.

SEC. 6. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.

    On conveyance of the Griffith Project under section 3, the Act of 
June 17, 1902 (43 U.S.C. 391 et seq.), and all Acts amendatory of that 
Act or supplemental to that Act shall not apply to the Griffith 
Project.
                                 <all>
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