This bill modifies the boundary of the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area in Idaho to: (1) include specified Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered land and certain Bureau of Reclamation administered land, and (2) exclude specified lands identified as the Segment 8 Revised Proposed Route and as the Segment 9 Revised Proposed Route.
The Department of the Interior shall issue to Gateway West (a high-voltage transmission line project in Idaho and Wyoming) a right-of-way for such proposed routes, which is to be used for the construction and maintenance of transmission lines and for access roads and activities related to fire prevention and suppression, subject to construction mitigation and conservation requirements.
Interior shall: (1) administer the BLM and Reclamation administered lands as part of the National Landscape Conservation System, and (2) continue to administer the proposed route lands as lands that are not included in the conservation area.
The bill transfers from Reclamation to the BLM administrative jurisdiction over the Reclamation administered lands.
Interior shall amend the management plan for the conservation area in order to address the long-term management of the BLM and Reclamation administered lands, including for livestock grazing, hunting, fishing, and motorized access.
Specified federal land in the Cotterel Wind Power Project area may not be used for producing electricity from wind.
Interior shall establish a Bureau of Land Management Foundation and grant it the same authorities granted to the National Park Foundation for National Park Service activities, for the purpose of providing opportunities for the BLM to address specific challenges that may be better addressed with the support of a foundation.
[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1728 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1728
To modify the boundaries of the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey
National Conservation Area, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 27, 2017
Mr. Simpson (for himself and Mr. Labrador) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To modify the boundaries of the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey
National Conservation Area, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. BOUNDARY MODIFICATION, MORLEY NELSON SNAKE RIVER BIRDS OF
PREY NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA, IDAHO.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Conservation area.--The term ``Conservation Area''
means the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National
Conservation Area.
(2) Gateway west.--The term ``Gateway West'' means the
high-voltage transmission line project in Idaho and Wyoming
jointly proposed by the entities Idaho Power Company,
incorporated in the State of Idaho, and Rocky Mountain Power, a
division of PacifiCorp, an Oregon Corporation.
(3) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map titled ``Proposed
Snake River Birds of Prey NCA Boundary Adjustment'' and dated
October 13, 2016.
(4) Sage-grouse species.--The term ``sage-grouse species''
means the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)
(including all distinct population segments).
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(b) Areas To Be Added to and Removed From Morley Nelson Snake River
Birds of Prey National Conservation Area.--The boundary of the
Conservation Area is hereby modified--
(1) to include--
(A) the approximately 4726 acres of land generally
depicted as ``BLM Administered Lands'' on the map, to
the extent such lands are part of the Lower Saylor
Creek Allotment those lands would continue to be
managed by the BLM Jarbidge Field Office until terms of
the No. CV-04-181-S-BLW Stipulated Settlement Agreement
are fully met, after which the lands would be managed
by the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National
Conservation Area office; and
(B) the approximately 86 acres of land generally
depicted as ``BOR Administered Lands'' on the map; and
(2) to exclude--
(A) the approximately 761 acres land generally
depicted as ``Segment 8 Revised Proposed Route'' on the
map, including 125 feet on either side of the center
line of the Gateway West Transmission line, the Gateway
West Transmission Line shall be sited so that the
center line of Segment 8 is no more than 500 feet from
the center line of the existing Summer Lake
Transmission Line as described in the Summer Lake
Transmission Line Right of Way Grant per FLPMA, IDI-
008875; and
(B) the approximately 1,845 acres land generally
depicted as ``Segment 9 Revised Proposed Route'' on the
map including 125 feet on either side of the center
line of the Gateway West Transmission line.
(c) Right-of-Way and Conditions.--
(1) Right-of-way.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of
this section, the Secretary shall issue to Gateway West a
right-of-way for the lands described in subsection (b)(2) to be
used for the construction and maintenance of transmission
lines, including access roads and activities related to fire
prevention and suppression. The right-of-way issued under this
paragraph shall contain the conditions described in subsection
(c)(2), and be in alignment with the revised proposed routes
for segments 8 and 9 identified as Alternative 1 in the
Supplementary Final Environmental Impact Analysis released
October 5, 2016.
(2) Conditions.--The conditions that the Secretary shall
include in the right-of-way described in paragraph (1) shall be
in accordance with section 505 of the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1765) and are as follows:
(A) Mitigation.--During the time of construction of
each respective line segment, Gateway West shall
mitigate for the impacts related to the transmission
lines in accordance with the Compensatory Mitigation
and Enhancement framework described in the final
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement with the
stipulation that Compensatory Mitigation and
Enhancement costs shall not exceed $8,543,440.
(B) Conservation.--Gateway West shall contribute
$2,000 per acre of right-of-way in the Conservation
Area during the time of construction of Segment 8
Revised Proposed Route (comprising 761 acres) and
during the construction of Segment 9 Revised Proposed
Route (comprising 1,845 acres) to the Bureau of Land
Management Foundation that shall be used for the
purpose of conservation, including enhancing National
Landscape Conservation System Units in Idaho, also
known as National Conservation Lands.
(C) Costs.--Gateway West shall pay all costs
associated with the boundary modification, including
the costs of any surveys, recording costs, and other
reasonable costs.
(D) Other.--Standard terms and conditions in
accordance with section 505 of the Federal Land Policy
and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1765).
(d) Administration.--The Secretary shall--
(1) administer the lands described in subsection (b)(1) as
part of the Conservation Area in accordance with Public Law
103-64 and as part of the National Landscape Conservation
System; and
(2) continue to administer lands described in subsection
(b)(2), but as lands that are not included in a Conservation
Area or subject to Public Law 103-64.
(e) Transfer of Administrative Jurisdiction.--Administrative
jurisdiction over the approximately 86 acres of land depicted as ``BOR
Administered Lands'' on the map is hereby transferred from the Bureau
of Reclamation to the Bureau of Land Management.
(f) Availability of Map.--The map shall be on file and available
for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land
Management.
(g) Management Plan Amendment.--Not later than 18 months after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall amend the
management plan for the Conservation Area to address the long-term
management of the lands described in subsection (b)(1) in order to--
(1) determine appropriate management activities and uses of
the lands described in subsection (b)(1) consistent with Public
Law 103-64 and this section;
(2) continue managing the grazing of livestock on the lands
described in subsection (b)(1) in which grazing is established
as of the date of the enactment of this section such that the
grazing shall be allowed to continue, subject to such
reasonable regulations, policies, and practices that the
Secretary considers necessary;
(3) allow motorized access on roads existing on the lands
described in subsection (b)(1) on the date of the enactment of
this section, subject to such reasonable regulations, policies,
and practices that the Secretary considers necessary; and
(4) allow hunting and fishing on the lands described in
subsection (b)(1) consistent with applicable laws and
regulations.
SEC. 2. COTTEREL WIND POWER PROJECT.
The approximately 203 acres of Federal land identified as ``Project
Area'' on the map titled ``Cotterel Wind Power Project'' and dated
March 1, 2006, may not be used for the production of electricity from
wind.
SEC. 3. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT FOUNDATION.
The Secretary of the Interior shall--
(1) establish a Bureau of Land Management Foundation as a
charitable and nonprofit corporation under section 501(c)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
(2) grant to such Foundation the same authorities granted
to the National Park Foundation for its activities to benefit
the National Park Service under subchapter II of chapter 1011
of title 54, United States Code, for the purpose of providing
opportunities for the Bureau of Land Management to address a
variety of specific challenges that could be better addressed
with the support of a foundation, including--
(A) reclamation of legacy wells, contaminated
native lands, and abandoned mine land sites;
(B) sustainable management of wild horses and
burros;
(C) expanded scientific understanding of
responsible development techniques;
(D) voluntary conservation activities; and
(E) proper identification and cataloging of
cultural and historical treasure on public lands.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
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