Griffith Project Prepayment and Conveyance Act
PL 106-249 (S.986), enacted 07/26/2000

PUBLIC LAW 106-249^JULY 26, 2000 
114 STAT. 619 
Public Law 106-249 
106th Congress 
An Act 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Griffith Project to the Southern 
July 26, 2000 
Nevada Water Authority. 
[S. 986] 
Be it enax:ted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
Griffith Project 
Prepayment and 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
Conveyance Act. 
This Act may be cited as the "Griffith Project Prepajonent 
and Conveyance Act". 
SEC. 2. DEFINrnONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) The term "Authority" means the Southern Nevada 
Water Authority, organized imder the laws of the State of 
Nevada, 
(2) The term "Griffith Project" means the Robert B. Griffith 
Water Project, authorized by euid constructed pursuant to the 
Southern Nevada Water Project Act, Pubhc Law 89-292, as 
amended (commonly known as the "Southern Nevada Water 
Project Act") (79 Stat. 1068), including pipelines, conduits, 
pimiping plants, intake facilities, aqueducts, laterals, water 
storage and regulatory facilities, electric substations, and 
related works and improvements listed pursuant to "Robert 
B. Griffith Water Project (Formerly Southern Nevada Water 
Project), Nevada: Southern Cleirk County, Lower Colorado 
Region Bureau of Reclamation", on file at the Bureau of Rec-
lamation and all interests in land acquired under Public Law 
89-292, as amended. 
(3) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of the 
Interior. 
(4) The term "Acquired Land(s)" mesuis all interests in 
land, including fee title, right(s)-of-way, and easement(s), 
acquired by the United States from non-FedereJ sources by 
purchase, donation, exchange, or condemnation pursuant to 
Public Law 89-292, as amended for the Griffith Project. 
(5) The term "Public Land" means lands which have never 
left Federal ownership and are under the jiuisdiction of the 
Bureau of Land Management. 
(6) The term "Withdrawn Land" means Federal lands which 
are withdrawn from settlement, sale, location of minerals, or 
entry under some or all of the general land laws and are 
reserved for a particular public purpose pursuant to Public 
Law 89-292, as amended, under the jurisdiction of the Bureau 
of Reclamation, or are reserved pursuant to Public Law 88-
639 luider the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. 
114 STAT. 620 
PUBLIC LAW 106-249-^ULY 26, 2000 
Deadline. 
Effective date. 
SEC. 3. CO^fVEYANCE OF GRIFFITH PROJECT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In consideration of the Authority assuming 
from the United States all liability for administration, operation, 
maintenance, and replacement of the Griffith Project and subject 
to the prepayment by the Authority of the Federal repayment 
amount of $121,204,348 (which amount shall be increased to reflect 
any accrued unpaid interest and shall be decreased by the amount 
of any additional principal pa3anents made by the Authority after 
September 15, 1999, prior to the date on which prepayment occurs), 
the Secretary shall, pursuant to the provisions of this Act— 
(1) convey and assign to the Authority all of the right, 
title, and interest of the United States in and to improvements 
and facilities of the Griffith Project in existence as of the 
date of this Act; 
(2) convey and assign to the Authority all of the right, 
title, and interest of the United States to Acquired Lands 
that were acquired for the Griffith Project; and 
(3) convey and assign to the Authority all interests reserved 
and developed as of the date of this Act for the Griffith Project 
in lands patented by the United States. 
(b) Pursuant to the authority of this section, from the effective 
date of conveyance of the Griffith Project, the Authority shall have 
a right-of-way at no cost across all Public Land and Withdrawn 
Land— 
(1) on which the Griffith Project is situated; and 
(2) across any Federal lands as reasonably necessary for 
the operation, maintenance, replacement, and repair of the 
Griffith Project, including existing access routes. 
Rights-of-way established by this section shall be valid for as long 
as they are needed for municipal water supply purposes and shall 
not require pajmient of rental or other fee. 
(c) Within twelve months after the effective date of this Act— 
(1) the Secretary and the Authority shall agree upon a 
description of the land subject to the rights-of-way established 
by subsection (b) of this section; and 
(2) the Secretary shall deliver to the Authority a document 
memorializing such rights-of-way. 
(d) REPORT.—If the conveyance under subsection (a) has not 
occurred within twelve months after the effective date of this Act, 
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the status 
of the conveyance. 
SEC. 4. RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING CONTRACTS. 
The Secretary and the Authority may modify Contract No. 
7-07-30-W0004 and other contracts and land permits as necessary 
to conform to the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 
5
. 
RELATIONSHIP 
TO 
OTHER 
LAWS 
AND 
FUTURE 
BENEFITS. 
(a) If the Authority changes the use or operation of the Griffith 
Project, the Authority shall comply with all applicable laws and 
regulations governing the changes at that time. 
(b) On conveyance of the Griffith Project under section 3 of 
this Act, the Act of June 17, 1902 (43 U.S.C. 391 et seq.), and 
all Acts amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto shall not apply 
to the Griffith Project. Effective upon transfer, the lands and facili-
ties transferred pursuant to this Act shall not be entitled to receive 
any further Reclamation benefits pursuant to the Act of June 17, 
PUBLIC LAW 106-249—JULY 26, 2000 
114 STAT. 621 
1902, and all Acts amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto 
attributable to their status as a Federal Reclamation Project, and 
the Griffith Project shall no longer be a Federal Reclamation Project. 
(c) Nothing in this Act shall transfer or affect Federal owner-
ship, rights, or interests in Lake Mead National Recreation Area 
associated lands, nor affect the authorities of the National Park 
Service to manage Lake Mead National Recreation Area including 
lands on which the Griffith Project is located consistent with the 
Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535), Public Law 88-639, October 
8, 1964 (78 Stat. 1039), or any other applicable legislation, regula-
tion, or policy. 
(d) Nothing in this Act shall affect the application of Federal 
reclamation law to water delivered to the Authority pursuant to 
any contract with the Secretary under section 5 of the Boulder 
Canyon Project Act. 
(e) Effective upon conveyance of the Griffith Project and EfFective date, 
acquired interests in land under section 3 of this Act, the United 
States shall not be liable for damages of any kind arising out 
of any act, omission, or occurrence based on its prior ownership 
of the conveyed property. 
Approved July 26, 2000. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 986: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 106-717 (Comm. on Resources). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 106-173 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resovux:es). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 145 (1999): Nov. 19, considered and passed Senate. 
Vol. 146 (2000): July 10, considered and passed House. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 36 (2000): 
July 29, Presidential statement.