Advancing Conservation and Education Act

Bill: 116-hr-244
Sponsor: Rep. Stewart, Chris [R-UT-2]
Introduced: 2019-01-04 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Forests, forestry, trees
Idaho
Intergovernmental relations
Land transfers
Land use and conservation
Military facilities and property
Mining
Montana
Monuments and memorials
New Mexico
North Dakota
Oregon
Parks, recreation areas, trails
South Dakota
State and local government operations
Utah
Washington State
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection
Wyoming

Summary:
action_date: 2019-01-04
text: 

Advancing Conservation and Education Act

 
 This bill allows the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming (western states) to relinquish state land grant parcels wholly or primarily within eligible areas and select, in exchange, public land within the state. 
 
The bill defines &quot;eligible areas&quot; as lands within the outer boundaries of units or components of the National Park, National Wilderness Preservation, National Wildlife Refuge, or National Landscape Conservation Systems, areas identified by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the Department of the Interior through a inventory carried out in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) as having wilderness characteristics as of enactment of this bill or in a land use plan that was finalized under the FLPMA, certain designated lands within the National Forest System or administered by the BLM, and sentinel landscapes designated by the Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, or Interior. 
 
 Interior shall create a process for the relinquishment of such parcels. 
 
 A western state may select, and Interior may convey, lands that are mineral in character. 
 
 The overall value of the state land grant parcels and the public land to be conveyed shall be equal or made equal. 
 
The bill sets forth requirements regarding hazardous materials on land to be conveyed, water rights, grazing permits, road rights-of-ways, and protection of Indian rights.

action_date: 2020-12-14
text: 

Advancing Conservation and Education Act

 
 This bill allows the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming (western states) to relinquish state land grant parcels wholly or primarily within eligible areas and select, in exchange, public land within the state. 
 
The bill defines 
eligible areas
 as lands within the outer boundaries of units or components of the National Park, National Wilderness Preservation, National Wildlife Refuge, or National Landscape Conservation Systems, areas identified by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the Department of the Interior through a inventory carried out in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) as having wilderness characteristics as of the enactment of this bill or in a land use plan that was finalized under the FLPMA, certain designated lands within the National Forest System or administered by the BLM, and sentinel landscapes designated by the Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, or Interior. 
 
 Interior shall create a process for the relinquishment of such parcels. 
 
 A western state may select, and Interior may convey, lands that are mineral in character. 
 
 The overall value of the state land grant parcels and the public land to be conveyed shall be equal or made equal. 
 
The bill sets forth requirements regarding hazardous materials on land to be conveyed, water rights, grazing permits, road rights-of-ways, and protection of Indian rights.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-12-14
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 524.
action_date: 2020-12-14
text: Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 116-639.
action_date: 2020-12-14
text: Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 116-639.
action_date: 2020-09-30
text: Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2020-09-30
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2020-09-30
text: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Discharged.
action_date: 2020-06-18
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2019-02-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.
action_date: 2019-01-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2019-01-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2019-01-04
text: Introduced in House