[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 73 (Tuesday, June 9, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5793-S5794]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REID (for himself and Mr. Bryan):
  S. 2149. A bill to transfer certain public lands in northeastern 
Nevada; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.


           the northeastern nevada public lands transfer act

 Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise to introduce The Northeastern 
Nevada Public Lands Transfer. This Act provides for the transfer of 
Federal land to the Cities of Wendover, Carlin, and Wells and the Town 
of Jackpot, all in Elko County, Nevada.
  Mr. President, the rural communities in northeastern Nevada, are 
growing. For example, in 1997, the City of West Wendover was certified 
as Nevada's fastest growing city. These communities are surrounded by 
Federal lands, with every little private land available for expansion 
and growth. In addition, because over 71 percent of the land in Elko 
County is in Federal ownership, these local governments do not have the 
resources to just go out and buy more land.

[[Page S5794]]

  Mr. President, the property being conveyed in this Act has been 
determined to be important to the industrial, commercial, residential, 
infrastructure, and recreational needs of the citizens of Elko County. 
Conveying these lands in one transaction provides the county certainty 
about its future, which will allow it to diversify its economy and 
develop these properties in a planned and orderly manner.
  Mr. President, Elko County has valid concerns about its future. The 
gaming and tourism industry is the primary employer, and every 
indication is that it will remain healthy. However, an economy, based 
on a single industry, bears an inherent risk of failure.
  Mr. President, the City of West Wendover, in conjunction with the 
North Eastern Development Authority, has recently completed a 
countywide Economic Development Plan, which emphasizes the importance 
of economic diversification as its primary goal. This plan promotes 
quality development which enhances the quality of life for Elko County 
residents. West Wendover, Nevada has currently spent $100,000 for the 
Environmental Assessment and the Baseline Assessment, an Air Force 
prerequisite for land conveyance. In addition, the West Wendover City 
Council and the Nevada Rural Development Authority have indicated that 
they are committed to working together to ensure that economic 
development in the area is accomplished through a logical, well 
considered development plan.
  Mr. President, I request unanimous consent that the Northeastern 
Nevada Public Lands Transfer Act to be printed in the Record.

                                S. 2149

       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 ``Northeastern Nevada Public 
     Lands Transfer Act''.

     SEC. 2. AIR FORCE LAND CONVEYANCE, WENDOVER AIR FORCE BASE 
                   AUXILIARY FIELD, NEVADA

       (a) Conveyance.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act and subject to subsection (c), the 
     Secretary of the Air Force shall convey, without 
     consideration, to the City of West Wendover, Nevada (in this 
     section referred to as the ``City''), all right, title, and 
     interest of the United States in and to the property 
     described in paragraph (2), for purposes of permitting the 
     City to develop the parcels for economic and public purposes.
       (2) Property description.--The property described in this 
     paragraph is the land consisting of approximately 15,093 
     acres of land, including any improvements, located within the 
     Wendover Air Force Base Auxiliary Field, described as 
     follows: Township 32 North, Range 69 East; Township 32 North, 
     Range 70 East; and Township 33 North, Range 70 East; Mount 
     Diablo Base and Meridian, being more particularly described 
     as: All of Section 24 less the United States Alternate Route 
     93 right-of-way and those portions of sections 12 and 13 east 
     of the east right-of-way line of United States Alternate 
     Route 93 in Township 32 North, Range 69 East; all of sections 
     3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and the 
     portions of sections 6 and 7 east of the east right-of-way 
     line of United States Alternate Route 93 in Township 32 
     North, Range 70 East; all of sections 22, 27, 28, 32, 33, 34, 
     and the portions of sections 16, 20, 21, 29, 30, and 31 east 
     of the east right-of-way line of United States Alternate 
     Route 93 and the portion of section 15 east of the east 
     right-of-way line of U.S. Alternate Route 93 and south of the 
     south right-of-way line of the Union Pacific Railroad Company 
     right-of-way in Township 33 North, Range 70 East, not 
     including the land comprising the Lower Jim's Mobile Home 
     Park, Scobie Mobile Home Park, Ventura Mobile Home Park, 
     Airport Way, Scobie Drive, or Opal Drive.
       (b) Exception from Screening Requirement.--The Secretary 
     shall make the conveyance under subsection (a) without regard 
     to the requirement under section 2696 of title 10, United 
     States Code, that the property be screened for further 
     Federal use in accordance with the Federal Property and 
     Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 471 et seq.).
       (c) Hazardous Materials.--
       (1) Survey.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete hazardous 
     material surveys with respect to the property to be conveyed 
     under subsection (a) in order to identify any needed 
     corrective actions that are required with respect to such 
     property.
       (2) Corrective actions.--The Secretary shall take any 
     corrective actions that are identified by the surveys under 
     paragraph (1) as soon as practicable after the surveys.
       (3) Postponement of conveyance.--The Secretary may not 
     carry out the conveyance of any property under subsection (a) 
     that is identified under paragraph (1) as requiring 
     corrective actions until the Secretary completes the 
     corrective actions.
       (d) Description of Property.--The exact acreage and legal 
     description of the real property to be conveyed under 
     subsection (a) shall be determined by a survey mutually 
     satisfactory to the Secretary and the City. The cost of the 
     survey shall be borne by the City.
       (e) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary may 
     require such additional terms and conditions in connection 
     with the conveyance under subsection (a) as the Secretary 
     considers appropriate to protect the interests of the United 
     States.
       (f) Withdrawal.--The public land described in subsection 
     (a) is withdrawn from the operation of the mining and mineral 
     leasing laws of the United States.

     SEC. 3. TRANSFER OF CERTAIN PUBLIC LANDS TO THE CITY OF 
                   CARLIN, THE CITY OF WELLS, AND THE TOWN OF 
                   JACKPOT, NEVADA.

       (a) Conveyance.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting 
     through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, shall 
     convey without consideration, all right, title, and interest 
     of the United States, subject to all valid existing rights, 
     in and to the property described in subsection (b).
       (b) Description of Property.--
       (1) City of carlin, nevada.--The Secretary shall convey to 
     the City of Carlin, Nevada, in accordance with subsection (a) 
     the property consisting of approximately 60 acres located in 
     the SW\1/4\SW\1/4\ and the E\1/2\SE\1/4\SW \1/4\ of section 
     22, Township 33 North, Range 52 East, Mount Diablo meridian.
       (2) City of wells, nevada.--The Secretary shall convey to 
     the City of Wells, Nevada, in accordance with subsection (a) 
     the property consisting of approximately 4,767 acres located 
     in the E\1/2\SE\1/4\ of section 1, the W\1/2\ of section 2, 
     the E\1/2\ and the NW\1/4\ of section 3, S\1/2\NW\1/4\ of 
     section 4, section 6, the NW\1/4\, the SW\1/4\, and a portion 
     of the SE\1/4\ of section 11, the N\1/2\ of section 12, 
     section 14, the N\1/2\NW\1/4\ of section 16, section 18, the 
     W\1/2\ of section 20, and section 23, all of Township 37 
     North, Range 62 East, Mount Diablo meridian.
       (3) Town of jackpot, nevada.--The Secretary shall convey to 
     the Town of Jackpot, Nevada, the property, consisting of 
     approximately 532 acres located in a portion of the NE\1/
     4\NW\1/4\ and the NW\1/4\NE\1/4\ of section 6, the W\1/
     2\NW\1/4\, the NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, and the SW\1/4\SW\1/4\ of 
     section 7, and the NW\1/4\NW\1/4\ of section 18, all of 
     Township 47 North, Range 65 East, Mount Diablo meridian and 
     portions of section 1, portions of section 12, and the NE\1/
     4\NE\1/4\ of section 13, Township 47 North, Range 64 East, 
     Mount Diablo meridian.
       (4) Surveys.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary may require such surveys as 
     the Secretary considers necessary to determine the exact 
     acreage and legal description of the property to be conveyed 
     under this section.
       (B) Cost.--The cost of the surveys shall be borne by the 
     City of Carlin, the City of Wells, and the Town of Jackpot, 
     Nevada.
       (c) Additional Terms and Conditions.--In carrying out this 
     section, the Secretary may require such additional terms and 
     conditions as the Secretary considers appropriate to protect 
     the interests of the United States.
       (d) Withdrawal.--The public land described in subsection 
     (b) is withdrawn from the operation of the mining and mineral 
     leasing laws of the United States.
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