[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 211 (Monday, December 15, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H5875-H5876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SLOAN CANYON CONSERVATION AND LATERAL PIPELINE ACT
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 972) to amend the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area
Act to adjust the boundary of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation
Area, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 972
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 ``Sloan Canyon Conservation
and Lateral Pipeline Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(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.
SEC. 3. SLOAN CANYON NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA BOUNDARY
ADJUSTMENT.
(a) 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
May 20, 2024''.
(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''.
(b) 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 and 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.''.
(c) Preservation of Transmission and Utility Corridors and
Rights-of-Way.--The expansion of the Conservation Area
boundary under the amendment made by subsection (a)--
(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
the 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)--
(i) in accordance with 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.
(d) Management of the Conservation Area.--Except as
provided in the amendment made by subsection (b), nothing in
this Act or the amendments made by this Act shall modify the
management of the Conservation Area pursuant to section 605
of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Act (16 U.S.C.
460qqq-3).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Stauber) and the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr.
Hernandez) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.
General Leave
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H.R. 972, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Minnesota?
There was no objection.
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 972, the Sloan Canyon
Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act, introduced by Representative
Titus.
Southern Nevada is one of the fastest growing regions in the country,
and with growth comes increased demand for critical resources like
drinking water.
Right now, nearly 40 percent of the Las Vegas Valley's water is
carried through a single pipeline that was built in the 1990s. That is
a huge vulnerability. If that line goes down, whether for repairs or
due to an outage, the entire region could face a water supply crisis.
The Southern Nevada Water Authority has done its homework. After
years of study and work with local stakeholders, it has proposed the
Horizon Lateral pipeline to ensure a resilient and reliable water
supply for families and businesses across the Las Vegas Valley. The
preferred southern route of this pipeline passes under the Sloan Canyon
National Conservation Area. Compared to other alternatives, this
alignment minimizes impacts on neighborhoods and is estimated to save
taxpayers nearly $200 million.
H.R. 972 authorizes the preferred route for this pipeline through the
national conservation area. This bill also expands the Sloan Canyon
National Conservation Area by more than 9,000 acres. The Bureau of Land
Management already manages these lands, so the expansion would not add
to the Federal estate.
The bill also allows materials excavated from the tunneling to be
reused for infrastructure and public improvements.
This legislation is about balance. It provides the infrastructure
southern Nevada needs to keep pace with growth and ensure reliable
water deliveries without compromising conservation. That is the kind of
practical, forward-looking management we need more of.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 972, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 972, the Sloan Canyon
Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act, introduced by the gentlewoman
from Nevada (Ms. Titus). This bill would expand the Sloan Canyon
National Conservation Area and authorize the Horizon Lateral water
pipeline.
The Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area contains over 48,000
acres of the Mojave Desert, including petroglyphs, wilderness areas,
and a variety of key wildlife species. The national conservation area
forms the mountainous southern edge of Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada.
Representative Titus' bill balances conservation with the needs of
the growing Las Vegas community. Under
[[Page H5876]]
this proposal, the footprint of the national conservation area would
grow by nearly 20 percent, while a portion of the Southern Nevada Water
Authority's Horizon Lateral water pipeline would be granted a right-of-
way to tunnel underneath the conservation area.
After years of study and engagement with local stakeholders, the
water authority determined this would be the safest, most effective,
and least disruptive route for a key source of water in the Las Vegas
Valley.
This legislation will create new opportunities for outdoor recreation
and protect unique desert habitats, all while increasing water
reliability for over a million southern Nevadans.
Having access to clean water is vital for communities to thrive.
Those of us here in Congress know all too well how challenging it can
be to ensure that happens in the face of changing populations and a
changing climate.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this bill, and I reserve the balance
of my time.
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
am prepared to close. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to
the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus), the sponsor of the bill.
Ms. TITUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their kind words of
support. I, too, am rising today in support of this bill, H.R. 972,
that I brought before you. It is the Sloan Canyon Conservation and
Lateral Pipeline Act.
As we barrel toward record low water projections at Lake Mead and the
increasing risk of prolonged drought due to climate change, there is no
time to waste in securing water reliability for southern Nevadans.
My bill would allow a portion of the Southern Nevada Water
Authority's Horizon Lateral water pipeline project to tunnel beneath
Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area. This pipeline will increase
water reliability for over a million southern Nevadans. It will fortify
the region's water infrastructure against potential outages, and it
will minimize disruptions and impacts to the surrounding communities.
The proposed underground route beneath the Sloan Canyon National
Conservation Area is estimated to save southern Nevadans at least $200
million, while minimizing disturbances to both residents and the local
environment.
This route for the Horizon Lateral water pipeline also ensures the
water delivery system's redundancy in emergency situations, and it
offers flexibility to accommodate the needs of a growing community.
Finally, this legislation expands the Sloan Canyon National
Conservation Area by 9,290 acres to enhance the preservation of the
desert landscapes and habitat unique to southern Nevada.
I call that a win-win-win. It is no wonder that my legislation
received bipartisan support in the House Natural Resources Committee,
and I thank my colleagues for that. It is also supported by businesses,
conservationists, and the Southern Nevada Water Authority.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you for your attention to this, and I urge my
colleagues to vote ``yes'' today on this critical legislation for
southern Nevada's water future.
{time} 1610
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 972 will ensure that the people of
southern Nevada have a more reliable water supply with fewer risks of
disruption. This legislation shows we can meet the needs of growing
communities while being good stewards of America's public lands.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 972.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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