I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 849 
To provide for the conveyance of certain public land in Clark County, Nevada, 
for use as a heliport. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 16, 2005 
Mr. GIBBONS (for himself, Mr. PORTER, and Ms. BERKLEY) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To provide for the conveyance of certain public land in Clark 
County, Nevada, for use as a heliport. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF PROPERTY TO CLARK COUN-
TY, NEVADA. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) the Las Vegas Valley in the State of Ne-
vada is the fastest growing community in the United 
States;
(2) helicopter tour operations are conflicting 
with the needs of long-established residential com-
munities in the Valley; and 
(3) the designation of a public heliport in the 
Valley that would reduce conflicts between helicopter 
tour operators and residential communities is in the 
public interest. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to provide 
a suitable location for the establishment of a commercial 
service heliport facility to serve the Las Vegas Valley in 
the State of Nevada while minimizing and mitigating the 
impact of air tours on the Sloan Canyon National Con-
servation Area and North McCullough Mountains Wilder-
ness. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) CONSERVATION
AREA.—The term ‘‘Con-
servation Area’’ means the Sloan Canyon National 
Conservation Area established by section 604(a) of 
the Clark County Conservation of Public Land and 
Natural Resources Act of 2002 (116 Stat. 2010). 
(2) COUNTY.—The term ‘‘County’’ means Clark 
County, Nevada. 
(3) HELICOPTER TOUR.—
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘helicopter 
tour’’ means a commercial helicopter tour oper-
ated for profit. 
(B) EXCLUSION.—The term ‘‘helicopter 
tour’’ does not include a helicopter tour that is 
carried out to assist a Federal, State, or local 
agency. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(5) WILDERNESS.—The term ‘‘Wilderness’’ 
means the North McCullough Mountains Wilderness 
established by section 202(a)(13) of the Clark Coun-
ty Conservation of Public Land and Natural Re-
sources Act of 2002 (116 Stat. 2000). 
(d) CONVEYANCE.—As soon as practicable after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall convey 
to the County, subject to valid existing rights, for no con-
sideration, all right, title, and interest of the United States 
in and to the parcel of land described in subsection (e). 
(e) DESCRIPTION OF LAND.—The parcel of land to 
be conveyed under subsection (d) is the parcel of approxi-
mately 229 acres of land depicted as tract A on the map 
entitled ‘‘Clark County Public Heliport Facility’’ and 
dated May 3, 2004. 
(f) USE OF LAND.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The parcel of land conveyed 
under subsection (d)— 
(A) shall be used by the County for the op-
eration of a heliport facility under the condi-
tions stated in paragraphs (2) and (3); and 
(B) shall not be disposed of by the County. 
(2) IMPOSITION OF FEES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Any operator of a heli-
copter tour originating from or concluding at 
the parcel of land described in subsection (e) 
shall pay to the Clark County Department of 
Aviation a $3 conservation fee for each pas-
senger on the helicopter tour if any portion of 
the helicopter tour occurs over the Conservation 
Area. 
(B) 
DISPOSITION
OF
FUNDS.—Any 
amounts collected under subparagraph (A) shall 
be deposited in a special account in the Treas-
ury of the United States, which shall be avail-
able to the Secretary, without further appro-
priation, for the management of cultural, wild-
life, and wilderness resources on public land in 
the State of Nevada. 
(3) FLIGHT PATH.—Except for safety reasons, 
any helicopter tour originating or concluding at the
parcel of land described in subsection (e) that flies 
over the Conservation Area shall not fly— 
(A) over any area in the Conservation Area 
except the area that is between 3 and 5 miles 
north of the latitude of the southernmost 
boundary of the Conservation Area; 
(B) lower than 1,000 feet over the eastern 
segments of the boundary of the Conservation 
Area; or 
(C) lower than 500 feet over the western 
segments of the boundary of the Conservation 
Area. 
(4) REVERSION.—If the County ceases to use 
any of the land described in subsection (d) for the 
purpose described in paragraph (1)(A) and under 
the conditions stated in paragraphs (2) and (3)— 
(A) title to the parcel shall revert to the 
United States, at the option of the United 
States; and 
(B) the County shall be responsible for any 
reclamation necessary to revert the parcel to 
the United States. 
(g) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—The Secretary shall 
require, as a condition of the conveyance under subsection 
(d), that the County pay the administrative costs of the