Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act

Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently IN_COMMITTEE. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

The bill changes land ownership patterns for up to 150,000 acres of federal land in Pershing County, impacting local tax bases, mining claim holders, and public access to recreational and wilderness areas.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Pershing County

The county receives 10% of land sale proceeds and gains ownership of land for a public cemetery.

Mining claim holders

Qualified entities may purchase federal land where they hold existing mining claims, provided they pay all administrative and survey costs.

Nevada Department of Wildlife

The department retains jurisdiction over fish and wildlife management and may continue using aircraft for wildlife monitoring in wilderness areas.

What changed

Current stage: IN_COMMITTEE.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill authorizes the sale or exchange of specific federal lands in Pershing County, Nevada, to consolidate land ownership and support local economic development. It also designates seven new wilderness areas and transfers federal land to the county for use as a public cemetery.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this bill affect my ability to hunt or fish in these areas?

The bill maintains state jurisdiction over fish and wildlife management, including hunting and fishing. The Secretary may only restrict these activities for public safety or administrative reasons after consultation with the state.

What happens to the money generated from selling federal land?

5% goes to the state for education, 10% goes to the county, and the remainder is placed in a special account for wildlife conservation, drought relief, wildfire management, and public access projects in Pershing County.

Can I still graze livestock in the new wilderness areas?

Yes, livestock grazing established before the bill's enactment is permitted to continue under existing regulations.

Why It Matters

The bill changes land ownership patterns for up to 150,000 acres of federal land in Pershing County, impacting local tax bases, mining claim holders, and public access to recreational and wilderness areas.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Checkerboard Resolution

The bill explicitly seeks to resolve the 'checkerboard' land pattern created by 1862 railroad grants, which the bill identifies as a long-standing management frustration.

Pershing County Bureau of Land Management

Connected Entities

personHeck, Mr.“Co-sponsor of the bill”Map →

locationNevada“State where Pershing County is located”Map →

personAmodei, Mr.“Representative introducing the bill”Map →

personSecretary of the Interior“Responsible for land disposal”Map →

otherWinnemucca Consolidated Resource Management Plan“Used for land disposal”Map →

personTitus, Ms.“Co-sponsor of the bill”Map →

dateJuly 13, 2016“Date the bill was introduced”Map →

personHardy, Mr.“Co-sponsor of the bill”Map →

bill_numberPacific Railway Act of 1862“Historical legislation creating the checkerboard land pattern”Map →

locationPershing County, Nevada“Area of focus for the bill”Map →

dateJuly 1, 1862“Date of the Pacific Railway Act”Map →

organizationBureau of Land Management“Administers eligible land”Map →

organization114th Congress“Congress in which the bill was introduced”Map →

dateJune 24, 2016“Date of the Map”Map →

organizationUnion Pacific Railroad“Creator of the checkerboard land pattern”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance85
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level