Lander County Land Management and Conservation Act

To provide for the conveyance of certain Federal land to Lander County, Nevada, to designate certain wilderness areas in Lander County, Nevada, and for other purposes. 1. Short title; table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Lander County Land Management and Conservation Act (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Definitions. TITLE I—Lander County land conveyances Sec. 101. Findings. Sec. 102. Definitions. Sec. 103. Conveyances to Lander County, Nevada. TITLE II—Lander County wilderness areas Sec. 201. Definitions. Sec. 202. Designation of wilderness areas. Sec. 203. Administration. Sec. 204. Wildlife management. Sec. 205. Release of wilderness study areas. Sec. 206. Native American cultural and religious uses. 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) County The term County (2) Secretary The term Secretary (3) State The term State I Lander County land conveyances 101. Findings Congress finds that— (1) wildland fires pose a threat to public and private natural resources in the County; (2) expanding and improving the airports in the County through the inclusion of available adjacent land would support firefighting capabilities in the County; (3) the protection, development, and use of water resources in the County play a key role in major economic activities for the County, including— (A) commercial development; (B) mining; (C) agriculture; (D) tourism; (E) recreational activity; and (F) conservation; and (4) recreational and public park opportunities in the County could be substantially enhanced through expansion of the park system in the County. 102. Definitions In this title: (1) Map The term Map Lander County Selected Lands (2) Secretary concerned The term Secretary concerned (A) the Secretary, with respect to land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary; and (B) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, with respect to National Forest System land. 103. Conveyances to Lander County, Nevada (a) Conveyance for watershed protection, recreation, and parks Notwithstanding the land use planning requirements of sections 202 and 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1712 Lander County Parcels BLM and USFS (b) Conveyance for airport facility (1) In general Notwithstanding the land use planning requirements of sections 202 and 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1712 Kingston Airport (2) Costs The only costs for the conveyance to be paid by the County under paragraph (1) shall be the survey costs relating to the conveyance. (c) Survey The exact acreage and legal description of any parcel of Federal land to be conveyed under subsection (a) or (b) shall be determined by a survey satisfactory to the Secretary concerned and the County. (d) Reversionary clause required A conveyance of Federal land under subsection (a) or (b) shall include a reversionary clause to ensure that management of the Federal land conveyed under the applicable subsection shall revert to the Secretary concerned if the Federal land is no longer being managed in accordance with the applicable subsection. (e) Map, acreage estimates, and legal descriptions (1) Minor errors The Secretary concerned and the County may, by mutual agreement— (A) make minor boundary adjustments to the parcels of Federal land to be conveyed under subsection (a) or (b); and (B) correct any minor errors in— (i) the Map; or (ii) an acreage estimate or legal description of any parcel of Federal land conveyed under subsection (a) or (b). (2) Conflict If there is a conflict between the Map, an acreage estimate, or a legal description of Federal land conveyed under subsection (a) or (b), the Map shall control unless the Secretary concerned and the County mutually agree otherwise. (3) Availability The Secretary shall make the Map available for public inspection in— (A) the Office of the Nevada State Director of the Bureau of Land Management; and (B) the Bureau of Land Management Battle Mountain Field Office. II Lander County wilderness areas 201. Definitions In this title: (1) Map The term Map Lander County Wilderness Areas Proposal (2) Wilderness area The term wilderness area 202. Designation of wilderness areas (a) In general In accordance with the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1131 (1) Cain mountain wilderness Certain Federal land managed by the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, comprising approximately 6,386 acres, as generally depicted as Cain Mountain Wilderness Cain Mountain Wilderness (2) Desatoya mountains wilderness Certain Federal land managed by the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, comprising approximately 7,766 acres, as generally depicted as Desatoya Mountains Wilderness Desatoya Mountains Wilderness (b) Boundary The boundary of any portion of a wilderness area that is bordered by a road shall be 100 feet from the centerline of the road. (c) Map and legal description (1) In general As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file with, and make available for inspection in, the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management, a map and legal description of each wilderness area. (2) Effect Each map and legal description prepared under paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this title, except that the Secretary may correct clerical and typographical errors in the map or legal description. (d) Withdrawal Subject to valid existing rights, the wilderness areas are 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) disposition under all laws relating to mineral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials. 203. Administration (a) Management Subject to valid existing rights, the wilderness areas shall be administered by the Secretary in accordance with the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1131 (1) any reference in that Act to the effective date shall be considered to be a reference to the date of enactment of this Act; and (2) any reference in that Act to the Secretary of Agriculture shall be considered to be a reference to the Secretary. (b) Livestock The grazing of livestock in the wilderness areas, if established before the date of enactment of this Act, shall be allowed to continue, subject to such reasonable regulations, policies, and practices as the Secretary considers to be necessary in accordance with— (1) section 4(d)(4) of the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(4) (2) the guidelines set forth in Appendix A of the report of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives accompanying H.R. 2570 of the 101st Congress (House Report 101–405). (c) Incorporation of acquired land and interests Any land or interest in land within the boundary of a wilderness area that is acquired by the United States after the date of enactment of this Act shall be added to, and administered as part of, the wilderness area. (d) Adjacent management (1) In general Congress does not intend for the designation of the wilderness areas to create protective perimeters or buffer zones around the wilderness areas. (2) Nonwilderness activities The fact that nonwilderness activities or uses can be seen or heard from within a wilderness area shall not preclude the conduct of those activities or uses outside the boundary of the wilderness area. (e) Military overflights Nothing in this title restricts or precludes— (1) low-level overflights of military aircraft over the wilderness areas, including military overflights that can be seen or heard within the wilderness areas; (2) flight testing or evaluation; or (3) the designation or creation of new units of special use airspace, or the establishment of military flight training routes, over the wilderness areas. (f) Wildfire, insect, and disease management In accordance with section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1) (g) Climatological data collection In accordance with the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1131 (h) Water rights (1) Findings Congress finds that— (A) the wilderness areas are located— (i) in the semiarid region of the Great Basin; and (ii) at the headwaters of the streams and rivers on land with respect to which there are few, if any— (I) actual or proposed water resource facilities located upstream; and (II) opportunities for diversion, storage, or other uses of water occurring outside the land that would adversely affect the wilderness values of the land; (B) the wilderness areas are generally not suitable for use or development of new water resource facilities; and (C) because of the unique nature of the wilderness areas, it is possible to provide for proper management and protection of the wilderness and other values of the land in ways different from the methods used in other laws. (2) Purpose The purpose of this subsection is to protect the wilderness values of the wilderness areas by means other than a federally reserved water right. (3) Statutory construction (A) No reservation Nothing in this title constitutes an express or implied reservation by the United States of any water or water rights with respect to the wilderness areas. (B) State rights Nothing in this title affects any water rights in the State (including any water rights held by the United States) in existence on the date of enactment of this Act. (C) No precedent Nothing in this title establishes a precedent with regard to any future wilderness designations. (D) No effect on other designations Nothing in this title affects the interpretation of, or any designation made under, any other Act. (E) No effect on compacts Nothing in this title limits, alters, modifies, or amends any interstate compact or equitable apportionment decree that apportions water among and between the State and other States. (4) Nevada water law The Secretary shall follow the procedural and substantive requirements of State law in order to obtain and hold any water rights not in existence on the date of enactment of this Act with respect to the wilderness areas. (5) New projects (A) Definition of water resource facility (i) In general In this paragraph, the term water resource facility (I) an irrigation or pumping facility; (II) a reservoir; (III) a water conservation works; (IV) an aqueduct, canal, ditch, pipeline, well, hydropower project, or transmission or other ancillary facility; and (V) any other water diversion, conservation, storage, or carriage structure. (ii) Exclusion In this paragraph, the term water resource facility (B) No licenses or permits Except as otherwise provided in this title, on and after the date of enactment of this Act, neither the President nor any other officer, employee, or agent of the United States shall fund, assist, authorize, or issue a license or permit for the development of any new water resource facility within the wilderness areas. 204. Wildlife management (a) In general In accordance with section 4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(7) (b) Management activities In furtherance of the purposes and principles of the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1131 (1) consistent with relevant wilderness management plans; and (2) in accordance with— (A) the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1131 (B) appropriate policies, such as those set forth in Appendix B of the report of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives accompanying H.R. 2570 of the 101st Congress (House Report 101–405), including noxious weed treatment and the occasional and temporary use of motorized vehicles if the use, as determined by the Secretary, would promote healthy, viable, and more naturally distributed wildlife populations that would enhance wilderness values with the minimal impact necessary to reasonably accomplish those tasks. (c) Existing activities In accordance with section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1) (d) Wildlife water development projects Subject to subsection (f), the Secretary shall authorize structures and facilities, including existing structures and facilities, for wildlife water development projects, including guzzlers, in the wilderness areas if— (1) the structures and facilities would, as determined by the Secretary, enhance wilderness values by promoting healthy, viable, and more naturally distributed wildlife populations; and (2) the visual impacts of the structures and facilities on the wilderness areas can reasonably be minimized. (e) Hunting, fishing, and trapping (1) In general The Secretary may designate areas in which, and establish periods during which, for reasons of public safety, administration, or compliance with applicable laws, no hunting, fishing, or trapping will be permitted in the wilderness areas. (2) Consultation Except in emergencies, the Secretary shall consult with the appropriate State agency and notify the public before taking any action under paragraph (1). (f) Cooperative agreement (1) In general The State, including a designee of the State, may conduct wildlife management activities in the wilderness areas— (A) in accordance with the terms and conditions specified in the cooperative agreement between the Secretary and the State entitled Memorandum of Understanding between the Bureau of Land Management and the Nevada Department of Wildlife Supplement No. 9 (B) subject to all applicable laws (including regulations). (2) References; clark county For the purposes of this subsection, any references to Clark County in the cooperative agreement described in paragraph (1)(A) shall be considered to be a reference to the County. 205. Release of wilderness study areas (a) Finding Congress finds that, for the purposes of section 603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1782(c) (1) The approximately 10,777 acres of the Augusta Mountain Wilderness Study Area within the County that has not been designated as wilderness by section 202(a). (2) The approximately 1,088 acres of the Desatoya Wilderness Study Area within the County that has not been designated as wilderness by section 202(a). (b) Release The public land described in subsection (a)— (1) is no longer subject to section 603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1782(c) (2) shall be managed in accordance with the applicable land use plans adopted under section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1712 206. Native American cultural and religious uses (a) In general Nothing in this title alters or diminishes the treaty rights of any Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act ( 25 U.S.C. 5304 (b) Cultural uses Nothing in this title precludes the traditional collection of pine nuts in a wilderness area for personal, noncommercial use consistent with the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1131

Summary: Lander County Land Management and Conservation Act This bill conveys all interest in certain federal land to Lander County, Nevada, and designates wilderness areas in the county. After Lander County selects certain parcels for conveyance, the Department of the Interior and Forest Service must convey the parcels to the county, for no consideration, for use by the county for watershed protection, recreation, and parks. Interior shall convey to Lander County parcels of federal land identified as Kingston Airport to improve the airport facility and related infrastructure. The only costs to the county of the conveyance shall be surveying costs. Land conveyed by this bill reverts to federal land if it is not managed in accordance with the purpose of its conveyance. The bill designates the Cain Mountain and Desatoya Mountains Wildernesses in Nevada as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The bill releases the Augusta Mountain and Desatoya Wilderness Study Areas within Lander County from further study for designation as wilderness.