Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act”.
La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land to La Paz County, Arizona, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Definitions
In this Act:
County— The term County means La Paz County, Arizona.
Federal land— The term Federal land means the approximately 4,8003,400 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and designated as “Federal Land To Be Conveyed” on the map.
Map— The term map means the map prepared by the Bureau of Land Management entitled “La Paz County Land Conveyance Map” and dated September 1, 2020.
Map— The term map means the map entitled “BLM Arizona—La Paz County Land Conveyance Map, Bureau of Land Management—Colorado River District, Yuma Field Office” and dated June 29, 2023.
Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
Sec. 3 Conveyance to La Paz County, Arizona
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.
Restrictions on conveyance—
In general— The conveyance under subsection (a) shall be subject to—
valid existing rights; and
such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be necessary.
Exclusion— The Secretary shall exclude from the conveyance under subsection (a) any Federal land that contains significant cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational resources.
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—
in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and
based on an appraisal that is conducted in accordance with—
the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions; and
the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.
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—
make good faith efforts to avoid disturbing Tribal artifacts;
minimize impacts on Tribal artifacts if the artifacts 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 the artifacts were discovered.
Availability of map—
In general— The map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management.
Corrections— The Secretary and the County may, by mutual agreement—
make minor boundary adjustments to the Federal land to be conveyed under subsection (a); and
correct any minor errors in the map, an acreage estimate, or the description of the Federal land.
Withdrawal— The Federal land is withdrawn from the operation of the mining and mineral leasing laws of the United States.
Costs— As a condition of the conveyance of the Federal land under subsection (a), the County shall pay—
an amount equal to the appraised value determined in accordance with subsection (c)(2); and
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).
Proceeds from the sale of land— The proceeds from the sale of land under this section shall be—
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
used in accordance with that Act (43 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.).