I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6216 

To amend the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Act to adjust the 

boundary of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, to amend 

the Apex Project, Nevada Land Transfer and Authorization Act of 1989 

to include the city of North Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Apex Industrial 

Park Owners Association, to clarify the authority of the Department 

of Defense to conduct certain military activities at the Nevada Test 

and Training Range, to designate the Southern Paiute Wilderness in 

the State of Nevada, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 3, 2023 

Mr. HORSFORD (for himself and Ms. LEE of Nevada) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in 

addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 

provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area 

Act to adjust the boundary of the Sloan Canyon National 

Conservation Area, to amend the Apex Project, Nevada 

Land Transfer and Authorization Act of 1989 to include 

the city of North Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Apex 

Industrial Park Owners Association, to clarify the authority of the Department of Defense to conduct certain 

military activities at the Nevada Test and Training 

Range, to designate the Southern Paiute Wilderness in 

the State of Nevada, and for other purposes. 


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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 ‘‘Promoting National 

5 Security and Preserving Access to Public Land in South6 ern Nevada Act of 2023’’. 

7 SEC. 2. SLOAN CANYON NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA 

8 BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT. 

9 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

10 (1) CONSERVATION AREA.—The term ‘‘Con11 servation Area’’ means the Sloan Canyon National 

12 Conservation Area. 

13 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

14 the Secretary of the Interior (acting through the Di15 rector of the Bureau of Land Management). 

16 (b) BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT.— 

17 (1) MAP.—Section 603(4) of the Sloan Canyon 

18 National Conservation Area Act (16 U.S.C. 460qqq– 

19 1(4)) is amended by striking ‘‘map entitled ‘South20 ern Nevada Public Land Management Act’ and 

21 dated October 1, 2002’’ and inserting ‘‘map entitled 

22 ‘Proposed Sloan Canyon Expansion’ and dated June 

23 7, 2023’’. 

24 (2) ACREAGE.—Section 604(b) of the Sloan 

25 Canyon National Conservation Area Act (16 U.S.C. 


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1 460qqq–2(b)) is amended by striking ‘‘48,438’’ and 

2 inserting ‘‘57,728’’. 

3 (c) RIGHT-OF-WAY.—Section 605 of the Sloan Can4 yon National Conservation Area Act (16 U.S.C. 460qqq– 

5 3) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘(h) HORIZON LATERAL PIPELINE RIGHT-OF7 WAY.— 

8 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding sections 

9 202 and 503 of the Federal Land Policy Manage10 ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712, 1763) and sub11 ject to valid existing rights and paragraph (3), the 

12 Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Direc13 tor of the Bureau of Land Management (referred to 

14 in this subsection as the ‘Secretary’), shall, not later 

15 than 1 year after the date of enactment of this sub16 section, grant to the Southern Nevada Water Au17 thority (referred to in this subsection as the ‘Author18 ity’), not subject to the payment of rents or other 

19 charges, the temporary and permanent water pipe20 line infrastructure, and outside the boundaries of the 

21 Conservation Area, powerline, facility, and access 

22 road rights-of-way depicted on the map for the pur23 poses of— 

24 ‘‘(A) performing geotechnical investigations 

25 within the rights-of-way; and 


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1 ‘‘(B) constructing and operating water 

2 transmission and related facilities. 

3 ‘‘(2) EXCAVATION AND DISPOSAL.— 

4 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Authority may, 

5 without consideration, excavate and use or dis6 pose of sand, gravel, minerals, or other mate7 rials from the tunneling of the water pipeline 

8 necessary to fulfill the purpose of the rights-of9 way granted under paragraph (1). 

10 ‘‘(B) MEMORANDUM OF UNDER11 STANDING.—Not later than 30 days after the 

12 date on which the rights-of-way are granted 

13 under paragraph (1), the Secretary and the Au14 thority shall enter into a memorandum of un15 derstanding identifying Federal land on which 

16 the Authority may dispose of materials under 

17 subparagraph (A) to further the interests of the 

18 Bureau of Land Management. 

19 ‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS.—A right-of-way issued 

20 under this subsection shall be subject to the fol21 lowing requirements: 

22 ‘‘(A) The Secretary may include reasonable 

23 terms and conditions, consistent with section 

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1 ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1765), as are nec2 essary to protect Conservation Area resources. 

3 ‘‘(B) Construction of the water pipeline 

4 shall not permanently adversely affect conserva5 tion area surface resources. 

6 ‘‘(C) The right-of-way shall not be located 

7 through or under any area designated as wilder8 ness.’’. 

9 (d) PRESERVATION OF TRANSMISSION AND UTILITY

10 CORRIDORS AND RIGHTS-OF-WAY.—The expansion of the 

11 Conservation Area boundary under the amendment made 

12 by subsection (b)— 

13 (1) shall be subject to valid existing rights, in14 cluding land within a designated utility transmission 

15 corridor or a transmission line right-of-way grant 

16 approved by the Secretary in a record of decision 

17 issued before the date of enactment of this Act; 

18 (2) shall not preclude— 

19 (A) any activity authorized in accordance 

20 with a designated corridor or right-of-way re21 ferred to in paragraph (1), including the oper22 ation, maintenance, repair, or replacement of 

23 any authorized utility facility within the cor24 ridor or right-of-way; or 


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1 (B) the Secretary from authorizing the es2 tablishment of a new utility facility right-of-way 

3 within an existing designated transportation 

4 and utility corridor referred to in paragraph (1) 

5 in accordance with— 

6 (i) the National Environmental Policy 

7 Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and 

8 other applicable laws; and 

9 (ii) subject to such terms and condi10 tions as the Secretary determines to be ap11 propriate; and 

12 (3) except as provided in the amendment made 

13 by subsection (c), modifies the management of the 

14 Conservation Area pursuant to section 605 of the 

15 Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Act (16 

16 U.S.C. 460qqq–3). 

17 SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE APEX PROJECT, NEVADA 

18 LAND TRANSFER AND AUTHORIZATION ACT 

19 OF 1989. 

20 (a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 2(b) of the Apex Project, 

21 Nevada Land Transfer and Authorization Act of 1989 

22 (Public Law 101–67; 103 Stat. 169) is amended— 

23 (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 

24 striking ‘‘As used in this Act, the following terms 


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1 shall have the following meanings—’’ and inserting 

2 ‘‘In this Act:’’; 

3 (2) in each of paragraphs (1), (2), (4), and (5), 

4 by inserting a paragraph heading, the text of which 

5 comprises the term defined in that paragraph; 

6 (3) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘COUNTY; 

7 CLARK COUNTY.—’’ before ‘‘The term’’; 

8 (4) in paragraph (6)— 

9 (A) by inserting ‘‘FLPMA TERMS.—’’ be10 fore ‘‘All’’; and 

11 (B) by inserting ‘‘(43 U.S.C. 1701 et 

12 seq.)’’ before the period at the end; 

13 (5) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), (3), 

14 (4), (5), and (6) as paragraphs (7), (6), (4), (5), 

15 (2), and (8), respectively; 

16 (6) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so re17 designated) the following: 

18 ‘‘(1) APEX INDUSTRIAL PARK OWNERS ASSOCIA19 TION.—The term ‘Apex Industrial Park Owners As20 sociation’ means the Apex Industrial Park Owners 

21 Association formed on April 9, 2001, and chartered 

22 in the State of Nevada (including any successor in 

23 interest).’’; and 

24 (7) by inserting after paragraph (2) (as so re25 designated) the following: 


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

2 North Las Vegas, Nevada.’’. 

3 (b) KERR-MCGEE SITE TRANSFER.—Section 3(b) of 

4 the Apex Project, Nevada Land Transfer and Authoriza5 tion Act of 1989 (Public Law 101–67; 103 Stat. 170) is 

6 amended— 

7 (1) in the first sentence— 

8 (A) by striking ‘‘Clark County’’ and insert9 ing ‘‘Clark County, the City, or the Apex Indus10 trial Park Owners Association, individually or 

11 jointly, as appropriate,’’; and 

12 (B) by striking ‘‘Site’’ and inserting ‘‘Site 

13 and other land conveyed in accordance with this 

14 Act’’; and 

15 (2) in the third sentence, by striking ‘‘Clark 

16 County’’ and inserting ‘‘Clark County, the City, or 

17 the Apex Industrial Park Owners Association, indi18 vidually or jointly, as appropriate,’’. 

19 (c) AUTHORIZATION FOR ADDITIONAL TRANS20 FERS.—Section 4 of the Apex Project, Nevada Land 

21 Transfer and Authorization Act of 1989 (Public Law 101– 

22 67; 103 Stat. 171) is amended— 

23 (1) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘Clark Coun24 ty’’ and inserting ‘‘Clark County, the City, or the 


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1 Apex Industrial Park Owners Association, individ2 ually or jointly, as appropriate,’’; and 

3 (2) in subsection (e), by adding at the end the 

4 following: 

5 ‘‘(3) MINERAL MATERIALS SALE.—Notwithstanding 

6 the requirements of part 3600 of title 43, Code of Federal 

7 Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this 

8 paragraph), the Secretary may sell, at not less than fair 

9 market value, without advertising or calling for bids and 

10 without regard to volume or time limitations, mineral ma11 terials resulting from grading, land balancing, or other ac12 tivities on the surface of a parcel of land within the Apex 

13 Site for which the United States retains an interest in the 

14 minerals.’’. 

15 (d) ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS.—Section 6 

16 of the Apex Project, Nevada Land Transfer and Author17 ization Act of 1989 (Public Law 101–67; 103 Stat. 173) 

18 is amended by adding at the end the following: 

19 ‘‘(d) COMPLIANCE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESS20 MENTS.—Each transfer by the United States of land or 

21 interest in lands within the Apex Site or rights-of-way 

22 issued pursuant to this Act shall be conditioned on the 

23 compliance with applicable Federal land laws, including 

24 the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 


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1 4321 et seq.) and the Federal Land Policy and Manage2 ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.).’’. 

3 SEC. 4. CLARIFICATION OF AUTHORITY OF DEPARTMENT 

4 OF DEFENSE TO CONDUCT CERTAIN MILI5 TARY ACTIVITIES AT NEVADA TEST AND 

6 TRAINING RANGE. 

7 (a) SPECIFICATION OF AUTHORIZED MILITARY AC8 TIVITIES.—Paragraph (1) of section 3011(b) of the Mili9 tary Lands Withdrawal Act of 1999 (title XXX of the Na10 tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000; 

11 Public Law 106–65; 113 Stat. 886) is amended— 

12 (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), 

13 by inserting ‘‘, subject to the conditions set forth in 

14 subsection (a) of section 3014’’ after ‘‘Secretary of 

15 the Air Force’’; 

16 (2) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara17 graph (C); 

18 (3) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as sub19 paragraph (G); and 

20 (4) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the fol21 lowing new subparagraphs: 

22 ‘‘(D) for emergency response; 

23 ‘‘(E) for the establishment and use of ex24 isting or new electronic tracking and commu25 nications sites, including the construction of up 


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1 to 15 equipment pads, no larger than 150-by2 150 feet in size, along existing roads to allow 

3 placement and operation of threat emitters; 

4 ‘‘(F) for the use and maintenance of roads 

5 in existence as of January 1, 2024, to allow ac6 cess to threat emitters and repeaters for instal7 lation, maintenance, and periodic relocation; 

8 and’’. 

9 (b) INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE.—Section 

10 3011(b)(5)(G), as added by paragraph (1) of section 

11 2844(b) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National De12 fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 

13 116–283; 134 Stat. 4351), is further amended— 

14 (1) by amending clause (i) to read as follows: 

15 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of 

16 the Interior and the Secretary of the Air 

17 Force shall jointly establish an interagency 

18 committee (referred to in this subpara19 graph as the ‘interagency committee’) to— 

20 ‘‘(I) facilitate coordination, man21 age public access needs and require22 ments, and minimize potential conflict 

23 between the Department of the Inte24 rior and the Department of the Air 

25 Force with respect to joint operating 


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1 areas within the Desert National 

2 Wildlife Refuge; and 

3 ‘‘(II) discuss the activities au4 thorized in paragraph (1) and provide 

5 input to the United States Fish and 

6 Wildlife Service and the Department 

7 of the Air Force when assessing 

8 whether these activities may be con9 ducted on the joint operating areas 

10 within the Desert National Wildlife 

11 Refuge that are under the primary ju12 risdiction of the Secretary of the Inte13 rior in a manner that is consistent 

14 with the National Wildlife Refuge 

15 System Administration Act (16 

16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.) and other appli17 cable law.’’; and 

18 (2) in clause (ii)— 

19 (A) by inserting ‘‘, including a designee of 

20 the Director of the United States Fish and 

21 Wildlife Service’’ before the period at the end of 

22 subclause (I); and 

23 (B) by inserting ‘‘, including a designee of 

24 the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for 


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1 Energy, Installations, and Environment’’ before 

2 the period at the end of subclause (II). 

3 (c) ADDITIONAL PURPOSE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL

4 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.—Section 3011(b)(H)(5)(ii), as 

5 added by paragraph (2) of such section 2844(b), is amend6 ed in clause (ii)— 

7 (1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subclause 

8 (I); 

9 (2) by striking the period at the end of sub10 clause (II) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

11 (3) by adding at the end the following new sub12 clause: 

13 ‘‘(III) discussing and making rec14 ommendations to the interagency com15 mittee established under subpara16 graph (G) with respect to any pro17 posal by the Secretary of the Air 

18 Force to undertake any of the activi19 ties authorized in paragraph (1) on 

20 the joint operating areas within the 

21 Desert National Wildlife Refuge.’’. 

22 SEC. 5. DESIGNATION OF SOUTHERN PAIUTE WILDERNESS, 

23 NEVADA. 

24 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 


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1 (1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

2 the Secretary of the Interior. 

3 (2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 

4 of Nevada. 

5 (3) WILDERNESS AREA.—The term ‘‘wilderness 

6 area’’ means the wilderness area designated by sub7 section (b)(1). 

8 (b) ADDITION TO THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS

9 PRESERVATION SYSTEM.— 

10 (1) DESIGNATION.—In accordance with the 

11 Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), there is 

12 designated as wilderness and as a component of the 

13 National Wilderness Preservation System the ap14 proximately 736,188 acres of Federal land managed 

15 by the Director of the United States Fish and Wild16 life Service in Clark and Lincoln Counties, Nevada, 

17 to be known as the ‘‘Southern Paiute Wilderness’’. 

18 (2) BOUNDARY.—The boundary of any portion 

19 of the wilderness area that is bordered by a road 

20 shall be not less than 50 feet from the centerline of 

21 the road. 

22 (3) MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION.— 

23 (A) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable 

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1 retary shall prepare a map and legal description 

2 of the wilderness area. 

3 (B) EFFECT.—The map and legal descrip4 tion prepared under subparagraph (A) shall 

5 have the same force and effect as if included in 

6 this section, except that the Secretary may cor7 rect clerical and typographical errors in the 

8 map or legal description. 

9 (C) AVAILABILITY.—The map and legal 

10 description prepared under subparagraph (A) 

11 shall be on file and available for public inspec12 tion in the appropriate offices of the United 

13 States Fish and Wildlife Service. 

14 (4) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing 

15 rights, the wilderness area is withdrawn from— 

16 (A) all forms of entry, appropriation, and 

17 disposal under the public land laws; 

18 (B) location, entry, and patent under the 

19 mining laws; and 

20 (C) operation of the mineral leasing and 

21 geothermal leasing laws. 

22 (c) MANAGEMENT.—Subject to valid existing rights, 

23 the wilderness area shall be administered by the Secretary 

24 in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 

25 et seq.), except that— 


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1 (1) any reference in that Act to the effective 

2 date of that Act shall be considered to be a reference 

3 to the date of enactment of this Act; and 

4 (2) any reference in that Act to the Secretary 

5 of Agriculture shall be considered to be a reference 

6 to the Secretary. 

7 (d) INCORPORATION OF ACQUIRED LAND AND IN8 TERESTS IN LAND.—Any land or interest in land within 

9 the boundary of the wilderness area that is acquired by 

10 the United States after the date of enactment of this Act 

11 shall be added to, and administered as part of, the wilder12 ness area. 

13 (e) WATER RIGHTS.— 

14 (1) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 

15 (A) the land designated as the wilderness 

16 area— 

17 (i) is within the Mojave Desert; 

18 (ii) is arid in nature; and 

19 (iii) includes ephemeral streams; 

20 (B) the hydrology of the land designated 

21 as the wilderness area is predominantly charac22 terized by complex flow patterns and alluvial 

23 fans with impermanent channels; 


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1 (C) the subsurface hydrogeology of the re2 gion in which the land designated as the wilder3 ness area is located is characterized by— 

4 (i) groundwater subject to local and 

5 regional flow gradients; and 

6 (ii) unconfined and artesian condi7 tions; 

8 (D) the land designated as the wilderness 

9 area is generally not suitable for use or develop10 ment of new water resource facilities; and 

11 (E) because of the unique nature and hy12 drology of the desert land in the wilderness 

13 area, it is possible to provide for proper man14 agement and protection of the wilderness area 

15 and other values of land in ways different from 

16 ways used in other laws. 

17 (2) EFFECT.—Nothing in this section— 

18 (A) constitutes an express or implied res19 ervation by the United States of any water or 

20 water rights with respect to the wilderness area; 

21 (B) affects any water rights in the State 

22 (including any water rights held by the United 

23 States) in existence on the date of enactment of 

24 this Act; 


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1 (C) establishes a precedent with regard to 

2 any future wilderness designations; 

3 (D) affects the interpretation of, or any 

4 designation made under, any other Act; or 

5 (E) limits, alters, modifies, or amends any 

6 interstate compact or equitable apportionment 

7 decree that apportions water among and be8 tween the State and other States. 

9 (3) STATE WATER LAW.—The Secretary shall 

10 follow the procedural and substantive requirements 

11 of State law in order to obtain and hold any water 

12 rights not in existence on the date of enactment of 

13 this Act with respect to the wilderness area. 

14 (4) NEW PROJECTS.— 

15 (A) DEFINITION OF WATER RESOURCE FA16 CILITY.— 

17 (i) IN GENERAL.—In this paragraph, 

18 the term ‘‘water resource facility’’ means 

19 an irrigation or pumping facility, reservoir, 

20 water conservation work, aqueduct, canal, 

21 ditch, pipeline, well, hydropower project, 

22 transmission or other ancillary facility, and 

23 other water diversion, storage, or carriage 

24 structure. 


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1 (ii) EXCLUSION.—In this paragraph, 

2 the term ‘‘water resource facility’’ does not 

3 include a wildlife guzzler. 

4 (B) RESTRICTION ON NEW WATER RE5 SOURCE FACILITIES.—Except as otherwise pro6 vided in this section, on and after the date of 

7 enactment of this Act, neither the President nor 

8 any other officer, employee, or agent of the 

9 United States shall fund, assist, authorize, or 

10 issue a license or permit for the development of 

11 any new water resource facility within the wil12 derness area. 

13 (f) WILDFIRE, INSECTS, AND DISEASE.—In accord14 ance with section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 

15 1133(d)(1)), the Secretary may take such measures in the 

16 wilderness area as are necessary for the control of fire, 

17 insects, and diseases (including, as the Secretary deter18 mines to be appropriate, the coordination of the activities 

19 with a State or local agency). 

20 (g) DATA COLLECTION.—Subject to such terms and 

21 conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, nothing in this 

22 section precludes the installation and maintenance of hy23 drologic, meteorological, or climatological collection de24 vices in the wilderness area, if the Secretary determines 

25 that the devices and access to the devices are essential 


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1 to flood warning, flood control, or water reservoir oper2 ation activities. 

3 (h) MILITARY OVERFLIGHTS.—Nothing in this sec4 tion restricts or precludes— 

5 (1) low-level overflights of military aircraft over 

6 the wilderness area, including military overflights 

7 that can be seen or heard within the wilderness area; 

8 (2) flight testing or evaluation; or 

9 (3) the designation or creation of new units of 

10 special use airspace or the establishment of military 

11 flight training routes, over the wilderness area. 

12 (i) WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with section 

14 4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 

15 1133(d)(7)), nothing in this section affects or dimin16 ishes the jurisdiction of the State with respect to 

17 fish and wildlife management, including the regula18 tion of hunting, fishing, and trapping, in the wilder19 ness area. 

20 (2) MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.—In furtherance 

21 of the purposes and principles of the Wilderness Act 

22 (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the Secretary may conduct 

23 any management activities in the wilderness area 

24 that are necessary to maintain or restore fish and 


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1 wildlife populations and the habitats to support the 

2 populations, if the activities are carried out— 

3 (A) consistent with relevant wilderness 

4 management plans or comprehensive conserva5 tion plans; and 

6 (B) in accordance with— 

7 (i) the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 

8 1131 et seq.); and 

9 (ii) appropriate policies, including 

10 policies authorizing the occasional and 

11 temporary use of motorized vehicles, if the 

12 use, as determined by the Secretary, would 

13 promote healthy, viable, and more natu14 rally distributed wildlife populations that 

15 would enhance wilderness values with the 

16 minimal impact necessary to reasonably ac17 complish those tasks. 

18 (3) EXISTING ACTIVITIES.—In accordance with 

19 section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 

20 1133(d)(1)), the State may continue to use aircraft 

21 (including helicopters) to survey, capture, trans22 plant, monitor, and provide water for wildlife popu23 lations. 

24 (4) WILDLIFE WATER DEVELOPMENT

25 PROJECTS.—Subject to subsection (e), the Secretary 


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1 shall authorize structures and facilities, including ex2 isting structures and facilities, for wildlife water de3 velopment projects, including guzzlers, in the wilder4 ness area if— 

5 (A) the structures and facilities would, as 

6 determined by the Secretary, enhance wilder7 ness values by promoting healthy, viable, and 

8 more naturally distributed wildlife populations; 

9 and 

10 (B) the visual impacts of the structures 

11 and facilities on the wilderness area can reason12 ably be minimized. 

13 (5) HUNTING, FISHING, AND TRAPPING.— 

14 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may des15 ignate areas in which, and establish periods 

16 during which, for reasons of public safety, ad17 ministration, or compliance with applicable 

18 laws, no hunting, fishing, or trapping will be 

19 permitted in the wilderness area. 

20 (B) CONSULTATION.—Except in an emer21 gency, the Secretary shall consult with the ap22 propriate State agency and notify the public be23 fore taking any action under subparagraph (A). 

24 (j) PRESERVATION OF PUBLIC ACCESS.—The area 

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1 tled ‘‘Desert National Wildlife Range Proposed Southern 

2 Paiute Wilderness Area’’ and dated September 7, 2023, 

3 shall be preserved for public access. 

4 (k) EFFECT OF ACT.—Nothing in this Act rescinds 

5 or precludes the continued management of any other area 

6 of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge as proposed wilder7 ness until the date on which the area is designated as a 

8 component of the National Wilderness Preservation Sys9 tem by a subsequent Act of Congress. 

10 SEC. 6. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT AND STATE OF NE11 VADA COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT. 

12 Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 

13 of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to 

14 the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 

15 Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the 

16 House of Representatives a report that describes the sta17 tus of the cooperative agreement authorized under section 

18 2905(j)(6) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Au19 thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117– 

20 263; 136 Stat. 3043). 

Æ 


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