The Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act aims to promote conservation, facilitate development, and convey federal land to state and local entities for public use. The bill covers land conveyances, sales, and tribal cultural resources, with provisions for flood protection, economic development, and open-space recreation. It designates federal lands as wilderness areas, addresses water rights, and allows for the sale or exchange of certain federal lands in specific Nevada counties. Additionally, the bill outlines the proceeds' disposition, administration of designated wilderness areas, and land conveyances for economic development in Elko and Fernley. Finally, it pertains to releasing federal reversionary land interests to the State of Nevada.
Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act of 2025
This bill provides for the designation, conveyance, exchange, sale, or disposal of certain federal lands in Nevada.
Specifically, the bill provides for the transfer of ownership of federal lands from the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to the State of Nevada, counties (Douglas, Clark, Pershing, and Elko Counties), cities (Carson City, City of Elko, the City of Fernley, and the City of Sparks), the Incline Village General Improvement District, and the Truckee River Flood Management Authority for economic development, recreation, or certain public purposes.
It also designates specified parcels of federal land as wilderness and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
The bill also releases the reversionary interest of the United States in the Jean Prison site, thereby allowing the State of Nevada to use the land for purposes unrelated to the prison.
It also allows the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service to establish a federal complex for specified Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, and Bureau of Indian Affairs offices or headquarters in Nevada on certain federal lands.
Additionally, the bill takes land into trust for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.