Johnson Valley National Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area Establishment Act

Bill: 113-hr-1676
Sponsor: Rep. Cook, Paul [R-CA-8]
Introduced: 2013-04-23 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: California
Land transfers
Military education and training
Military facilities and property
Motor vehicles
Parks, recreation areas, trails

Summary:
action_date: 2013-04-23
text: 
Johnson Valley National Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area Establishment Act - Designates approximately 188,000 acres of specified public lands and interests administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in San Bernardino County in California as the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area (the Area) for purposes of public recreation (when the lands are not in use for military training as authorized by this Act) and natural resources conservation. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary of the Navy (the Secretary) to use parts of the Area twice in each year for up to a total of 42 days a year for: (1) sustained, combined arms, live-fire, and maneuver field training for large-scale Marine air-ground task forces; (2) individual and unit live-fire training ranges; (3) equipment and tactics development; and (4) other defense-related purposes. Prohibits the use of dud-producing ordnance in any such military activity conducted on the Area.
 
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to transfer, without reimbursement, approximately 20,000 acres of specified BLM-administered land in San Bernardino County to the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary. 
 
Includes such transferred land as part of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms in California. 

action_date: 2013-06-24
text: 
Johnson Valley National Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area Establishment Act - (Sec. 2) Designates approximately 188,000 acres of specified public lands and interests administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in San Bernardino County in California as the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area for purposes of public recreation (when the lands are not in use for military training as authorized by this Act) and natural resources conservation. 
 
Withdraws the public lands and interests included in the Area from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining laws and the mineral leasing and geothermal leasing laws.
 
(Sec. 3) Authorizes the Secretary of the Navy (the Secretary) to use parts of the Area twice in each year for up to a total of 60 days a year for: (1) sustained, combined arms, live-fire, and maneuver field training for large-scale Marine air-ground task forces; (2) individual and unit live-fire training ranges; (3) equipment and tactics development; and (4) other defense-related purposes. 
 
Requires the Secretary, before requesting the two time periods for military use of the Area, to: (1) consult with the Secretary of the Interior regarding the best times for such use to reduce interference with or interruption of the nonmilitary activities authorized by this Act, and (2) provide for public awareness of and participation in the selection process.
 
Requires the Secretary to provide advance, wide-spread notice before any closure of the public lands for military use. 
 
Requires military use of the Area during the biannual periods to be conducted in the presence of sufficient range safety officers to ensure the safety of military personnel and civilians. 
 
Prohibits the use of dud-producing ordnance in any such military activity conducted on the Area. 
 
Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a written agreement to implement military use of the Area. Requires such agreement to include a provision for the periodic review of such agreement for its adequacy, effectiveness, and need for revision. Permits such agreement to provide for: (1) the integration of the management plans of the Secretaries, (2) delegation to civilian law enforcement personnel of the Department of the Navy of the Secretary of the Interior's authority to enforce laws relating to protection of natural and cultural resources and of fish and wildlife, and (3) the sharing of resources in order to manage the public lands most effectively.
 
Terminates any agreement for the military use of such Area by no later than March 31, 2039. 
 
(Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to transfer, without reimbursement, approximately 20,000 acres of specified BLM-administered land in San Bernardino County to the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary. 
 
Includes such transferred land as part of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms in California. 
 
(Sec. 5) Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to: (1) establish a reservation in favor of the United States with respect to any water or water right on withdrawn lands, or (2) authorize the appropriation of water on such lands except in accordance with applicable state law.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-06-24
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 88.
action_date: 2013-06-24
text: Committee on Armed Services discharged.
action_date: 2013-06-24
text: Committee on Armed Services discharged.
action_date: 2013-06-24
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 113-123, Part I.
action_date: 2013-06-24
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 113-123, Part I.
action_date: 2013-05-15
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2013-05-15
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2013-05-15
text: Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation Discharged.
action_date: 2013-05-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.
action_date: 2013-04-26
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2013-04-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation.
action_date: 2013-04-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2013-04-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2013-04-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2013-04-23
text: Introduced in House