[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2846 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                 S. 2846

To provide for the conveyance of certain Bureau of Land Management land 
 in the State of Nevada to the University and Community College System 
                   of Nevada, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 24, 2004

 Mr. Reid (for himself and Mr. Ensign) introduced the following bill; 
   which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for the conveyance of certain Bureau of Land Management land 
 in the State of Nevada to the University and Community College System 
                   of Nevada, 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 ``Nye County Higher Education Campus 
Conveyance Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Chancellor.--The term ``Chancellor'' means the 
        Chancellor of the University system.
            (2) County.--The term ``County'' means the County of Nye, 
        Nevada.
            (3) College.--The term ``College'' means the Nye County 
        Nevada Higher Education Campus in Pahrump Valley, Nevada, a 
        component of the University system.
            (4) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means the 
        parcel of Bureau of Land Management land identified on the map 
        as the N\1/2\ (excluding the NW\1/4\NW\1/4\) of sec. 2 of T. 21 
        S., R. 54 E.
            (5) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled 
        ``Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act'' and dated 
        October 1, 2002.
            (6) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Nevada.
            (7) University system.--The term ``University system'' 
        means the University and Community College System of Nevada.

SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE TO THE UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM OF 
              NEVADA.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and section 1(c) of the 
Act of June 14, 1926 (commonly known as the ``Recreation and Public 
Purposes Act'') (43 U.S.C. 869(c)), not later than 1 year after the 
date on which a survey defining the official metes and bounds of the 
Federal land is approved by the Secretary, the Secretary shall convey 
to the University system without consideration, all right, title, and 
interest of the United States in and to the Federal land for use as a 
campus for the College.
    (b) Conditions.--
            (1) In general.--As a condition of the conveyance under 
        subsection (a), the Chancellor shall agree in writing--
                    (A) to pay any administrative costs associated with 
                the conveyance, including the cost of any 
                environmental, wildlife, cultural, or historical 
                resources studies;
                    (B) to use the Federal land conveyed for 
                educational and recreational purposes;
                    (C) to release and indemnify the United States from 
                any claims or liabilities which may arise from uses 
                that are carried out on the Federal land on or before 
                the date of enactment of this Act by the United States 
                or any person;
                    (D) as soon as practicable after the date of the 
                conveyance under subsection (a), to erect at the 
                College an appropriate and centrally located monument 
                that acknowledges the conveyance of the Federal land by 
                the United States for the purpose of furthering the 
                higher education of citizens in the State; and
                    (E) to assist the Bureau of Land Management in 
                providing information to the students of the College 
                and the citizens of the State on--
                            (i) public land in the State; and
                            (ii) the role of the Bureau of Land 
                        Management in managing, preserving, and 
                        protecting the public land.
            (2) Valid existing rights.--The conveyance under subsection 
        (a) shall be subject to all valid existing rights.
    (c) Use of Federal Land.--
            (1) In general.--The University system may use the land 
        conveyed under subsection (a) for--
                    (A) any purpose relating to the establishment, 
                operation, growth, and maintenance of the College; and
                    (B) any uses relating to those purposes, including 
                residential and commercial development that would 
                generally be associated with an institution of higher 
                education.
            (2) Other entities.--The University system may--
                    (A) consistent with Federal and State law, lease or 
                otherwise provide property or space at the College, 
                with or without consideration, to religious, public 
                interest, community, or other groups for services and 
                events that are of interest to the College, the 
                University system, or any community located in the 
                County;
                    (B) allow the County or any other community in the 
                County to use facilities of the College for educational 
                and recreational programs of the County or community; 
                and
                    (C) in conjunction with the County, plan, finance 
                (including through the provision of cost-share 
                assistance), construct, and operate facilities for the 
                County on the Federal land for educational or 
                recreational purposes consistent with this section.
    (d) Reversion.--If the Federal land or any portion of the Federal 
land conveyed under subsection (a) ceases to be used for the College, 
the Federal land or any portion of the Federal land shall, at the 
discretion of the Secretary, revert to the United States.
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