Sloan Canyon Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act
Last recorded step: Became Law, May 19, 2026.
This bill would expand the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area and grant rights-of-way for a water pipeline in Clark County, Nevada.
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Last regenerated The bill has had legislative action since.
What it does
This bill expands the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area in Clark County, Nevada, by adding approximately 9,290 acres of land. It requires the Bureau of Land Management to grant rights-of-way to the Southern Nevada Water Authority for the investigation, construction, and operation of a water transmission pipeline and related facilities. The bill prohibits pipeline construction through wilderness areas and requires that the project does not permanently damage surface resources within the conservation area.
Who is affected
This bill directly affects the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), which is granted rights-of-way to perform investigations and construct a water transmission pipeline. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is affected as it must administer the expansion of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area and coordinate with the SNWA on land use and material disposal. Additionally, the legislation impacts entities with existing utility transmission rights or those seeking new utility rights-of-way within the expanded conservation area boundaries.
Key provisions
- Expansion of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area. The bill adds approximately 9,290 acres of land to the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area in Clark County, Nevada. This expansion remains subject to existing rights and does not prevent the authorization of new utility rights-of-way.
- Authorization of water pipeline rights-of-way. The Bureau of Land Management is required to grant rights-of-way to the Southern Nevada Water Authority for geotechnical investigations and the construction and operation of a water transmission pipeline. These rights-of-way may not be located within designated wilderness areas.
- Resource protection and construction requirements. Pipeline construction is prohibited from permanently adversely affecting surface resources within the conservation area. The Bureau of Land Management may also impose reasonable terms and conditions on the rights-of-way to protect the area's natural resources.
- Excavation and disposal of materials. The Southern Nevada Water Authority is authorized to excavate and dispose of sand, gravel, and minerals during the pipeline tunneling process. The Bureau of Land Management must coordinate with the authority to identify federal land suitable for the disposal of these materials.
Fiscal impact
- H.R. 972, Sloan Canyon Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act· As ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on April 9, 2025
Effective dates
Not applicable: Official Summary does not address effective dates
Relationship to existing law
The bill modifies the existing boundaries of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area by adding approximately 9,290 acres of land. It also establishes new requirements for the Bureau of Land Management to grant rights-of-way to the Southern Nevada Water Authority while maintaining valid existing rights and utility corridors within the area.
Stated purpose
The bill aims to expand the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada by approximately 9,290 acres while authorizing the construction and operation of a water transmission pipeline and related infrastructure within the conservation area and other federal lands.