Senate Joint Resolution No. 2–Committee on
Natural Resources

 

(On Behalf of Legislative Committee on
Public Lands (NRS 218.5363))

 

February 11, 2003

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Natural Resources

 

SUMMARY—Urges Secretary of Interior, Secretary of Agriculture and Congress to take certain actions concerning expenditures of money for restoration of and water developments on public lands in Nevada. (BDR R‑675)

 

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 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.

 

1-1  Whereas, In recent years, wildfires have caused extensive

1-2  damage to the public lands of this state by destroying thousands of

1-3  acres of public lands used for economic, wildlife and recreational

1-4  purposes, and have increased the threat of infestation of exotic

1-5  annual grasses and noxious weeds which may, if not controlled,

1-6  cause further degradation of the lands, deterioration of wildlife

1-7  habitat, erosion, and diminished water quality; and

1-8  Whereas, Responsible management and preservation of the

1-9  public lands of this state require restoration of the public lands

1-10  through various means, including, without limitation, reseeding,

1-11  planting indigenous grasses and shrubs, combating exotic annual

1-12  grasses and noxious weeds and reducing the encroachment or

1-13  density of certain plants for purposes of fire suppression; and

2-1  Whereas, Because of a lack of adequate water developments

2-2  on the public lands of this state, wildlife and livestock on those

2-3  public lands have been forced to concentrate near the limited

2-4  number of water developments thus jeopardizing the ecological

2-5  health of the public lands; and

2-6  Whereas, Responsible management and preservation of the

2-7  public lands of this state require increasing the number of water

2-8  developments on the public lands of this state so that the wildlife

2-9  and livestock on those public lands will be properly dispersed; and

2-10      Whereas, Proper management and preservation of the public

2-11  lands and waters of this state are critical as these lands support a

2-12  wide variety of vital activities that are integral to the economic

2-13  success and enjoyment of the natural resources of this state,

2-14  including ranching, mining and recreation, and are a unique and

2-15  important historical, cultural and environmental resource that must

2-16  be maintained and preserved for the use and appreciation of current

2-17  and future Nevadans; and

2-18      Whereas, The continued economic success of this state,

2-19  existence of wildlife diversity in this state and enjoyment derived

2-20  from the natural resources of this state depend on the maintenance

2-21  of healthy ecosystems within the public lands and waters of this

2-22  state; and

2-23      Whereas, The Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act

2-24  of 1998, Pub. L. 105-263, 112 Stat. 2343, authorizes the Secretary

2-25  of the Interior to expend a portion of the proceeds of the sale or

2-26  exchange of certain public lands in Clark County for conservation

2-27  initiatives on certain public lands in Clark County; and

2-28      Whereas, It would greatly benefit and protect the ecosystems

2-29  on the public lands in Clark County if the Secretary of the Interior

2-30  expended the money authorized for such conservation initiatives to

2-31  pay for restoration of and water developments on certain public

2-32  lands in Clark County; and

2-33      Whereas, The Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act, 43

2-34  U.S.C. §§ 2301 et seq., which addresses the sale or exchange of

2-35  public lands in areas other than certain public lands in Clark County,

2-36  requires the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of

2-37  Agriculture to use the proceeds of such sales or exchanges for

2-38  certain purposes, but the Act does not specifically designate any

2-39  money for restoration of and water developments on the public

2-40  lands in the areas in which the sales or exchanges occurred; and

2-41      Whereas, It would greatly benefit and protect the ecosystems

2-42  on the public lands in the areas of this state where public lands are

2-43  sold or exchanged pursuant to the Federal Land Transaction

2-44  Facilitation Act, 43 U.S.C. §§ 2301 et seq., if the Act authorized the

2-45  Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to expend

3-1  a portion of the proceeds obtained from such sales or exchanges for

3-2  restoration of and water developments on the public lands in those

3-3  areas; now, therefore, be it

3-4  Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of

3-5  Nevada, Jointly, That the members of the Nevada Legislature

3-6  hereby urge the Secretary of the Interior to expend the money

3-7  authorized pursuant to the Southern Nevada Public Land

3-8  Management Act of 1998, Pub. L. 105-263, 112 Stat. 2343, for

3-9  conservation initiatives on certain public lands in Clark County to

3-10  pay for restoration of and water developments on such public lands

3-11  in Clark County; and be it further

3-12      Resolved, That the members of the Nevada Legislature hereby

3-13  urge Congress to amend the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation

3-14  Act, 43 U.S.C. §§ 2301 et seq., to authorize the Secretary of the

3-15  Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to expend money obtained

3-16  pursuant to the Act to pay for restoration of and water developments

3-17  on the public lands in the areas of Nevada where public lands are

3-18  sold or exchanged pursuant to the Act; and be it further

3-19      Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and

3-20  transmit a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of the United

3-21  States as the presiding officer of the United States Senate, the

3-22  Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the

3-23  Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Director of the Bureau of

3-24  Land Management and each member of the Nevada Congressional

3-25  Delegation; and be it further

3-26      Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon

3-27  passage.

 

3-28  H