Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 2317

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-03-25: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Last Updated

2026-04-20T14:33:16Z

AI-Generated Summary

Summary of H.R. 2317: Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act of 2025

Purpose

The legislation aims to transfer or sell specific federal lands in northern Nevada to local governments, tribes, and private entities to support economic development, such as infrastructure and public services, while designating new wilderness areas and promoting conservation of natural resources. It seeks to resolve long-standing land management issues, like fragmented "checkerboard" ownership patterns from historical railroad grants, and facilitate public uses including flood control, fire protection, recreation, and environmental restoration.

Key Provisions

The bill is organized into 12 titles, each addressing land management in specific areas of northern Nevada. Key elements include:

• Title I: Douglas County
• Authorizes free conveyances of federal land (e.g., ~67 acres to the State of Nevada for Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park; ~7,777 acres to Douglas County for flood control and recreation) and sales of up to ~10,000 acres plus ~31.5 acres for economic development.
• Transfers ~2,669 acres to the U.S. in trust for the Washoe Tribe for cultural resources (no gaming allowed); permits fuel reduction activities.
• Designates ~12,392 acres as the Burbank Canyons Wilderness; releases ~1,065 acres of a prior wilderness study area (WSA) from further study.
• Establishes a special account for proceeds from sales, allocating funds for education, county budgets, administrative costs, and acquiring sensitive lands.

• Title II: Incline Village Fire Protection
• Conveys federal land to the Incline Village General Improvement District for fire risk reduction, recreation, and public purposes under the Santini-Burton Act (a 1980 law allowing transfers for environmental and recreational uses); requires payment of fair market value.

• Title III: Northern Nevada Flood Protection and Management
• Conveys federal land along the Truckee River to the Truckee River Flood Management Authority at no cost for flood attenuation, riparian restoration, and infrastructure easements.

• Title IV: Carson City Public Lands Correction
• Corrects prior conveyances by transferring ~258 acres to Carson City for fair market value (allows resale for development); conveys parcels for roadway expansion with public safety conditions.
• Amends a 2009 law to permit sales/leases of certain lands; authorizes sales of ~28 acres and requires the city to transfer ~17 acres back to the U.S. for disposal.
• Creates a "Carson City Special Account" for proceeds to fund habitat conservation, fuels reduction, land acquisition, and education.

• Title V: Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation
• Authorizes sales or exchanges of "eligible land" in a checkerboard area (identified via resource management plans) through competitive bidding or to adjacent owners; allows sales of encumbered land (with mining claims) to claim holders.
• Designates six new wilderness areas totaling ~135,272 acres (e.g., Cain Mountain, Bluewing); releases portions of four WSAs (~48,600 acres) from wilderness review.
• Establishes a "Pershing County Special Account" for proceeds to acquire lands for conservation, access, and management improvements; requires periodic reports.

• Title VI: Federal Complex
• Authorizes establishment of a federal facility complex on designated lands to consolidate offices for agencies like the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and others; funds via 10% of special account proceeds from other titles, with supplemental sources if needed.

• Title VII: Elko Economic Development
• Conveys ~644 acres to the City of Elko and ~3,475 acres to Elko County at fair market value for development; deposits proceeds into a Southern Nevada special account.

• Title VIII: Fernley Economic Development
• Conveys ~12,085 acres to the City of Fernley at fair market value; proceeds to Southern Nevada special account.

• Title IX: Conveyances to the City of Sparks
• Provides no-cost conveyances of ~40 acres for a public cemetery and ~714 acres for regional parks under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act (a 1926 law for public land transfers); land cannot be sold and reverts if misused.

• Title X: General Provisions
• Protects existing water rights; amends a 2015 defense law for additional land transfer in Storey County; allows minor map corrections and boundary adjustments.

• Title XI: Greenlink West Project
• Facilitates a high-voltage transmission line project by deeming tribal consent for use of the Walker Lake Parcel (if taken into trust for the Walker River Paiute Tribe); requires environmental reviews and right-of-way agreements with compensation to the tribe.

• Title XII: Jean Prison Transfer
• Releases U.S. reversionary interests (future ownership rights if conditions are violated) in land patented to Nevada in 1979, allowing its use for a supplemental airport under federal aviation laws; requires cost reimbursement and indemnification.

Common across titles: Conveyances/sales are subject to valid existing rights (e.g., mining claims), environmental disclosures under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Act (CERCLA, a 1980 law for hazardous substances), and reservations for easements (e.g., roads, utilities). No federal remediation of hazards is required. Sales must be at fair market value via appraisals following uniform standards.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Waives land use planning requirements under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, the main law for public lands) for many conveyances and sales, expediting transfers.
• Designates new wilderness areas under the Wilderness Act of 1964 (protecting undeveloped lands) and releases WSAs from further wilderness consideration under FLPMA Section 603(c), allowing other uses.
• Amends prior laws, such as Public Law 111-11 (2009 Omnibus Public Land Management Act) to allow land sales/leases in Carson City and extend sale deadlines; modifies a 2015 defense authorization for Storey County.
• Explicitly avoids creating federal water rights for wilderness areas, requiring adherence to Nevada state water law; prohibits new water facilities in designated wilderness.
• For tribal lands, bans gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (1988) but allows trust transfers without full federal processes.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: Reduces BLM and USFS management burdens by consolidating ownership (e.g., resolving checkerboard patterns) and generating revenue for acquisitions and operations via special accounts. Supports agency relocations via the federal complex and streamlines infrastructure like the Greenlink West transmission line.
• Citizens and Local Communities: Boosts local economies through land for development, housing, and jobs; enhances public services (e.g., fire protection, flood control, parks, cemeteries). Improves recreation access (e.g., Tahoe Rim Trail) and conservation, but may limit mining/geothermal uses in wilderness/sold areas.
• Environment and Conservation: Protects ~147,664 acres as wilderness/open space, benefiting wildlife habitats (e.g., sage-grouse) and reducing wildfire risks; promotes restoration but allows grazing, hunting, and limited motorized use for management.
• International Relations: No direct impacts; focuses on domestic land use.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Federal Agencies: Department of the Interior (BLM, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service), Department of Agriculture (USFS), and Bureau of Indian Affairs—handle transfers, sales, and management changes.
• State and Local Governments: State of Nevada, counties (e.g., Douglas, Pershing, Carson City, Elko), and cities (e.g., Incline Village, Fernley, Sparks)—receive lands for public/economic uses and share sale proceeds.
• Tribes: Washoe Tribe (cultural lands in trust) and Walker River Paiute Tribe (transmission project involvement with compensation).
• Private Sector: Qualified bidders (e.g., mining claim holders, developers, adjacent landowners) for land purchases/exchanges; benefits from economic opportunities.
• Citizens and Public: Residents gain from infrastructure, recreation, and conservation; hunters/fishers retain access under state jurisdiction.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Reinforces tribal sovereignty by placing lands in trust without gaming eligibility, while protecting existing rights (e.g., water, mining) under FLPMA and CERCLA. Emphasizes no new federal water reservations, aligning with state law to avoid Takings Clause challenges (Fifth Amendment protection against uncompensated property seizures). Special accounts provide flexible funding without annual appropriations, aiding efficiency.
• Constitutional: No direct conflicts; balances property transfers with public interest under the Property Clause (Article IV, empowering Congress over federal lands). Tribal provisions respect treaty rights without expanding gaming, avoiding potential disputes under the Indian Commerce Clause.
• Political: Promotes bipartisan goals of economic growth in rural Nevada (a state with ~81% federal land ownership) and environmental protection, potentially setting precedents for similar "land resolution" bills in Western states. May influence local tax bases and federal-tribal relations by funding conservation without broad precedents for water rights in future wilderness laws.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Amodei, Mark E. [R-NV-2]

Recent Actions

• 2025-03-25: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-03-25: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-03-25: Introduced in House
• 2025-03-25: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act of 2025 — issued 2025-03-25 — PDF (101 pages)