On Monday, H.R. 2630, the La Paz County Land Conveyance Act, passed the House of Representatives by voice vote. The bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey Bureau of Land Management land to La Paz County.
It is hoped that the conveyance will create economic development opportunities and facilitate renewable electricity generation.
H.R. 2630 requires La Paz County to pay fair-market value for the land involved in the conveyance. H.R. 2630 also requires La Paz County to pay for all costs related to the conveyance, including all surveys, appraisals and other administrative costs.
The legislation was drafted at the request of the County in collaboration with tribes and other local stakeholders.
According to the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Paul Gosar, the plot of land the County has identified, with the assistance of the BLM, is ideally situated on the edge of the La Paz/Maricopa County line adjacent to existing and proposed fiber optic, electric and natural gas transmission lines. The transferred parcels are also located next to the “Ten West Link,” a 114-mile transmission line that will further interconnect Arizona and California.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will generate $6 million for the federal government.
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Colorado River Indian Tribes Chairman Dennis Patch praised the bill sponsored by Rep. Paul Gosar. “Since time immemorial, the Mohave people have lived in what is now La Paz County, and our history is buried beneath the sands and in the rocks. It is time for federal policy to recognize the history of Native people, not try to erase it. Through this legislation, CRIT and our partners in La Paz County will start to turn the page by ensuring that tribal artifacts found while developing this land are reburied on-site, as called for by our culture. We commend Congressman Gosar for championing this bill and helping forge our partnership with La Paz County. We also want to thank Congresswoman Sinema, and the bills other cosponsors, for putting good policy ahead of politics and supporting this common sense, non-partisan bill.”
“I am thrilled to see the House pass this bipartisan jobs bill that embraces a true all-of-the-above energy strategy. This locally-driven solution will allow for future economic prosperity in a county where new opportunities are few and far between due to the abnormally small presence of private land,” said Congressman Gosar. “This legislation is good for the County and allows La Paz to generate new revenues in order to fund important services like education, transportation and law enforcement. H.R. 2630 is good for federal taxpayers and is projected to bring in at least six million dollars. Finally, the renewable solar energy generated as a result of this bill will assist with ensuring a balanced portfolio and will provide power to help meet the electricity demands of the West. I am grateful for the close collaboration among La Paz County officials, tribal governments, legislators on both sides of the aisle and other local stakeholders. I urge the Senate to pass this important legislation, that utilizes a bottom-up approach, in an expeditious manner.”