[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 98 (Monday, July 24, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H5586-H5587]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 NEWLANDS PROJECT HEADQUARTERS AND MAINTENANCE YARD FACILITY TRANSFER 
                                  ACT

  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill (S. 310) to direct the Secretary of the Interior 
to convey the Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard 
Facility to the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District in the State of 
Nevada.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                 S. 310

       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 ``Newlands Project 
     Headquarters and Maintenance Yard Facility Transfer Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Agreement.--The term ``Agreement'' means the memorandum 
     of agreement between the District and the Secretary 
     identified as Contract No. 3-LC-20-805 and dated June 9, 
     2003.
       (2) District.--The term ``District'' means the Truckee-
     Carson Irrigation District in the State of Nevada.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.

     SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF NEWLANDS PROJECT HEADQUARTERS AND 
                   MAINTENANCE YARD FACILITY.

       (a) Conveyance.--
       (1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
     enactment of this Act and in accordance with the Agreement 
     and any applicable laws, the Secretary shall convey to the 
     District all right, title, and interest of the United States 
     in and to the real property described in paragraph (2).
       (2) Description of property.--The real property referred to 
     in paragraph (1) is the real property within the Newlands 
     Projects, Nevada, that is--
       (A) known as ``2666 Harrigan Road, Fallon, Nevada''; and
       (B) identified for disposition on the map entitled 
     ``Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard 
     Facility''.
       (b) Consideration.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, amounts received by the United States for the lease or 
     sale of Newlands Project land comprising the Fallon Freight 
     Yard shall, for purposes of this section, be treated as 
     consideration for the real property conveyed under subsection 
     (a).
       (c) Report.--If the Secretary has not completed the 
     conveyance under subsection (a) within 1 year after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
     Congress a report that--
       (1) explains the reasons why the conveyance has not been 
     completed; and
       (2) specifies the date by which the conveyance will be 
     completed.
       (d) Environmental Review, Remediation, and Removal.--In 
     accordance with the Agreement, the Secretary may not convey 
     the real property under subsection (a) until--
       (1) the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
     U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and any applicable requirements relating 
     to cultural resources have been complied with for the real 
     property to be conveyed under subsection (a); and
       (2) any required environmental site assessment, 
     remediation, or removal has been completed with respect to 
     the real property to be conveyed under subsection (a).
       (e) Liability.--The United States shall not be liable for 
     damages of any kind arising out of any act, omission by, or 
     occurrence relating to, the District or any employee, agent, 
     or contractor of the District with respect to the real 
     property conveyed under subsection (a) that occurs before, 
     on, or after the date of the conveyance.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Walden) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Oregon?
  There was no objection.

                              {time}  1445

  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Senate 310, introduced by Senator John Ensign, transfers 35 acres of 
Federal land to the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District. This transfer, 
which includes the Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard 
Facility, will allow the irrigation district to make permanent 
improvements on the property for the continued operations and 
maintenance of the facility. The bill also stipulates that 
environmental analyses, including those under the National 
Environmental Policy Act, must be completed prior to transfer.
  Congressman Jim Gibbons is the author of the House companion measure, 
H.R. 540, which passed the House of Representatives in May of 2005. He 
should be commended for his work and leadership on this issue. This 
legislation is a win for the local water users and a win for the 
American taxpayers.
  I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the aisle have no 
objection to passage of S. 310. This simple and noncontroversial 
transfer of a small amount of real property has been adequately 
explained by the majority, and, in fact, this is the second time this 
measure has come before the House.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, despite the overwhelming 
enthusiastic support for this legislation, we have no other speakers at 
this time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill, S. 310.

[[Page H5587]]

  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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