Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act
Sponsored By: Senator Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
Introduced
Summary
Moves specific federal lands into local, tribal, and conservation hands. This bill would transfer, sell, and protect named parcels around the Truckee Meadows to support parks, housing, tribal trust ownership, conservation, and recreation while keeping existing rights and environmental checks.
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- Local governments, school districts, and special districts would receive many parcels at no cost for public uses under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act. Recipients must pay all conveyance-related costs like surveys, appraisals, environmental response, and closing fees.
- Selected parcels could be sold through competitive processes and a defined 33-acre parcel would get a 90-day review for affordable-housing eligibility. Sale proceeds would flow mostly into a special Truckee Meadows Treasury account, with 5% directed to Nevada for education and 85% to that special account for land, parks, wildfire prevention, and related projects.
- The bill would place land into trust for the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, and the Washoe Tribe. It also creates new wilderness additions and National Conservation Areas with dark-sky and habitat goals, and it sets up a voluntary program to donate grazing permits.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
20 provisions identified: 14 benefits, 2 costs, 4 mixed.
Special review for affordable housing parcel
This bill would require the Secretary and Washoe County to jointly identify parcels for sale and review them for affordable housing. If a parcel is suitable and a government entity requests it, the parcel could be sold for less than fair market value under SNPLMA section 7(b). The Secretary must review the specific approximately 33‑acre parcel within 90 days after enactment.
End grazing from donated permits
This bill would let the Secretary accept donated grazing permits in the Mosquito Valley and Horse Lake allotments and then terminate those grazing authorizations. Donated land would stop being grazed, except in Horse Lake where other valid permits still cover land and authorized grazing levels would be reduced accordingly. Ranchers who donate permits could lose grazing income.
Allow prior grazing in wilderness
This bill would allow livestock grazing that existed before enactment to continue in BLM wilderness areas, subject to reasonable rules set by the Secretary. The Secretary would also inventory existing grazing facilities and improvements within two years.
Add new wilderness areas
This bill would designate several areas as new Wilderness System components, including Sheldon Refuge Wilderness (~112,002 acres) and other named areas. The Secretary must file maps and legal descriptions. These areas would be withdrawn from mining and leasing laws, subject to valid existing rights.
County can delay parcel sales
This bill would let Washoe County ask the Secretary to postpone or exclude specific parcels described in the Act from sale. The Secretary could act only if the County requests it. The authority applies only to the exact parcels listed.
Create five National Conservation Areas
This bill would create five National Conservation Areas covering large acreages. The areas would be withdrawn from mining and leasing laws and managed for conservation, recreation, and cultural resources. The Secretary may buy land from willing sellers and must prepare management plans for each area within seven years, with public input.
Finalize maps and legal descriptions
This bill would require the Secretary to finalize maps and legal descriptions for parcels to be conveyed as soon as practicable. Final maps and descriptions must be filed and available for public inspection at BLM and Forest Service offices. The Secretary and recipients could agree to correct minor boundary or clerical errors.
Move parcels to Interior control
This bill would transfer certain National Forest and Bureau of Reclamation parcels to the Interior Secretary. That would let Interior prepare those parcels to be offered for sale under the Act. Transfers apply to parcels shown on the December 6, 2024 'Land Disposals' map and must follow public land laws.
No federal reservation of water rights
This bill would state that it does not create federal water rights for the named wilderness areas. It would not change State water rights, interstate compacts, or equitable apportionment decrees. The Secretary would be directed to follow Nevada water law.
Protect existing utility rights-of-way
This bill would say withdrawals do not cancel utility rights-of-way approved before enactment. Existing utility facilities could continue to operate and be repaired. The Secretary could authorize new or upgraded utility rights-of-way only after required environmental review.
Protect Sheldon Refuge from mining
This bill would withdraw lands in the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge from public land entry, mining, and leasing laws, subject to valid existing rights. The change would protect refuge values and limit extractive uses.
Put federal land into tribal trust
This bill would place specific federal parcels into trust for three tribes. It lists about 11,373 acres for the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, about 8,319 acres plus 160 acres for the Reno‑Sparks Indian Colony, and named acres for the Washoe Tribe (including small fee transfers on request). The Secretary must finish surveys and publish legal descriptions. Lands taken into trust would not be eligible for class II or III gaming.
Where land-sale money goes
This bill would require most land-sale money to be split: 5% to Nevada for general education, 10% to Washoe County/Reno/Sparks for Truckee River conservation, and 85% into a federal 'Truckee Meadows Special Account'. Money in the special account would earn interest set by the Treasury Secretary. The account could be spent without further appropriation on land buys, conservation, restoration, wildfire prevention, capital projects, and reimbursements described in the Act.
Give BLM land to local governments
This bill would require the Secretary to convey specified BLM land at no cost to local governments and districts for public uses. Parcels include about 166 acres to the City of Reno, about 956 acres to the City of Sparks, and other named tracts. Recipients must pay survey and administrative costs. Parcels may revert to the United States if they stop being used for approved public purposes.
Give Forest land to local entities
This bill would require the Agriculture Secretary to convey specified National Forest land at no cost to local districts, the State, and schools for public uses. Conveyances include about 1,170 acres to the State of Nevada and several smaller tracts. Recipients must pay surveys, appraisals, environmental response or cleanup costs, and closing costs. The Secretary must meet CERCLA 120(h) disclosure rules but is not required to do cleanup beyond applicable law.
Limit mining on selected parcels
This bill would withdraw parcels selected under the Secretary‑County joint selection process from public land entry, mining claims, and mineral leasing while those parcels remain selected. Valid existing rights would be preserved. This would limit new mining claims and mineral leasing on those selected parcels.
Withdraw certain BLM lands from mining
This bill would withdraw specified BLM lands (for example Sand Hills/Petersen Mt., Tule Peak, Granite‑Banjo, Smoke Creek, and Massacre Rim Dark Sky) from public land entry, mining, and mineral leasing, subject to existing rights. This would protect conservation and recreation values while limiting mining and leasing on those acres.
Withdraw National Forest lands from mining
This bill would withdraw specified National Forest System lands in the Lake Tahoe Basin and Carson Ranger District from public land entry, mining, and mineral leasing, subject to valid existing rights. This would help protect forest and recreation values while limiting extractive uses on those lands.
Identify BLM parcels for sale
This bill would require the Secretary to identify Federal land shown as 'BLM Land for Disposal' on a December 6, 2024 map and to offer parcels the Secretary finds suitable for sale under law. The Secretary must evaluate additional parcels within one year and only offer parcels deemed suitable under FLPMA.
Sale rules and bidder certification
This bill would require most land sales to use competitive bidding and to be for not less than fair market value, unless the Secretary waives that process. Before a sale, the County must certify that qualified bidders agree to follow County zoning and any approved master plan.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
NV • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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