Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
The bill amends the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Act to update the boundary map and increase the designated acreage from 48,438 to 57,728 acres. It requires the Interior Secretary to grant, within one year, specified temporary and permanent rights-of-way to the Southern Nevada Water Authority for a lateral water pipeline and related infrastructure (outside the conservation area), allows excavation and disposal of tunneling materials, and requires a memorandum of understanding on disposal locations.
Support for acreage expansion vs. concern about expanding federal control
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a focused substantive statutory amendment that clearly identifies the legal changes (boundary map and acreage, ROW grant authority, disposal authorization, and certain protective limitations) and integrates those changes with existing statutes.
The bill amends the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Act to update the boundary map and increase the designated acreage from 48,438 to 57,728 acres.
It requires the Interior Secretary to grant, within one year, specified temporary and permanent rights-of-way to the Southern Nevada Water Authority for a lateral water pipeline and related infrastructure (outside the conservation area), allows excavation and disposal of tunneling materials, and requires a memorandum of understanding on disposal locations.
The bill preserves valid existing utility rights and corridors, bars rights-of-way through wilderness, permits the Secretary to impose protective conditions, and otherwise leaves Conservation Area management unchanged except as specified.
Targeted local land adjustment plus infrastructure carve-outs often pass if local support exists; environmental concerns and ROW terms could slow or alter it.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a focused substantive statutory amendment that clearly identifies the legal changes (boundary map and acreage, ROW grant authority, disposal authorization, and certain protective limitations) and integrates those changes with existing statutes. It specifies implementing authority and deadlines, but omits funding provisions, detailed environmental safeguards, monitoring/reporting requirements, and some operational particulars.
Support for acreage expansion vs. concern about expanding federal control
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Support for acreage expansion vs. concern about expanding federal control
Supports the conservation-area expansion but is wary of the mandatory, no-fee rights-of-way and spoil-disposal provisions.
Will seek stronger environmental, cultural, and public-interest safeguards tied to the pipeline authorization.
Sees a pragmatic balance: expands protected lands while enabling necessary water infrastructure.
Concerned about procedural clarity, environmental oversight, and avoiding unfunded liabilities or legal exposure for the agency.
Mixed reaction: welcomes pipeline access and preserved utility operations but objects to expanding federal conservation acreage.
Concerned about federal land expansion precedent and restrictions on land use.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Targeted local land adjustment plus infrastructure carve-outs often pass if local support exists; environmental concerns and ROW terms could slow or alter it.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Support for acreage expansion vs. concern about expanding federal control
Targeted local land adjustment plus infrastructure carve-outs often pass if local support exists; environmental concerns and ROW terms coul…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a focused substantive statutory amendment that clearly identifies the legal changes (boundary map and acreage, ROW grant authority, disposal authorization, and cer…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.