I 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4593
To establish wilderness areas, promote conservation, improve public land, 
and provide for the high quality development in Lincoln County, Nevada, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 16, 2004
Mr. GIBBONS (for himself, Mr. PORTER, and Ms. BERKLEY) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To establish wilderness areas, promote conservation, improve 
public land, and provide for the high quality development 
in Lincoln County, Nevada, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Lincoln County Con-
servation, Recreation, and Development Act of 2004’’. 
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
TITLE I—LAND DISPOSAL 
Sec. 101. Definitions.
Sec. 102. Conveyance of Lincoln County land. 
Sec. 103. Disposition of proceeds. 
TITLE II—WILDERNESS AREAS 
Sec. 201. Findings. 
Sec. 202. Definitions. 
Sec. 203. Additions to National Wilderness Preservation System. 
Sec. 204. Administration. 
Sec. 205. Adjacent management. 
Sec. 206. Military overflights. 
Sec. 207. Native American cultural and religious uses. 
Sec. 208. Release of wilderness study areas. 
Sec. 209. Wildlife management. 
Sec. 210. Wildfire management. 
Sec. 211. Climatological data collection. 
TITLE III—UTILITY CORRIDORS 
Sec. 301. Utility corridor and rights-of-way. 
Sec. 302. Relocation of right-of-way and utility corridors located in Clark and 
Lincoln Counties in the State of Nevada. 
TITLE IV—SILVER STATE OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE TRAIL 
Sec. 401. Silver State off-highway vehicle trail. 
TITLE V—OPEN SPACE PARKS 
Sec. 501. Open space park conveyance to Lincoln County, Nevada. 
Sec. 502. Open space park conveyance to the State of Nevada. 
TITLE VI—JURISDICTION TRANSFER 
Sec. 601. Transfer of administrative jurisdiction between the Fish and Wildlife 
Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
TITLE I—LAND DISPOSAL 
SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) COUNTY.—The term ‘‘County’’ means Lin-
coln County, Nevada. 
(2) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map en-
titled ‘‘Lincoln County Conservation, Recreation, 
and Development Act Map’’ and dated June 14, 
2004.
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(4) SPECIAL ACCOUNT.—The term ‘‘special ac-
count’’ means the special account established under 
section 104(b)(3). 
SEC. 102. CONVEYANCE OF LINCOLN COUNTY LAND. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding sections 202 and 
203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976 (43 U.S.C. 1711, 1712), the Secretary, in coopera-
tion with the County, in accordance with that Act, this 
title, and other applicable law and subject to valid existing 
rights, shall conduct sales of the land described in sub-
section (b) to qualified bidders. 
(b) DESCRIPTION OF LAND.—The land referred to in 
subsection (a) consists of—
(1) the land identified on the map for disposal 
within 75 days, comprising 2 parcels totaling ap-
proximately 13,373 acres; and 
(2) the land identified on the map for annual 
disposal, comprising approximately 87,005 acres. 
(c) AVAILABILITY.—Each map and legal description 
shall be on file and available for public inspection in (as 
appropriate)—
(1) the Office of the Director of the Bureau of 
Land Management;
(2) the Office of the State Director of the Bu-
reau of Land Management; 
(3) the Ely District Office of the Bureau of 
Land Management; and 
(4) the Caliente Field Office of the Bureau of 
Land Management. 
(d) JOINT SELECTION REQUIRED.—The Secretary 
and the County shall jointly select which parcels of land 
described in subsection (b)(2) to offer for sale under sub-
section (a). 
(e) COMPLIANCE WITH LOCAL PLANNING AND ZON-
ING LAWS.—Before a sale of land under subsection (a), 
the County shall submit to the Secretary a certification 
that qualified bidders have agreed to comply with—
(1) County and city zoning ordinances; and 
(2) any master plan for the area approved by 
the County. 
(f) METHOD OF SALE; CONSIDERATION.—The sale of 
land under subsection (a) shall be—
(1) through a competitive bidding process; and 
(2) for not less than fair market value. 
(g) SEGREGATION.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to valid existing 
rights and except as provided in paragraph (2), the
land described in subsection (b) is segregated 
from—
(A) all forms of entry and appropriation 
under the public land laws, including the min-
ing laws; and 
(B) operation of the mineral leasing and 
geothermal leasing laws. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1)(A) shall not 
apply to a competitive sale or an election by the 
County to obtain the land described in subsection 
(b) for public purposes under the Act of June 14, 
1926 (43 U.S.C. 869 et seq; commonly known as the 
‘‘Recreation and Public Purposes Act’’). 
(h) DEADLINE FOR SALE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the Secretary shall—
(A) notwithstanding the Lincoln County 
Land Act of 2000 (114 Stat. 1046), not later 
than 75 days after the date of the enactment of 
this title, convey the land described in sub-
section (b)(1) if there is a qualified bidder for 
such land; and 
(B) not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this title, and annually there-
after until the land is disposed of, convey the 
land described in subsection (b)(2). 
(2) POSTPONEMENT; EXCLUSION FROM SALE.—
(A) REQUEST BY COUNTY FOR POSTPONE-
MENT OR EXCLUSION.—
(i) IN GENERAL.—At the request of 
the County, the Secretary shall postpone or 
exclude from the sale all or a portion of 
the land described in subsection (b)(2). 
(ii) INDEFINITE
POSTPONEMENT.—
Unless specifically requested by the Coun-
ty, a postponement under clause (i) shall 
not be indefinite. 
(B) EXCLUSION BY SECRETARY.—Notwith-
standing paragraph (1), the Secretary may ex-
clude from sale not more than 10,000 acres of 
the land described in subsection (b)(2) if the 
Secretary determines that such sale is incon-
sistent with the protection of habitat and cul-
tural resources. 
SEC. 103. DISPOSITION OF PROCEEDS. 
(a) INITIAL LAND SALE.—Section 5 of the Lincoln 
County Land Act of 2000 (114 Stat. 1047) shall apply 
to the disposition of the gross proceeds from the sale of 
land described in section 103(b)(1).
forcement for the wilderness areas des-
ignated. 
(c) INVESTMENT
OF
SPECIAL
ACCOUNT.—Any 
amounts deposited in the special account shall earn inter-
est in an amount determined by the Secretary of the 
Treasury on the basis of the current average market yield 
on outstanding marketable obligations of the United 
States of comparable maturities. 
TITLE II—WILDERNESS AREAS 
SEC. 201. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that—
(1) public land in the County contains unique 
and spectacular natural resources, including—
(A) priceless habitat for numerous species 
of plants and wildlife; and 
(B) thousands of acres of land that remain 
in a natural state; and 
(2) continued preservation of those areas would 
benefit the County and all of the United States by—
(A) ensuring the conservation of eco-
logically diverse habitat; 
(B) protecting prehistoric cultural re-
sources; 
(C) conserving primitive recreational re-
sources; and
(D) protecting air and water quality. 
SEC. 202. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) COUNTY.—The term ‘‘County’’ means Lin-
coln County, Nevada. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 
of Nevada. 
SEC. 203. ADDITIONS TO NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESER-
VATION SYSTEM. 
(a) ADDITIONS.—The following land in the State is 
designated as wilderness and as components of the Na-
tional Wilderness Preservation System: 
(1) MORMON MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS.—Cer-
tain Federal land managed by the Bureau of Land 
Management, comprising approximately 153,939 
acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled 
‘‘Southern Lincoln County Wilderness Map’’, dated 
June 1, 2004, which shall be known as the ‘‘Mor-
mon Mountains Wilderness’’. 
(2) MEADOW VALLEY RANGE WILDERNESS.—
Certain Federal land managed by the Bureau of 
Land 
Management, 
comprising 
approximately 
124,833 acres, as generally depicted on the map en-
titled ‘‘Southern Lincoln County Wilderness Map’’, 
dated June 1, 2004, which shall be known as the 
‘‘Meadow Valley Range Wilderness’’. 
(3) DELAMAR MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS.—Cer-
tain Federal land managed by the Bureau of Land 
Management, comprising approximately 111,389 
acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled 
‘‘Southern Lincoln County Wilderness Map’’, dated 
June 1, 2004, which shall be known as the 
‘‘Delamar Mountains Wilderness’’. 
(4) CLOVER
MOUNTAINS
WILDERNESS.—Cer-
tain Federal land managed by the Bureau of Land 
Management, 
comprising 
approximately 
85,757 
acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled 
‘‘Southern Lincoln County Wilderness Map’’, dated 
June 1, 2004, which shall be known as the ‘‘Clover 
Mountains Wilderness’’. 
(5) SOUTH
PAHROC
WILDERNESS.—Certain 
Federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Man-
agement, comprising approximately 25,638 acres, as 
generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Western 
Lincoln County Wilderness Map’’, dated June 1, 
2004, which shall be known as the ‘‘South Pahroc 
Wilderness’’.
(6) WORTHINGTON MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS.—
Certain Federal land managed by the Bureau of 
Land 
Management, 
comprising 
approximately 
30,936 acres, as generally depicted on the map enti-
tled ‘‘Western Lincoln County Wilderness Map’’, 
dated June 1, 2004, which shall be known as the 
‘‘Worthington Mountains Wilderness’’. 
(7) WEEPAH
SPRING
WILDERNESS.—Certain 
Federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Man-
agement, comprising approximately 51,117 acres, as 
generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Western 
Lincoln County Wilderness Map’’, dated June 1, 
2004, which shall be known as the ‘‘Weepah Spring 
Wilderness’’. 
(8) PARSNIP PEAK WILDERNESS.—Certain Fed-
eral land managed by the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment, comprising approximately 45,837 acres, as 
generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Northern 
Lincoln County Wilderness Map’’, dated June 1, 
2004, which shall be known as the ‘‘Parsnip Peak 
Wilderness’’. 
(9) WHITE
ROCK
RANGE
WILDERNESS.—Cer-
tain Federal land managed by the Bureau of Land 
Management, 
comprising 
approximately 
24,413 
acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled
‘‘Northern Lincoln County Wilderness Map’’, dated 
June 1, 2004, which shall be known as the ‘‘White 
Rock Range Wilderness’’. 
(10) FORTIFICATION
RANGE
WILDERNESS.—
Certain Federal land managed by the Bureau of 
Land 
Management, 
comprising 
approximately 
28,837 acres, as generally depicted on the map enti-
tled ‘‘Northern Lincoln County Wilderness Map’’, 
dated June 1, 2004, which shall be known as the 
‘‘Fortification Range Wilderness’’. 
(11) FAR SOUTH EGANS WILDERNESS.—Certain 
Federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Man-
agement, comprising approximately 36,384 acres, as 
generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Northern 
Lincoln County Wilderness Map’’, dated June 1, 
2004, which shall be known as the ‘‘Far South 
Egans Wilderness’’. 
(12) TUNNEL
SPRING
WILDERNESS.—Certain 
Federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Man-
agement, comprising approximately 5,530 acres, as 
generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Southern 
Lincoln County Wilderness Map’’, dated June 1, 
2004, which shall be known as the ‘‘Tunnel Spring 
Wilderness’’.
(13) BIG ROCK WILDERNESS.—Certain Federal 
land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, 
comprising approximately 13,913 acres, as generally 
depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Western Lincoln 
County Wilderness Map’’, dated June 1, 2004, 
which shall be known as the ‘‘Big Rock Wilderness’’. 
(14) MT. IRISH WILDERNESS.—Certain Federal 
land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, 
comprising approximately 31,088 acres, as generally 
depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Western Lincoln 
County Wilderness Map’’, dated June 1, 2004, 
which shall be known as the ‘‘Mt. Irish Wilderness’’. 
(b) BOUNDARY.—The boundary of any portion of a 
wilderness area designated by subsection (a) that is bor-
dered by a road shall be at least 100 feet from the edge 
of the road to allow public access. 
(c) MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable after 
the date of enactment of this title, the Secretary 
shall file a map and legal description of each wilder-
ness area designated by subsection (a) with the 
Committee on Resources of the House of Represent-
atives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate.
(2) EFFECT.—Each map and legal description 
shall have the same force and effect as if included 
in this section, except that the Secretary may correct 
clerical and typographical errors in the map or legal 
description. 
(3) AVAILABILITY.—Each map and legal de-
scription shall be on file and available for public in-
spection in (as appropriate)—
(A) the Office of the Director of the Bu-
reau of Land Management; 
(B) the Office of the State Director of the 
Bureau of Land Management; 
(C) the Ely District Office of the Bureau 
of Land Management; and 
(D) the Caliente Field Office of the Bu-
reau of Land Management. 
(d) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing rights, 
the wilderness areas designated by subsection (a) are with-
drawn from—
(1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and dis-
posal 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.
SEC. 204. ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) MANAGEMENT.—Subject to valid existing rights, 
each area designated as wilderness by this title shall be 
administered by the Secretary in accordance with the Wil-
derness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), except that—
(1) any reference in that Act to the effective 
date shall be considered to be a reference to the date 
of the enactment of this title; and 
(2) any reference in that Act to the Secretary 
of Agriculture shall be considered to be a reference 
to the Secretary of the Interior. 
(b) LIVESTOCK.—Within the wilderness areas des-
ignated under this title that are administered by the Bu-
reau of Land Management, the grazing of livestock in 
areas in which grazing is established as of the date of en-
actment of this title shall be allowed to continue, subject 
to such reasonable regulations, policies, and practices that 
the Secretary considers necessary, consistent with section 
4(d)(4) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(4)), in-
cluding the guidelines set forth in Appendix A of House 
Report 101–405. 
(c) INCORPORATION OF ACQUIRED LAND AND INTER-
ESTS.—Any land or interest in land within the boundaries 
of an area designated as wilderness by this title that is 
acquired by the United States after the date of the enact-
ment of this title shall be added to and administered as
part of the wilderness area within which the acquired land 
or interest is located. 
(d) WATER RIGHTS.—
(1) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
(A) the land designated as Wilderness by 
this title is within the Northern Mojave Desert, 
is arid in nature, and includes ephemeral 
streams; 
(B) the hydrology of the land designated 
as wilderness by this title is predominantly 
characterized by complex flow patterns and al-
luvial fans with impermanent channels; 
(C) the subsurface hydrogeology of the re-
gion is characterized by ground water subject to 
local 
and 
regional 
flow 
gradients 
and 
unconfined and artesian conditions; 
(D) the land designated as wilderness by 
this title is generally not suitable for use or de-
velopment of new water resource facilities; and 
(E) because of the unique nature and hy-
drology of the desert land designated as wilder-
ness by this title, it is possible to provide for 
proper management and protection of the wil-
derness and other values of lands in ways dif-
ferent from those used in other legislation.
(2) STATUTORY
CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 
this title—
(A) shall constitute or be construed to con-
stitute either an express or implied reservation 
by the United States of any water or water 
rights with respect to the land designated as 
wilderness by this title; 
(B) shall affect any water rights in the 
State existing on the date of the enactment of 
this title, including any water rights held by the 
United States; 
(C) shall be construed as establishing a 
precedent with regard to any future wilderness 
designations; 
(D) shall affect the interpretation of, or 
any designation made pursuant to, any other 
Act; or 
(E) shall be construed as limiting, altering, 
modifying, or amending any of the interstate 
compacts or equitable apportionment decrees 
that apportion water among and between the 
State and other States. 
(3) NEVADA WATER LAW.—The Secretary shall 
follow the procedural and substantive requirements 
of the law of the State in order to obtain and hold
any water rights not in existence on the date of en-
actment of this title with respect to the wilderness 
areas designated by this title. 
(4) NEW PROJECTS.— 
(A) WATER
RESOURCE
FACILITY.—As 
used in this paragraph, the term ‘‘water re-
source facility’’— 
(i) means irrigation and pumping fa-
cilities, 
reservoirs, 
water 
conservation 
works, aqueducts, canals, ditches, pipe-
lines, wells, hydropower projects, and 
transmission and other ancillary facilities, 
and other water diversion, storage, and 
carriage structures; and 
(ii) does not include wildlife guzzlers. 
(B) RESTRICTION
ON
NEW
WATER
RE-
SOURCE FACILITIES.—Except as otherwise pro-
vided in this Act, on and after the date of the 
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 wil-
derness areas designated by this Act.
SEC. 205. ADJACENT MANAGEMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Congress does not intend for the 
designation of wilderness in the State pursuant to this 
title to lead to the creation of protective perimeters or 
buffer zones around any such wilderness area. 
(b) NONWILDERNESS ACTIVITIES.—The fact that 
nonwilderness activities or uses can be seen or heard from 
areas within a wilderness designated under this title shall 
not preclude the conduct of those activities or uses outside 
the boundary of the wilderness area. 
SEC. 206. MILITARY OVERFLIGHTS. 
Nothing in this title restricts or precludes—
(1) low-level overflights of military aircraft over 
the areas designated as wilderness by this title, in-
cluding military overflights that can be seen or 
heard within the wilderness areas; 
(2) flight testing and 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. 
SEC. 207. NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS 
USES. 
Nothing in this title shall be construed to diminish 
the rights of any Indian tribe. Nothing in this title shall 
be construed to diminish tribal rights regarding access to
Federal land for tribal activities, including spiritual, cul-
tural, and traditional food-gathering activities. 
SEC. 208. RELEASE OF WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS. 
(a) FINDING.—Congress finds that, for the purposes 
of section 603 of the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1782), the public land in 
the County administered by the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment in the following areas has been adequately studied 
for wilderness designation: 
(1) The Table Mountain Wilderness Study 
Area. 
(2) Evergreen A, B, and C Wilderness Study 
Areas. 
(3) Any portion of the wilderness study areas—
(A) not designated as wilderness by section 
204(a); and 
(B) depicted as released on—
(i) the map entitled ‘‘Northern Lin-
coln County Wilderness Map’’ and dated 
February 10, 2004; 
(ii) the map entitled ‘‘Southern Lin-
coln County Wilderness Map’’ and dated 
February 10, 2004; or
(iii) the map entitled ‘‘Western Lin-
coln County Wilderness Map’’ and dated 
June 1, 2004. 
(b) RELEASE.—Any public land described in sub-
section (a) that is not designated as wilderness by this 
title—
(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—
(A) land management plans adopted under 
section 202 of that Act (43 U.S.C. 1712); and 
(B) 
existing 
cooperative 
conservation 
agreements; and 
(3) shall be subject to the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). 
SEC. 209. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT. 
(a) IN
GENERAL.—In accordance with section 
4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(7)), 
nothing in this title affects or diminishes the jurisdiction 
of the State with respect to fish and wildlife management, 
including the regulation of hunting, fishing, and trapping, 
in the wilderness areas designated by this title. 
(b) MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.—In furtherance of 
the purposes and principles of the Wilderness Act, man-
agement activities to maintain or restore fish and wildlife 
populations and the habitats to support such populations 
may be carried out within wilderness areas designated by 
this title where consistent with relevant wilderness man-
agement plans, in accordance with appropriate policies 
such as those set forth in Appendix B of House Report 
101–405, including the occasional and temporary use of 
motorized vehicles, if such use, as determined by the Sec-
retary, would promote healthy, viable, and more naturally 
distributed wildlife populations that would enhance wilder-
ness values and accomplish those purposes with the min-
imum impact necessary to reasonably accomplish the task. 
(c) EXISTING ACTIVITIES.—Consistent with section 
4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)) and 
in accordance with appropriate policies such as those set 
forth in Appendix B of House Report 101–405, the State 
may continue to use aircraft, including helicopters, to sur-
vey, capture, transplant, monitor, and provide water for 
wildlife populations, including bighorn sheep, and feral 
stock, horses, and burros. 
(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 designated by this Act 
if—
(1) the structures and facilities will, as deter-
mined 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 fa-
cilities on the wilderness areas can reasonably be 
minimized. 
(e) HUNTING, FISHING, AND TRAPPING.—In con-
sultation with the appropriate State agency (except in 
emergencies), the Secretary may designate by regulation 
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 designated by this 
Act. 
(f) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.—The terms and con-
ditions under which the State, including a designee of the 
State, may conduct wildlife management activities in the 
wilderness areas designated by this title are specified in 
the cooperative agreement between the Secretary and the 
State, entitled ‘‘Memorandum of Understanding between 
the Bureau of Land Management and the Nevada Depart-
ment of Wildlife Supplement No. 9,’’ and signed Novem-
ber and December 2003, including any amendments to 
that document agreed upon by the Secretary and the State 
and subject to all applicable laws and regulations. Any ref-
erences to Clark County in that document shall also be 
deemed to be referred to and shall apply to Lincoln Coun-
ty, Nevada. 
SEC. 210. WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT. 
Consistent with section 4 of the Wilderness Act (16 
U.S.C. 1133), nothing in this title precludes a Federal, 
State, or local agency from conducting wildfire manage-
ment operations (including operations using aircraft or 
mechanized equipment) to manage wildfires in the wilder-
ness areas designated by this title. 
SEC. 211. CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA COLLECTION. 
Subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary 
may prescribe, nothing in this title precludes the installa-
tion and maintenance of hydrologic, meteorologic, or cli-
matological collection devices in the wilderness areas des-
ignated by this title if the facilities and access to the facili-
ties are essential to flood warning, flood control, and water 
reservoir operation activities. 
TITLE III—UTILITY CORRIDORS 
SEC. 301. UTILITY CORRIDOR AND RIGHTS-OF-WAY. 
(a) UTILITY CORRIDOR.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding sections 
202 and 503 of the Federal Land Policy and Man-
agement Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1711, 1763), the 
Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this section 
as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall establish a 2,640-foot wide 
corridor for utilities in Lincoln County and Clark 
County, Nevada, as depicted on the map entitled 
‘‘Lincoln County Conservation, Recreation, and De-
velopment Act’’, and dated June 14, 2004. 
(2) AVAILABILITY.—Each map and legal de-
scription shall be on file and available for public in-
spection in (as appropriate)— 
(A) the Office of the Director of the Bu-
reau of Land Management; 
(B) the Office of the State Director of the 
Bureau of Land Management; 
(C) the Ely District Office of the Bureau 
of Land Management; and 
(D) the Caliente Field Office of the Bu-
reau of Land Management. 
(b) RIGHTS-OF-WAY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding sections 
202 and 503 of the Federal Land Policy and Man-
agement Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1711, 1763), the 
Secretary shall grant to the Southern Nevada Water
Authority and the Lincoln County Water District 
rights-of-way to Federal land in Lincoln County and 
Clark County, Nevada, for any roads, wells, well 
fields, pipes, pipelines, pump stations, storage facili-
ties, or other facilities and systems that are nec-
essary for the construction and operation of a water 
conveyance system, as depicted on the map. 
(2) APPLICABLE LAW.—A right-of-way granted 
under paragraph (1) shall be managed in accordance 
with section 4 of the Southern Nevada Public Land 
Management Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2344). 
(3) COMPLIANCE WITH NEPA.—Before granting 
a right-of-way under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall comply with the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), including the 
identification and consideration of potential impacts 
to fish and wildlife resources and habitat. 
(c) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing rights, 
the utility corridors designated by subsection (a) are with-
drawn from—
(1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and dis-
posal 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. 
(d) STATE WATER LAW.—Nothing in this title 
shall—
(1) prejudice the decisions or abrogate the ju-
risdiction of the Nevada State Engineer with respect 
to the appropriation, permitting, certification, or ad-
judication of water rights; 
(2) preempt Nevada State water law; or 
(3) limit or supersede existing water rights or 
interest in water rights under Nevada State law. 
(e) WATER RESOURCES STUDY.—
(1) 
IN
GENERAL.—The 
Secretary, 
acting 
through the United States Geological Survey and the 
Desert Research Institute, shall conduct a study to 
investigate ground water quantity, quality, and flow 
characteristics in the deep carbonate and alluvial 
aquifers of White Pine County, Nevada. The study 
shall—
(A) include new and review of existing 
data; 
(B) determine the volume of water stored 
in aquifers in those areas; 
(C) determine the discharge and recharge 
characteristics of each aquifer system;
(D) determine the hydrogeologic and other 
controls that govern the discharge and recharge 
of each aquifer system; and 
(E) develop maps at a consistent scale de-
picting aquifer systems and the recharge and 
discharge areas of such systems. 
(2) TIMING; 
AVAILABILITY.—The Secretary 
shall complete a draft of the water resources report 
required under paragraph (1) not later than 30 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
The Secretary shall then make the draft report 
available for public comment for a period of not less 
than 60 days. The final report shall be submitted to 
the Committee on Resources in the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Energy and Nat-
ural Resources in the Senate and made available to 
the public not later than 36 months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 302. RELOCATION OF RIGHT-OF-WAY AND UTILITY 
CORRIDORS LOCATED IN CLARK AND LIN-
COLN COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF NEVADA. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) 
AGREEMENT.—The 
term 
‘‘Agreement’’ 
means the land exchange agreement between
Aerojet-General Corporation and the United States, 
dated July 14, 1988. 
(2) CORRIDOR.—The term ‘‘corridor’’ means—
(A) the right-of-way corridor that is—
(i) identified in section 5(b)(1) of the 
Nevada-Florida Land Exchange Authoriza-
tion Act of 1988 (102 Stat. 55); and 
(ii) described in section 14(a) of the 
Agreement; 
(B) such portion of the utility corridor 
identified in the 1988 Las Vegas Resource 
Management Plan located south of the bound-
ary of the corridor described in subparagraph 
(A) as is necessary to relocate the right-of-way 
corridor to the area described in subsection 
(c)(2); and 
(C) such portion of the utility corridor 
identified in the 2000 Caliente Management 
Framework Plan Amendment located north of 
the boundary of the corridor described in sub-
paragraph (A) as is necessary to relocate the 
right-of-way corridor to the area described in 
subsection (c)(2). 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior.
(b) RELINQUISHMENT AND FAIR MARKET VALUE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, in ac-
cordance with this section, relinquish all right, title, 
and interest of the United States in and to the cor-
ridor on receipt of a payment in an amount equal 
to the fair market value of the corridor (plus any 
costs relating to the right-of-way relocation de-
scribed in this title). 
(2) FAIR
MARKET
VALUE.—The fair market 
value of the corridor shall be determined based on 
the amount of the discount described in the Agree-
ment that was applied to the land underlying the 
corridor, as adjusted for inflation in accordance with 
the Consumer Price Index for the West Urban area 
as of the date of enactment of this title. 
(c) RELOCATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall relocate 
to the area described in paragraph (2), the portion 
of IDI–26446 and UTU–73363 identified as NVN–
49781 that is located in the corridor relinquished 
under subsection (b)(1). 
(2) DESCRIPTION OF AREA.—The area referred 
to in paragraph (1) consists of an area—
(A) 1,000 feet wide; and
(B) located west of and parallel to the cen-
terline of United States Route 93. 
(3) REQUIREMENTS.—The relocation under 
paragraph (1) shall be conducted in a manner 
that—
(A) minimizes engineering design changes; 
and 
(B) maintains a gradual and smooth inter-
connection of the corridor with the area de-
scribed in paragraph (2). 
(4) AUTHORIZED
USES.—The Secretary may 
authorize the location of any above ground or under-
ground utility facility, transmission lines, gas pipe-
lines, natural gas pipelines, fiber optics, tele-
communications, water lines, wells (including moni-
toring wells), cable television, and any related appur-
tenances in the area described in paragraph (1). 
(d) EFFECT.—The relocation of the corridor under 
subsection (c) shall not require the Secretary to—
(1) update the 1998 Las Vegas Valley Resource 
Management Plan or the 2000 Caliente Management 
Framework Plan Amendment; or 
(2) undertake any further environmental assess-
ment work before the relocation of the corridor.