La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act

Bill: 119-s-909
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]
Introduced: 2025-03-10
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Arizona

Historical and cultural resources

Indian lands and resources rights

Land transfers
Latest action: action_date: 2025-09-11
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-03-10
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act</strong></p><p>This bill directs the Department of the Interior, after receiving a request from La Paz County, Arizona, to convey approximately&nbsp;3,400 acres of identified land managed by the Bureau of Land Management to the county for fair market value.</p><p>Interior must exclude from the conveyance any federal land that contains significant cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational resources.</p><p>As a condition of the conveyance, La Paz County and any subsequent owner must</p><ul><li>make good faith efforts to avoid disturbing tribal artifacts;</li><li>minimize impacts on tribal artifacts if they are disturbed;</li><li>coordinate with the Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal Historic Preservation Office to identify artifacts of cultural and historic significance; and</li><li>allow tribal representatives to rebury unearthed artifacts at, or near, where they were discovered.</li></ul><p>The federal land is withdrawn from the operation of U.S. mining and mineral leasing laws.</p>

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 909 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 10, 2025 Mr. Gallego (for himself and Mr. Kelly ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land to La Paz County, Arizona, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act . 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) County The term County means La Paz County, Arizona. (2) Federal land The term Federal land means the approximately 3,400 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and designated as Federal Land To Be Conveyed on the map. (3) Map The term map means the map entitled BLM Arizona—La Paz County Land Conveyance Map, Bureau of Land Management—Colorado River District, Yuma Field Office and dated June 29, 2023. (4) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior. 3. Conveyance to La Paz County, Arizona (a) In general Notwithstanding the planning requirement of sections 202 and 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1712 , 1713) and in accordance with this section and other applicable law, as soon as practicable after receiving a request from the County to convey the Federal land, the Secretary shall convey the Federal land to the County. (b) Restrictions on conveyance (1) In general The conveyance under subsection (a) shall be subject to— (A) valid existing rights; and (B) such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be necessary. (2) Exclusion The Secretary shall exclude from the conveyance under subsection (a) any Federal land that contains significant cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational resources. (c) Payment of fair market value The conveyance under subsection (a) shall be for the fair market value of the Federal land to be conveyed, as determined— (1) in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. ); and (2) based on an appraisal that is conducted in accordance with— (A) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions; and (B) the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. (d) Protection of tribal cultural artifacts As a condition of the conveyance under subsection (a), the County shall, and as a condition of any subsequent conveyance, any subsequent owner shall— (1) make good faith efforts to avoid disturbing Tribal artifacts; (2) minimize impacts on Tribal artifacts if the artifacts are disturbed; (3) coordinate with the Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal Historic Preservation Office to identify artifacts of cultural and historic significance; and (4) allow Tribal representatives to rebury unearthed artifacts at or near where the artifacts were discovered. (e) Availability of map (1) In general The map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management. (2) Corrections The Secretary and the County may, by mutual agreement— (A) make minor boundary adjustments to the Federal land to be conveyed under subsection (a); and (B) correct any minor errors in the map, an acreage estimate, or the description of the Federal land. (f) Withdrawal The Federal land is withdrawn from the operation of the mining and mineral leasing laws of the United States. (g) Costs As a condition of the conveyance of the Federal land under subsection (a), the County shall pay— (1) an amount equal to the appraised value determined in accordance with subsection (c)(2); and (2) all costs related to the conveyance, including all surveys, appraisals, and other administrative costs associated with the conveyance of the Federal land to the County under subsection (a). (h) Proceeds from the sale of land The proceeds from the sale of land under this section shall be— (1) deposited in the Federal Land Disposal Account established by section 206(a) of the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act ( 43 U.S.C. 2305(a) ); and (2) used in accordance with that Act ( 43 U.S.C. 2301 et seq. ).