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
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land to La Paz County, Arizona, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act
.
Sec. 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.
Sec. 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.).