Sloan Canyon Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act
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This law expands the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area in Clark County, Nevada, by approximately 9,290 acres and directs the Bureau of Land Management to grant the Southern Nevada Water Authority rights-of-way for the construction and operation of a water transmission pipeline through and near the conservation area.
What this law does
What it does
The law makes two main changes. First, it expands the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area from 48,438 to 57,728 acres by updating the governing map reference and acreage figure in the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Act. Second, it directs the Bureau of Land Management to grant the Southern Nevada Water Authority permanent and temporary rights-of-way — free of rent or other charges — for geotechnical investigations and for constructing and operating the Horizon Lateral water transmission pipeline and related facilities. The BLM must issue those rights-of-way within one year of enactment and enter a memorandum of understanding with the Authority within 30 days of issuance to identify federal land where excavated tunnel materials may be disposed of.
The rights-of-way may not pass through or under any designated wilderness area, and pipeline construction may not permanently damage surface resources within the conservation area. The boundary expansion is subject to valid existing rights and does not eliminate authorized activities within existing utility corridors, nor does it prevent BLM from approving new utility rights-of-way within those corridors in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
Key provisions
- 1Expands the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area from 48,438 to 57,728 acres by updating the governing map and acreage in the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Act
- 2Directs BLM to grant the Southern Nevada Water Authority rights-of-way, free of rent, for geotechnical investigations and construction and operation of the Horizon Lateral water transmission pipeline within one year of enactment
- 3Authorizes the Authority to excavate and dispose of sand, gravel, minerals, and other tunnel materials without payment, and requires BLM to enter a memorandum of understanding within 30 days identifying disposal sites
- 4Prohibits rights-of-way from being located through or under wilderness areas and bars pipeline construction from permanently damaging conservation area surface resources
- 5Ensures the boundary expansion does not disturb valid existing rights, authorized activities in existing utility corridors, or BLM's authority to permit new utility rights-of-way within those corridors
Who is affected
The Southern Nevada Water Authority, which receives the mandated pipeline rights-of-way; the Bureau of Land Management, which must grant those rights-of-way and execute a memorandum of understanding; residents and visitors of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area in Clark County, Nevada; and existing utility corridor holders whose rights are preserved under the boundary expansion.
Why it matters
The law gives the Southern Nevada Water Authority a legally guaranteed, rent-free path through federal land for a key regional water infrastructure project, removing the need for lengthy discretionary permitting. At the same time, the acreage expansion extends conservation area protections to an additional 9,290 acres, while preserving existing utility rights — balancing infrastructure access with land protection in southern Nevada.
What changed
Changes to existing law
Amends Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Act, 16 U.S.C. § 460qqq-1(4) (Sec. 3(a))
Updates the governing map reference from the 2002 Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act map to a new 2024 Proposed Sloan Canyon Expansion map
Amends Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Act, 16 U.S.C. § 460qqq-2(b) (Sec. 3(a))
Increases the Conservation Area's stated acreage from 48,438 to 57,728 acres
Amends Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area Act, 16 U.S.C. § 460qqq-3 (Sec. 3(b))
Adds a new subsection (h) creating the Horizon Lateral Pipeline right-of-way authority for the Southern Nevada Water Authority
Agencies directed to act
Effective dates
- BLM must grant pipeline rights-of-way to the Southern Nevada Water Authority
- BLM and the Authority must execute a memorandum of understanding on materials disposal sites
Funding and costs
Congressional Budget Office estimate
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 972 would have a negligible effect on the federal deficit over the 2025–2035 period, with net direct spending changes of less than $500,000.
CBO estimates that H.R. 972 would have a negligible effect on net direct spending over the 2025–2035 period and no effect on revenues. The main budgetary item is approximately $90,000 in fees the Southern Nevada Water Authority would pay to the Department of the Interior for a required endangered-species analysis; those fees are treated as offsetting receipts (reductions in direct spending) and would be available to spend on land management without further congressional appropriation. No spending subject to appropriation (discretionary funds) is expected, and the bill would not increase on-budget deficits in any of the four 10-year periods beginning in 2036. CBO identified no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates in the bill.
How it works
BLM must grant the required rights-of-way within one year of enactment. Within 30 days after issuing those rights-of-way, BLM and the Southern Nevada Water Authority must execute a memorandum of understanding designating federal land for disposal of materials excavated during pipeline tunneling. BLM may impose reasonable protective conditions on the rights-of-way consistent with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The boundary expansion takes effect on enactment and is self-executing through amendments to the governing statute.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Became Public Law No: 119-91.
Official CRS summary
Show the CRS summaryHide the CRS summary
This bill expands the boundaries of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area in Clark County, Nevada, and grants rights-of-way through the conservation area and other land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the construction of a water transmission pipeline and related facilities.
Specifically, the bill requires the BLM to grant certain rights-of-way to the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) for the purposes of (1) performing geotechnical investigations within the rights-of-way, and (2) constructing and operating a water pipeline and related facilities.
Rights-of-way may not be located through or under areas designated as wilderness, and construction of the pipeline may not permanently adversely affect surface resources within the conservation area. The BLM may place other reasonable terms and conditions on the issuance of rights-of-way as necessary to protect the conservation area’s resources.
In tunneling the water pipeline, SNWA may excavate and dispose of sand, gravel, minerals, and other materials as needed. The BLM must enter into a memorandum of understanding with SNWA to identify federal land on which SNWA may dispose of such materials.
The bill also adds approximately 9,290 acres of land to the conservation area. This expansion of the conservation area is subject to valid existing rights (e.g., utility transmission rights), must not preclude authorized activities within existing rights-of-way or corridors, and must not preclude the BLM from authorizing new utility rights-of-way.
Legislative subjects
Geography and mapping; Land use and conservation; Nevada; Pipelines; Public Lands and Natural Resources; Water use and supply
Committee report
H. Rept. 119-279