[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 114 (Wednesday, July 10, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S4414]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2173. Ms. CORTEZ MASTO submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed by her to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for 
fiscal year 2025 for military activities of the Department of Defense, 
for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department 
of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal 
year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. SLOAN CANYON NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA BOUNDARY 
                   ADJUSTMENT.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Conservation area.--The term ``Conservation Area'' 
     means the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area.
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior (acting through the Director of the Bureau of 
     Land Management).
       (b) Boundary Adjustment.--
       (1) Map.--Section 603(4) of the Sloan Canyon National 
     Conservation Area Act (16 U.S.C. 460qqq-1(4)) is amended by 
     striking ``map entitled `Southern Nevada Public Land 
     Management Act' and dated October 1, 2002'' and inserting 
     ``map entitled `Proposed Sloan Canyon Expansion' and dated 
     June 7, 2023''.
       (2) Acreage.--Section 604(b) of the Sloan Canyon National 
     Conservation Area Act (16 U.S.C. 460qqq-2(b)) is amended by 
     striking ``48,438'' and inserting ``57,728''.
       (c) Right-of-way.--Section 605 of the Sloan Canyon National 
     Conservation Area Act (16 U.S.C. 460qqq-3) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(h) Horizon Lateral Pipeline Right-of-way.--
       ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding sections 202 and 503 of 
     the Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 
     1712, 1763) and subject to valid existing rights and 
     paragraph (3), the Secretary of the Interior, acting through 
     the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (referred to in 
     this subsection as the `Secretary'), shall, not later than 1 
     year after the date of enactment of this subsection, grant to 
     the Southern Nevada Water Authority (referred to in this 
     subsection as the `Authority'), not subject to the payment of 
     rents or other charges, the temporary and permanent water 
     pipeline infrastructure, and outside the boundaries of the 
     Conservation Area, powerline, facility, and access road 
     rights-of-way depicted on the map for the purposes of--
       ``(A) performing geotechnical investigations within the 
     rights-of-way; and
       ``(B) constructing and operating water transmission and 
     related facilities.
       ``(2) Excavation and disposal.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Authority may, without 
     consideration, excavate and use or dispose of sand, gravel, 
     minerals, or other materials from the tunneling of the water 
     pipeline necessary to fulfill the purpose of the rights-of-
     way granted under paragraph (1).
       ``(B) Memorandum of understanding.--Not later than 30 days 
     after the date on which the rights-of-way are granted under 
     paragraph (1), the Secretary and the Authority shall enter 
     into a memorandum of understanding identifying Federal land 
     on which the Authority may dispose of materials under 
     subparagraph (A) to further the interests of the Bureau of 
     Land Management.
       ``(3) Requirements.--A right-of-way issued under this 
     subsection shall be subject to the following requirements:
       ``(A) The Secretary may include reasonable terms and 
     conditions, consistent with section 505 of the Federal Land 
     Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1765), as are 
     necessary to protect Conservation Area resources.
       ``(B) Construction of the water pipeline shall not 
     permanently adversely affect conservation area surface 
     resources.
       ``(C) The right-of-way shall not be located through or 
     under any area designated as wilderness.''.
       (d) Preservation of Transmission and Utility Corridors and 
     Rights-of-way.--The expansion of the Conservation Area 
     boundary under the amendment made by subsection (b)--
       (1) shall be subject to valid existing rights, including 
     land within a designated utility transmission corridor or a 
     transmission line right-of-way grant approved by the 
     Secretary in a record of decision issued before the date of 
     enactment of this Act;
       (2) shall not preclude--
       (A) any activity authorized in accordance with a designated 
     corridor or right-of-way referred to in paragraph (1), 
     including the operation, maintenance, repair, or replacement 
     of any authorized utility facility within the corridor or 
     right-of-way; or
       (B) the Secretary from authorizing the establishment of a 
     new utility facility right-of-way within an existing 
     designated transportation and utility corridor referred to in 
     paragraph (1) in accordance with--
       (i) the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
     U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and other applicable laws; and
       (ii) subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary 
     determines to be appropriate; and
       (3) except as provided in the amendment made by subsection 
     (c), modifies the management of the Conservation Area 
     pursuant to section 605 of the Sloan Canyon National 
     Conservation Area Act (16 U.S.C. 460qqq-3).
                                 ______