La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act in plain language
1: Short title
This section would give the Act a short title: the La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act.
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1. Short title This Act may be cited as the La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act .
2: Definitions
This section would define three terms used throughout the Act. County would mean La Paz County, Arizona. Federal land would mean the approximately 3,400 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and designated as Federal Land to be Conveyed on the map described below. Map would mean the map prepared by the Bureau of Land Management titled BLM Arizona-La Paz County Land Conveyance Map and dated June 29, 2023.
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2. Definitions In this Act: (1) County The term County means La Paz County, Arizona. (2) Federal land The term Federal land means the approximately 3,400 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and designated as Federal Land to be Conveyed on the map. (3) Map The term map means the map prepared by the Bureau of Land Management entitled BLM Arizona—La Paz County Land Conveyance Map and dated June 29, 2023.
3: Conveyance to La Paz County, Arizona
This section would require the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Federal land to La Paz County, Arizona, as soon as practicable after the County requests the conveyance, and this would happen despite the land use planning requirements that sections 202 and 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 would otherwise impose. The conveyance would be subject to any valid existing rights and to any terms and conditions the Secretary determines are necessary, and the Secretary would have to exclude from the conveyance any Federal land that contains significant cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational resources. The County would have to pay the fair market value of the land, determined under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 based on an appraisal conducted under the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions and the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. As a condition of the conveyance, and as a condition on any later owner if the land is sold again, the County and any later owner would have to make good faith efforts to avoid disturbing Tribal artifacts, minimize impacts on Tribal artifacts if they are disturbed, coordinate with the Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal Historic Preservation Office to identify artifacts of cultural and historic significance, and allow Tribal representatives to rebury unearthed artifacts at or near where they were found. The map would have to be kept on file and available for public inspection at the appropriate Bureau of Land Management offices, and the Secretary and the County could agree to make minor boundary adjustments to the land being conveyed and correct minor errors in the map, an acreage estimate, or the land description. The Federal land would be withdrawn from the operation of federal mining and mineral leasing laws. As a further condition of the conveyance, the County would have to pay an amount equal to the appraised value of the land and all costs related to the conveyance, including surveys, appraisals, and other administrative costs. The proceeds from the sale of the land would be deposited in the Federal Land Disposal Account established by the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act and used in accordance with that Act.
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3. Conveyance to La Paz County, Arizona (a) In general Notwithstanding the planning requirement of sections 202 and 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1712 , 1713) and in accordance with this section and other applicable law, as soon as practicable after receiving a request from the County to convey the Federal land, the Secretary shall convey the Federal land to the County. (b) Restrictions on conveyance (1) In general The conveyance under subsection (a) shall be subject to— (A) valid existing rights; and (B) such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be necessary. (2) Exclusion The Secretary shall exclude from the conveyance under subsection (a) any Federal land that contains significant cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational resources. (c) Payment of fair market value The conveyance under subsection (a) shall be for the fair market value of the Federal land to be conveyed, as determined— (1) in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. ); and (2) based on an appraisal that is conducted in accordance with— (A) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions; and (B) the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. (d) Protection of tribal cultural artifacts As a condition of the conveyance under subsection (a), the County shall, and as a condition of any subsequent conveyance, any subsequent owner shall— (1) make good faith efforts to avoid disturbing Tribal artifacts; (2) minimize impacts on Tribal artifacts if they are disturbed; (3) coordinate with the Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal Historic Preservation Office to identify artifacts of cultural and historic significance; and (4) allow Tribal representatives to rebury unearthed artifacts at or near where they were discovered. (e) Availability of map (1) In general The map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management. (2) Corrections The Secretary and the County may, by mutual agreement— (A) make minor boundary adjustments to the Federal land to be conveyed under subsection (a); and (B) correct any minor errors in the map, an acreage estimate, or the description of the Federal land. (f) Withdrawal The Federal land is withdrawn from the operation of the mining and mineral leasing laws of the United States. (g) Costs As a condition of the conveyance of the Federal land under subsection (a), the County shall pay— (1) an amount equal to the appraised value determined in accordance with subsection (c)(2); and (2) all costs related to the conveyance, including all surveys, appraisals, and other administrative costs associated with the conveyance of the Federal land to the County under subsection (a). (h) Proceeds from the sale of land The proceeds from the sale of land under this section shall be— (1) deposited in the Federal Land Disposal Account established by section 206(a) of the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act ( 43 U.S.C. 2305(a) ); and (2) used in accordance with that Act ( 43 U.S.C. 2301 et seq. ).