Bill > HR1170

This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Bureau of Reclamation, to transfer ownership of certain federal lands within the City of Fernley, Nevada, to the city itself. This transfer, known as a conveyance, will be done by a quitclaim deed, meaning the United States is transferring whatever interest it has in the land without making any guarantees about the title. The city will need to offer to purchase this land, and the Secretary will determine its fair market value through appraisals that follow national standards. Importantly, the city and the Bureau of Reclamation can keep certain easements or rights-of-way on the land, which are essentially legal rights to use the land for specific purposes, such as operating and maintaining the Truckee Canal or the Newlands Project. The City of Fernley will be responsible for paying the government's costs associated with this transfer, including appraisal and administrative expenses. Furthermore, upon the transfer, the United States will be released from any liability related to hazardous substances or other environmental issues present on the land. The federal land being conveyed will also be withdrawn from future public land laws, mining claims, and mineral leasing.