(REPRINTED WITH ADOPTED AMENDMENTS)

 

Senate Joint Resolution No. 12–Committee on Natural Resources

 

(On Behalf of Air Quality Programs in Clark County)

 

March 26, 2001

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Natural Resources

 

SUMMARY—Urges Congress to require Bureau of Land Management of United States Department of the Interior and United States Environmental Protection Agency to take certain actions to prevent and reduce air pollution. (BDR R‑792)

 

FISCAL NOTE:    Effect on Local Government: No.

                     Effect on the State: No.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

senate Joint RESOLUTION—Urging Congress to require the Bureau of Land Management of the United States Department of the Interior and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to take certain actions to prevent and reduce air pollution.

 

1-1    Whereas, The federal Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 7401 et seq., was

1-2  enacted by Congress to protect and enhance the quality of the nation’s air,

1-3  to initiate and accelerate a national research and development program to

1-4  achieve the prevention and control of air pollution, to provide technical and

1-5  financial assistance to states and local governments in connection with the

1-6  development and execution of their programs to prevent and control air

1-7  pollution and to encourage and assist the development and operation of

1-8  regional programs to prevent and control air pollution; and

1-9    Whereas, The Clean Air Act provides that each state has primary

1-10  responsibility for assuring air quality within the state and requires states to

1-11  create state implementation plans under certain circumstances to prevent

1-12  and reduce air pollution; and

1-13    Whereas, The Clean Air Act requires the United States Environmental

1-14  Protection Agency to establish standards for air pollution, review and

1-15  approve state implementation plans and monitor state compliance with the

1-16  standards for air pollution; and

1-17    Whereas, The United States Environmental Protection Agency has

1-18  found certain areas of this state to be in noncompliance with federal

1-19  standards for certain air pollutants; and

1-20    Whereas, Approximately 80 percent of the land in the State of Nevada

1-21  is owned by the Federal Government, and a significant amount of air

2-1  pollution in this state, specifically particulate matter, originates from that

2-2  land; and

2-3    Whereas, The Bureau of Land Management of the United States

2-4  Department of the Interior, which manages a large portion of the land

2-5  owned by the Federal Government, is required to comply with state

2-6  implementation plans and the laws of local governments relating to the

2-7  control and reduction of air pollution; now, therefore, be it

2-8    Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of

2-9  Nevada, Jointly, That the Nevada Legislature hereby urges Congress to

2-10  require the Bureau of Land Management of the United States Department

2-11  of the Interior and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to:

2-12    1.  Work together to:

2-13    (a) Control and reduce air pollution which originates on land managed

2-14  by the Bureau of Land Management and which contributes to the air

2-15  pollution in the areas of this state that are in noncompliance with federal

2-16  standards for air pollutants; and

2-17    (b) Ensure that the Bureau of Land Management is in compliance with

2-18  all state and local laws and regulations that carry out the control measures

2-19  adopted in the various air quality plans in this state; and

2-20    2.  Assist the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

2-21  and the local governments of this state in developing:

2-22    (a) Short- and long-term plans to control and reduce air pollution in this

2-23  state;

2-24    (b) Educational programs relating to the control and reduction of air

2-25  pollution in this state; and

2-26    (c) Regulations, state implementation plans and control measures that

2-27  will help control and reduce air pollution in this state; and be it further

2-28    Resolved, That the Nevada Legislature hereby urges Congress to

2-29  require the Bureau of Land Management, before selling land which is

2-30  managed by the Bureau of Land Management and which contributes to or

2-31  may contribute to air pollution in an area of this state that is in

2-32  noncompliance with federal standards for air pollutants, to identify clearly

2-33  in environmental impact statements the effects on air quality that are likely

2-34  to result from the sale of such land; and be it further

2-35    Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy

2-36  of this resolution to the Vice President of the United States as presiding

2-37  officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, each

2-38  member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation, the Director of the

2-39  Bureau of Land Management of the United States Department of the

2-40  Interior and the Administrator of the United States Environmental

2-41  Protection Agency; and be it further

2-42    Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage.

 

2-43  H