Sponsors
The bill facilitates regional water infrastructure and utility maintenance while adding conservation acreage, but accelerates approvals and relaxes controls over federal land materials in ways that could harm public lands and reduce federal revenue/oversight.
Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) and local water users can build and operate the Horizon lateral pipeline and related facilities, increasing regional water delivery capacity for Southern Nevada.
Residents and visitors near Sloan Canyon will gain protection of an additional 9,290 acres through expansion of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area managed by the BLM.
Utilities and local governments can continue to operate and replace utility facilities within designated corridors, helping preserve critical utility service and reduce risks of service disruptions during upgrades or repairs.
Construction of the pipeline and disposal of tunnel/mined materials on federal land could damage conservation values and cause temporary or lasting disturbance to public lands and nearby communities.
Granting rights-of-way and allowing disposal/use of mined materials without rents or fuller consideration reduces potential federal revenue and BLM control over material revenues, potentially shifting oversight or restoration costs to taxpayers and setting precedents for resource use on federal lands.
A one-year deadline to grant rights-of-way may constrain the time available for full environmental review and public input, increasing the risk that mitigation planning will be rushed or insufficient.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Expands Sloan Canyon NCA acreage and authorizes the Interior Secretary to grant rights-of-way to SNWA for a Horizon lateral water pipeline, powerline, facility, and access road under specific conditions.
Expands the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area (NCA) boundary and acreage, and authorizes the Interior Department to grant temporary and permanent rights-of-way to the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) for a Horizon lateral water pipeline, associated powerline, facility, and access road outside the Conservation Area under specified conditions. The bill requires the Secretary to issue the rights-of-way within one year, allows disposal of tunneling materials at federal sites identified by a memorandum of understanding, and preserves environmental reviews and protections for wilderness and surface resources.
Introduced February 4, 2025 by Alice Costandina Titus · Last progress May 19, 2026