[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 405 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 405

 To provide for the conveyance of certain public land in Clark County, 
                     Nevada, for use as a heliport.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 16, 2005

 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 public land in Clark County, 
                     Nevada, for use as a heliport.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF PROPERTY TO CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the Las Vegas Valley in the State of Nevada is the 
        fastest growing community in the United States;
            (2) helicopter tour operations are conflicting with the 
        needs of long-established residential communities in the 
        Valley; and
            (3) the designation of a public heliport in the Valley that 
        would reduce conflicts between helicopter tour operators and 
        residential communities is in the public interest.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to provide a suitable 
location for the establishment of a commercial service heliport 
facility to serve the Las Vegas Valley in the State of Nevada while 
minimizing and mitigating the impact of air tours on the Sloan Canyon 
National Conservation Area and North McCullough Mountains Wilderness.
    (c) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Conservation area.--The term ``Conservation Area'' 
        means the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area established 
        by section 604(a) of the Clark County Conservation of Public 
        Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002 (116 Stat. 2010).
            (2) County.--The term ``County'' means Clark County, 
        Nevada.
            (3) Helicopter tour.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``helicopter tour'' means 
                a commercial helicopter tour operated for profit.
                    (B) Exclusion.--The term ``helicopter tour'' does 
                not include a helicopter tour that is carried out to 
                assist a Federal, State, or local agency.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (5) Wilderness.--The term ``Wilderness'' means the North 
        McCullough Mountains Wilderness established by section 
        202(a)(13) of the Clark County Conservation of Public Land and 
        Natural Resources Act of 2002 (116 Stat. 2000).
    (d) Conveyance.--As soon as practicable after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall convey to the County, subject to valid 
existing rights, for no consideration, all right, title, and interest 
of the United States in and to the parcel of land described in 
subsection (e).
    (e) Description of Land.--The parcel of land to be conveyed under 
subsection (d) is the parcel of approximately 229 acres of land 
depicted as tract A on the map entitled ``Clark County Public Heliport 
Facility'' and dated May 3, 2004.
    (f) Use of Land.--
            (1) In general.--The parcel of land conveyed under 
        subsection (d)--
                    (A) shall be used by the County for the operation 
                of a heliport facility under the conditions stated in 
                paragraphs (2) and (3); and
                    (B) shall not be disposed of by the County.
            (2) Imposition of fees.--
                    (A) In general.--Any operator of a helicopter tour 
                originating from or concluding at the parcel of land 
                described in subsection (e) shall pay to the Clark 
                County Department of Aviation a $3 conservation fee for 
                each passenger on the helicopter tour if any portion of 
                the helicopter tour occurs over the Conservation Area.
                    (B) Disposition of funds.--Any amounts collected 
                under subparagraph (A) shall be deposited in a special 
                account in the Treasury of the United States, which 
                shall be available to the Secretary, without further 
                appropriation, for the management of cultural, 
                wildlife, and wilderness resources on public land in 
                the State of Nevada.
            (3) Flight path.--Except for safety reasons, any helicopter 
        tour originating or concluding at the parcel of land described 
        in subsection (e) that flies over the Conservation Area shall 
        not fly--
                    (A) over any area in the Conservation Area except 
                the area that is between 3 and 5 miles north of the 
                latitude of the southernmost boundary of the 
                Conservation Area;
                    (B) lower than 1,000 feet over the eastern segments 
                of the boundary of the Conservation Area; or
                    (C) lower than 500 feet over the western segments 
                of the boundary of the Conservation Area.
            (4) Reversion.--If the County ceases to use any of the land 
        described in subsection (d) for the purpose described in 
        paragraph (1)(A) and under the conditions stated in paragraphs 
        (2) and (3)--
                    (A) title to the parcel shall revert to the United 
                States, at the option of the United States; and
                    (B) the County shall be responsible for any 
                reclamation necessary to revert the parcel to the 
                United States.
    (g) Administrative Costs.--The Secretary shall require, as a 
condition of the conveyance under subsection (d), that the County pay 
the administrative costs of the conveyance, including survey costs and 
any other costs associated with the transfer of title.
                                 <all>