H. R. 1607 

One Hundred Eighteenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and twenty-four 

An Act 

To clarify jurisdiction with respect to certain Bureau of Reclamation pumped storage 

development, 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. LAND WITHDRAWAL AND RESERVATION. 

(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

(1) AGREEMENT.—The term ‘‘Agreement’’ means the agreement between the United States and the Association dated 

September 6, 1917, as amended. 

(2) ASSOCIATION.—The term ‘‘Association’’ means the Salt 

River Valley Water Users’ Association. 

(3) COVERED LAND.—The term ‘‘covered land’’ means the 

portion of the National Forest System land located on the 

south side of the Salt River from the March 9, 1903, 1-mile 

withdrawal area for the Bureau of Reclamation purposes 

extending an additional 2 miles from the Salt River at Roosevelt 

Dam to 18.25 river miles downstream, in the State of Arizona, 

not including the Superstition Mountain Wilderness Area and 

the Tonto National Monument, as depicted on the Map. 

(4) DISTRICT.—The term ‘‘District’’ means the Salt River 

Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District. 

(5) MAP.—The term ‘‘Map’’ means the map prepared under 

subsection (e)(1). 

(6) SRP.—The term ‘‘SRP’’ means— 

(A) the District; and 

(B) the Association. 

(b) RESERVATION OF COVERED LAND.—Subject to valid existing 

rights, the covered land is reserved to the United States, through 

the Secretary of the Interior, for the exclusive right to use the 

covered land and interests in the covered land for the development, 

generation, and transmission of electrical power and energy for 

the use and benefit of the Salt River Federal Reclamation Project 

pursuant to the Agreement. 

(c) WITHDRAWAL OF COVERED LAND.—The covered land is 

permanently withdrawn from— 

(1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under 

the public land laws; 

(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; 

and 

(3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, 

and geothermal leasing laws. 
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(d) FACILITIES.—With respect to facilities constructed by SRP 

on the covered land for the development, generation, and transmission of electrical power and energy— 

(1) the design and specifications shall conform to Bureau 

of Reclamation standards, and final designs shall be subject 

to review and approval by the Secretary of the Interior; 

(2) all construction work shall be subject to inspection 

and approval by the Secretary of the Interior; 

(3) upon a determination of substantial completion of such 

facilities, the Secretary of the Interior shall accept title on 

behalf of the United States as part of the Salt River Federal 

Reclamation Project pursuant to— 

(A) section 6 of the Act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 

389, chapter 1093; 43 U.S.C. 498); and 

(B) the Agreement; and 

(4) SRP shall be responsible for the care, operation, and 

maintenance pursuant to the Agreement. 

(e) MAP.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable after the date 

of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall 

prepare a map depicting the boundary of the covered land. 

(2) AVAILABILITY.—The Map shall be on file and available 

for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Forest 

Service and the Bureau of Reclamation. 

(f) MANAGEMENT OF COVERED LAND.—Management of the covered lands shall be in accordance with the Management Memorandum among the District, United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, and the Bureau of Reclamation, dated April 

27, 1979, as amended. 

(g) RELATION TO OTHER LAW.— 

(1) COMPLIANCE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS.—The Secretary of the Interior is directed to carry out all necessary 

environmental compliance under the National Environmental 

Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the Endangered 

Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531, et seq.), and all other 

applicable environmental laws and regulations, prior to 

construction of facilities on the covered land for the development, generation, and transmission of electrical power and 

energy. 

(2) LEAD AGENCY.—The Bureau of Reclamation shall be 

the lead agency with respect to environmental compliance. 

(3) WITHDRAWAL NOT MAJOR FEDERAL ACTION.—The withdrawal of the covered land shall not constitute a major Federal 

action under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

(42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.). 

(4) ANTIDEFICIENCY.—The United States shall not be liable 

for failure to carry out any obligation or activity authorized 

to be carried out under this title (including any such obligation 

or activity under the Agreement) if adequate appropriations 
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are not provided by Congress expressly to carry out the purposes of this Act. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.