Senate Joint Resolution No.
2–Committee on
Natural Resources
Senate Joint RESOLUTION—Urging the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture and Congress to take certain actions concerning expenditures of money for restoration of and water developments on the public lands in Nevada.
Whereas, In recent years, wildfires have caused extensive
damage to the public lands of this state by destroying thousands of
acres of public lands used for economic, wildlife and recreational
purposes, and have increased the threat of infestation of exotic
annual grasses and noxious weeds which may, if not controlled,
cause further degradation of the lands, deterioration of wildlife
habitat, erosion, and diminished water quality; and
Whereas, Responsible management and preservation of the
public lands of this state require restoration of the public lands
through various means, including, without limitation, reseeding,
planting indigenous grasses and shrubs, combating exotic annual
grasses and noxious weeds and reducing the encroachment or
density of certain plants for purposes of fire suppression; and
Whereas, Because of a lack of adequate water developments
on the public lands of this state, wildlife and livestock on those
public lands have been forced to concentrate near the limited
number of water developments thus jeopardizing the ecological
health of the public lands; and
Whereas, Responsible management and preservation of the
public lands of this state require increasing the number of water
developments on the public lands of this state so that the wildlife
and livestock on those public lands will be properly dispersed; and
Whereas, Proper management and preservation of the public
lands and waters of this state are critical as these lands support a
wide variety of vital activities that are integral to the economic
success and enjoyment of the natural resources of this state,
including ranching, mining and recreation, and are a unique and
important historical, cultural and environmental resource that must
be maintained and preserved for the use and appreciation of current
and future Nevadans; and
Whereas, The continued economic success of this state,
existence of wildlife diversity in this state and enjoyment derived
from the natural resources of this state depend on the maintenance
of healthy ecosystems within the public lands and waters of this
state; and
Whereas, The Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act
of 1998, Pub. L. 105-263, 112 Stat. 2343, authorizes the Secretary
of the Interior to expend a portion of the proceeds of the sale or
exchange of certain public lands in Clark County for conservation
initiatives on certain public lands in Clark County; and
Whereas, It would greatly benefit and protect the ecosystems
on the public lands in Clark County if the Secretary of the Interior
expended the money authorized for such conservation initiatives to
pay for restoration of and water developments on certain public
lands in Clark County; and
Whereas, The Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act, 43
U.S.C. §§ 2301 et seq., which addresses the sale or exchange of
public lands in areas other than certain public lands in Clark County,
requires the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of
Agriculture to use the proceeds of such sales or exchanges for
certain purposes, but the Act does not specifically designate any
money for restoration of and water developments on the public
lands in the areas in which the sales or exchanges occurred; and
Whereas, It would greatly benefit and protect the ecosystems
on the public lands in the areas of this state where public lands are
sold or exchanged pursuant to the Federal Land Transaction
Facilitation Act, 43 U.S.C. §§ 2301 et seq., if the Act authorized the
Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to expend
a portion of the proceeds obtained from such sales or exchanges for
restoration of and water developments on the public lands in those
Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of
Nevada, Jointly, That the members of the Nevada Legislature
hereby urge the Secretary of the Interior to expend the money
authorized pursuant to the Southern Nevada Public Land
Management Act of 1998, Pub. L. 105-263, 112 Stat. 2343, for
conservation initiatives on certain public lands in Clark County to
pay for restoration of and water developments on such public lands
in Clark County; and be it further
Resolved, That the members of the Nevada Legislature hereby
urge Congress to amend the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation
Act, 43 U.S.C. §§ 2301 et seq., to authorize the Secretary of the
Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to expend money obtained
pursuant to the Act to pay for restoration of and water developments
on the public lands in the areas of Nevada where public lands are
sold or exchanged pursuant to the Act; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and
transmit a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of the United
States as the presiding officer of the United States Senate, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the
Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Director of the Bureau of
Land Management and each member of the Nevada Congressional
Delegation; and be it further
Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon
passage.
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