I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 696 
To designate the Wovoka Wilderness and provide for certain land conveyances 
in Lyon County, Nevada, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 14, 2013 
Mr. HORSFORD (for himself, Mr. AMODEI, and Mr. HECK of Nevada) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
Resources 
A BILL 
To designate the Wovoka Wilderness and provide for certain 
land conveyances in Lyon 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Lyon County Economic Development 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. Land conveyance to Yerington, Nevada. 
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Sec. 3. Addition to National Wilderness Preservation System. 
Sec. 4. Withdrawal. 
Sec. 5. Native American cultural and religious uses. 
SEC. 2. LAND CONVEYANCE TO YERINGTON, NEVADA. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) CITY.—The term ‘‘City’’ means the city of 
Yerington, Nevada. 
(2) FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘Federal land’’ 
means the land located in Lyon County and Mineral 
County, Nevada, that is identified on the map as 
‘‘City of Yerington Sustainable Development Con-
veyance Lands’’. 
(3) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map en-
titled ‘‘Yerington Land Conveyance’’ and dated De-
cember 19, 2012. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(b) CONVEYANCES OF LAND TO CITY OF YERINGTON, 
NEVADA.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, subject to 
valid existing rights and 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, 1713), the Secretary shall 
convey to the City, subject to the agreement of the 
City, all right, title, and interest of the United 
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States in and to the Federal land identified on the 
map. 
(2) APPRAISAL TO DETERMINE FAIR MARKET 
VALUE.—The Secretary shall determine the fair 
market value of the Federal land to be conveyed— 
(A) in accordance with the Federal Land 
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 
1701 et seq.); and 
(B) based on an appraisal that is con-
ducted in accordance with— 
(i) the Uniform Appraisal Standards 
for Federal Land Acquisition; and 
(ii) the Uniform Standards of Profes-
sional Appraisal Practice. 
(3) AVAILABILITY OF MAP.—The map shall be 
on file and available for public inspection in the ap-
propriate offices of the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment. 
(4) APPLICABLE LAW.—Beginning on the date 
on which the Federal land is conveyed to the City, 
the development of and conduct of activities on the 
Federal land shall be subject to all applicable Fed-
eral laws (including regulations). 
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(5) COSTS.—As a condition of the conveyance 
of the Federal land under paragraph (1), the City 
shall pay— 
(A) an amount equal to the appraised 
value determined in accordance with paragraph 
(2); and 
(B) all costs related to the conveyance, in-
cluding all surveys, appraisals, and other ad-
ministrative costs associated with the convey-
ance of the Federal land to the City under 
paragraph (1). 
SEC. 3. ADDITION TO NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVA-
TION SYSTEM. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) the area designated as the Wovoka Wilder-
ness by this section contains unique and spectacular 
natural resources, including— 
(A) priceless habitat for numerous species 
of plants and wildlife; 
(B) thousands of acres of land that remain 
in a natural state; and 
(C) habitat important to the continued 
survival of the population of the greater sage 
grouse of western Nevada and eastern Cali-
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fornia (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Bi- 
State population of greater sage-grouse’’); 
(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; 
(D) protecting air and water quality; and 
(E) protecting and strengthening the Bi- 
State population of greater sage-grouse; and 
(3) the Secretary of Agriculture should collabo-
rate with the Lyon County Commission and the local 
community on wildfire and forest management plan-
ning and implementation with the goal of preventing 
catastrophic wildfire and resource damage. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COUNTY.—The term ‘‘County’’ means Lyon 
County, Nevada. 
(2) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map en-
titled ‘‘Wovoka Wilderness Area’’ and dated Decem-
ber 18, 2012. 
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(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(4) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 
of Nevada. 
(5) WILDERNESS.—The term ‘‘Wilderness’’ 
means the Wovoka Wilderness designated by sub-
section (c)(1). 
(c) ADDITIONS TO NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESER-
VATION SYSTEM.— 
(1) DESIGNATION.—In furtherance of the pur-
poses of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et 
seq.), the Federal land managed by the Forest Serv-
ice, as generally depicted on the Map, is designated 
as wilderness and as a component of the National 
Wilderness Preservation System, to be known as the 
‘‘Wovoka Wilderness’’. 
(2) BOUNDARY.—The boundary of any portion 
of the Wilderness that is bordered by a road shall 
be 150 feet from the centerline of the road. 
(3) MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall prepare a map and legal description 
of the Wilderness. 
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(B) EFFECT.—The map and legal descrip-
tion prepared under subparagraph (A) shall 
have the same force and effect as if included in 
this section, except that the Secretary may cor-
rect any clerical and typographical errors in the 
map or legal description. 
(C) AVAILABILITY.—Each map and legal 
description prepared under subparagraph (A) 
shall be on file and available for public inspec-
tion in the appropriate offices of the Forest 
Service. 
(4) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing 
rights, the Wilderness is withdrawn from— 
(A) all forms of entry, appropriation, or 
disposal under the public land laws; 
(B) location, entry, and patent under the 
mining laws; and 
(C) disposition under all laws relating to 
mineral and geothermal leasing or mineral ma-
terials. 
(d) ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) MANAGEMENT.—Subject to valid existing 
rights, the Wilderness shall be administered by the 
Secretary in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), except that any reference in 
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that Act to the effective date shall be considered to 
be a reference to the date of enactment of this Act. 
(2) LIVESTOCK.—The grazing of livestock in 
the Wilderness, if established before the date of en-
actment 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— 
(A) section 4(d)(4) of the Wilderness Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(4)); and 
(B) 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). 
(3) INCORPORATION OF ACQUIRED LAND AND 
INTERESTS.—Any land or interest in land within the 
boundary of the Wilderness 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. 
(4) ADJACENT MANAGEMENT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Congress does not in-
tend for the designation of the Wilderness to 
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create a protective perimeter or buffer zone 
around the Wilderness. 
(B) NONWILDERNESS
ACTIVITIES.—The 
fact that nonwilderness activities or uses can be 
seen or heard from areas within the Wilderness 
shall not preclude the conduct of the activities 
or uses outside the boundary of the Wilderness. 
(5) OVERFLIGHTS.—Nothing in this section re-
stricts or precludes— 
(A) low-level overflights of aircraft over the 
Wilderness, including military overflights that 
can be seen or heard within the Wilderness; 
(B) flight testing and evaluation; or 
(C) the designation or creation of new 
units of special use airspace, or the establish-
ment of military flight training routes, over the 
Wilderness. 
(6) WILDFIRE, INSECT, AND DISEASE MANAGE-
MENT.—In accordance with section 4(d)(1) of the 
Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1)), the Sec-
retary may take any measures in the Wilderness 
that the Secretary determines to be necessary for 
the control of fire, insects, and diseases, including, 
as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, the 
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coordination of the activities with a State or local 
agency. 
(7) WATER RIGHTS.— 
(A) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(i) the Wilderness is located— 
(I) in the semiarid region of the 
Great Basin; and 
(II) at the headwaters of the 
streams and rivers on land with re-
spect to which there are few— 
(aa) 
actual 
or 
proposed 
water resource facilities located 
upstream; and 
(bb) opportunities for diver-
sion, storage, or other uses of 
water occurring outside the land 
that would adversely affect the 
wilderness values of the land; 
(ii) the Wilderness is generally not 
suitable for use or development of new 
water resource facilities; and 
(iii) because of the unique nature of 
the Wilderness, it is possible to provide for 
proper management and protection of the 
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wilderness and other values of land in ways 
different from those used in other laws. 
(B) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this para-
graph is to protect the wilderness values of the 
Wilderness by means other than a federally re-
served water right. 
(C) STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing 
in this paragraph— 
(i) constitutes an express or implied 
reservation by the United States of any 
water or water rights with respect to the 
Wilderness; 
(ii) 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; 
(iii) establishes a precedent with re-
gard to any future wilderness designations; 
(iv) affects the interpretation of, or 
any designation made under, any other 
Act; or 
(v) limits, alters, modifies, or amends 
any interstate compact or equitable appor-
tionment decree that apportions water 
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among and between the State and other 
States. 
(D) NEVADA WATER LAW.—The Secretary 
shall follow the procedural and substantive re-
quirements 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. 
(E) NEW PROJECTS.— 
(i) DEFINITION OF WATER RESOURCE 
FACILITY.— 
(I) IN
GENERAL.—In this sub-
paragraph, the term ‘‘water resource 
facility’’ means irrigation and pump-
ing facilities, reservoirs, water con-
servation works, aqueducts, canals, 
ditches, pipelines, wells, hydropower 
projects, transmission and other ancil-
lary facilities, and other water diver-
sion, storage, and carriage structures. 
(II) EXCLUSION.—In this sub-
paragraph, the term ‘‘water resource 
facility’’ does not include wildlife guz-
zlers. 
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(ii) RESTRICTION ON NEW WATER RE-
SOURCE FACILITIES.— 
(I) IN GENERAL.—Except as oth-
erwise provided in this section, on or 
after the date of enactment of this 
Act, no 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 Wilder-
ness, any portion of which is located 
in the County. 
(II) EXCEPTION.—If a permittee 
within the Bald Mountain grazing al-
lotment submits an application for the 
development of water resources for 
the purpose of livestock watering by 
the date that is 10 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall issue a water develop-
ment permit within the non-wilderness 
boundaries of the Bald Mountain 
grazing allotment for the purposes of 
carrying out activities under para-
graph (2). 
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(8) NONWILDERNESS ROADS.—Nothing in this 
Act prevents the Secretary from implementing or 
amending a final travel management plan. 
(e) WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with section 
4(d)(7) 
of 
the 
Wilderness 
Act 
(16 
U.S.C. 
1133(d)(7)), nothing in this section affects or dimin-
ishes the jurisdiction of the State with respect to 
fish and wildlife management, including the regula-
tion of hunting, fishing, and trapping, in the Wilder-
ness. 
(2) MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.—In furtherance 
of the purposes and principles of the Wilderness Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the Secretary may conduct 
any management activities in the Wilderness that 
are necessary to maintain or restore fish and wildlife 
populations and the habitats to support the popu-
lations, if the activities are carried out— 
(A) consistent with relevant wilderness 
management plans; and 
(B) in accordance with— 
(i) the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 
1131 et seq.); and 
(ii) appropriate policies, such as those 
set forth in Appendix B of the report of 
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the Committee on Interior and Insular Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives ac-
companying H.R. 2570 of the 101st Con-
gress (House Report 101–405), including 
the occasional and temporary use of motor-
ized vehicles and aircraft, if the use, as de-
termined by the Secretary, would promote 
healthy, viable, and more naturally distrib-
uted wildlife populations that would en-
hance wilderness values with the minimal 
impact necessary to reasonably accomplish 
those tasks. 
(3) EXISTING
ACTIVITIES.—Consistent with 
section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 
1133(d)(1)) and in accordance with appropriate poli-
cies such as those set forth in Appendix B of House 
Report 101–405, the State may continue to use air-
craft, including helicopters, to survey, capture, 
transplant, monitor, and provide water for wildlife 
populations in the Wilderness. 
(4) HUNTING, FISHING, AND TRAPPING.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may des-
ignate areas in which, and establish periods 
during which, for reasons of public safety, ad-
ministration, or compliance with applicable 
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laws, no hunting, fishing, or trapping will be 
permitted in the Wilderness. 
(B) CONSULTATION.—Except in emer-
gencies, the Secretary shall consult with the ap-
propriate State agency and notify the public be-
fore making any designation under paragraph 
(1). 
(5) AGREEMENT.—The State, including a des-
ignee of the State, may conduct wildlife management 
activities in the Wilderness— 
(A) in accordance with the terms and con-
ditions specified in the cooperative agreement 
between the Secretary and the State entitled 
‘‘Memorandum 
of 
Understanding: 
Inter-
mountain Region USDA Forest Service and the 
Nevada Department of Wildlife State of Ne-
vada’’ and signed by the designee of the State 
on February 6, 1984, and by the designee of 
the Secretary on January 24, 1984, including 
any amendments, appendices, or additions to 
the agreement agreed to by the Secretary and 
the State or a designee; and 
(B) subject to all applicable laws (including 
regulations). 
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(f) WILDLIFE WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.— 
Subject to subsection (d), the Secretary shall authorize 
structures and facilities, including existing structures and 
facilities, for wildlife water development projects (includ-
ing guzzlers) in the Wilderness 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 can reasonably be mini-
mized. 
SEC. 4. WITHDRAWAL. 
(a) DEFINITION OF WITHDRAWAL AREA.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘Withdrawal Area’’ means the land ad-
ministered by the Forest Service and identified as ‘‘With-
drawal Area’’ on the map described in section 3(b)(2). 
(b) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing rights, 
all Federal land within the Withdrawal Area is withdrawn 
from all forms of— 
(1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the 
public land laws; 
(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining 
laws; and 
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(3) operation of the mineral laws, geothermal 
leasing laws, and mineral materials laws. 
(c) MOTORIZED AND MECHANICAL VEHICLES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
use of motorized and mechanical vehicles in the 
Withdrawal Area shall be permitted only on roads 
and trails designated for the use of those vehicles, 
unless the use of those vehicles is needed— 
(A) for administrative purposes; or 
(B) to respond to an emergency. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) does not apply 
to aircraft (including helicopters). 
SEC. 5. NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS 
USES. 
Nothing in this Act alters or diminishes the treaty 
rights of any Indian tribe. 
Æ 
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