S. 909 · On the floor · Public Lands and Natural Resources
La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act
Sponsor: Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)
What it does
- Directs the Department of the Interior, at La Paz County, Arizona's request, to convey about 3,400 acres of Bureau of Land Management land to the county for fair market value.
- Excludes any federal land with significant cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational resources.
- Requires the county and later owners to make good faith efforts to avoid disturbing tribal artifacts, minimize impacts, and coordinate with the Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal Historic Preservation Office.
- Allows tribal representatives to rebury unearthed artifacts at or near where they were found and withdraws the land from mining and mineral leasing laws.
Official summary
La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior, after receiving a request from La Paz County, Arizona, to convey approximately 3,400 acres of identified land managed by the Bureau of Land Management to the county for fair market value. Interior must exclude from the conveyance any federal land that contains significant cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational resources. As a condition of the conveyance, La Paz County and any subsequent owner must make good faith efforts to avoid disturbing tribal artifacts; minimize impacts on tribal artifacts if they are disturbed; coordinate with the Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal Historic Preservation Office to identify artifacts of cultural and historic significance; and allow tribal representatives to rebury unearthed artifacts at, or near, where they were discovered. The federal land is withdrawn from the operation of U.S. mining and mineral leasing laws.
Latest action
Feb 11, 2026: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 336.
Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources