Virgin Valley Tourism and Lake Mead Preservation Act
A BILL
To promote economic development and to preserve the Lake Mead Area in Clark County, Nevada, in order to conserve, protect, and enhance the cultural, archaeological, natural, wilderness, scientific, geological, historical, biological, wildlife, educational, and scenic resources of the area, to designate wilderness areas, and for other purposes.
2. Findings
Congress finds that—
the public land north of Lake Mead, in southeastern Nevada generally known as Gold Butte is recognized for outstanding—
scenic values;
natural resources, including critical habitat, sensitive species, wildlife, desert tortoise habitat, and geology;
historic resources, including historic mining, ranching and other western cultures, and pioneer activities; and
cultural resources, including evidence of prehistoric habitation and rock art;
Lake Mead and Gold Butte have become a destination for diverse recreation opportunities, including camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, motorized recreation, and sightseeing;
Lake Mead and Gold Butte draw visitors from throughout the United States;
Lake Mead and Gold Butte provide important economic benefits to Mesquite and other nearby communities;
inclusion of the Gold Butte National Conservation Area in the National Landscape Conservation System would provide increased opportunities for—
interpretation of the diverse values of the area for the visiting public; and
education and community outreach in the region; and
designation of Gold Butte as a National Conservation Area will permanently protect the scenic, biological, natural, historical, scientific, paleontological, recreational, ecological, wilderness, and cultural resources within the area.
3. Definitions
In this Act:
Advisory council— The term Advisory Council means the Gold Butte National Conservation Area Advisory Council established under title II.
Conservation area— The term Conservation Area means the Gold Butte National Conservation Area established by title II.
County— The term County means Clark County, Nevada.
Designated route— The term designated route means a road that is designated as open by the Route Designations for Selected Areas of Critical Environmental Concern Located in the Northeast Portion of the Las Vegas BLM District Environmental Assessment, NV–052–2006–0433.
Virgin Valley Tourism and Economic Advisory Council— The term Virgin Valley Tourism and Economic Advisory Council has the meaning designated by section 107.
Management plan— The term management plan means the management plan for the Conservation Area developed under title II.
Map— The term Map means the map entitled “Gold Butte National Conservation Area” and dated May 23, 2013.
Public land— The term public land has the meaning given the term public lands in section 103 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702).
Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
State— The term State means the State of Nevada.
Wilderness area— The term wilderness area means a wilderness areas designated by title III.