article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Griffith Project Prepayment and Conveyance Act''. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) The term ``Authority'' means the Southern Nevada Water Authority, organized under the laws of the State of Nevada. (2) The term ``Griffith Project'' means the Robert B. Griffith Water Project, authorized by and constructed pursuant to the Southern Nevada Water Project Act, Public Law 89-292, as amended (commonly known as the ``Southern Nevada Water Project Act'') (79 Stat. 1068), including pipelines, conduits, pumping plants, intake facilities, aqueducts, laterals, water storage and regulatory facilities, electric substations, and related works and improvements listed pursuant to ``Robert B. Griffith Water Project (Formerly Southern Nevada Water Project), Nevada: Southern Clark County, Lower Colorado Region Bureau of Reclamation'', on file at the Bureau of Reclamation and all interests in land acquired under Public Law 89-292, as amended. (3) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior. (4) The term ``Acquired Land(s)'' means all interests in land, including fee title, right(s)-of-way, and easement(s), acquired by the United States from non-Federal sources by purchase, donation, exchange, or condemnation pursuant to Public Law 89-292, as amended for the Griffith Project. (5) The term ``Public Land'' means lands which have never left Federal ownership and are under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management. (6) The term ``Withdrawn Land'' means Federal lands which are withdrawn from settlement, sale, location of minerals, or entry under some or all of the general land laws and are reserved for a particular public purpose pursuant to Public Law 89-292, as amended, under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Reclamation, or are reserved pursuant to Public Law 88-639 under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF GRIFFITH PROJECT. (a) In General.--In consideration of the Authority assuming from the United States all liability for administration, operation, maintenance, and replacement of the Griffith Project and subject to the prepayment by the Authority of the Federal repayment amount of $121,204,348 (which amount shall be increased to reflect any accrued unpaid interest and shall be decreased by the amount of any additional principal payments made by the Authority after September 15, 1999, prior to the date on which prepayment occurs), the Secretary shall, pursuant to the provisions of this Act-- (1) convey and assign to the Authority all of the right, title, and interest of the United States in and to improvements and facilities of the Griffith Project in existence as of the date of this Act; (2) convey and assign to the Authority all of the right, title, and interest of the United States to Acquired Lands that were acquired for the Griffith Project; and (3) convey and assign to the Authority all interests reserved and developed as of the date of this Act for the Griffith Project in lands patented by the United States. (b) Pursuant to the authority of this section, from the effective date of conveyance of the Griffith Project, the Authority shall have a right-of-way at no cost across all Public Land and Withdrawn Land-- (1) on which the Griffith Project is situated; and (2) across any Federal lands as reasonably necessary for the operation, maintenance, replacement, and repair of the Griffith Project, including existing access routes. Rights-of-way established by this section shall be valid for as long as they are needed for municipal water supply purposes and shall not require payment of rental or other fee. (c) Within twelve months after the effective date of this Act-- (1) the Secretary and the Authority shall agree upon a description of the land subject to the rights-of-way established by subsection (b) of this section; and (2) the Secretary shall deliver to the Authority a document memorializing such rights-of-way. (d) Report.--If the conveyance under subsection (a) has not occurred within twelve months after the effective date of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the status of the conveyance. SEC. 4. RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING CONTRACTS. The Secretary and the Authority may modify Contract No. 7-07-30- W0004 and other contracts and land permits as necessary to conform to the provisions of this Act. SEC. 5. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS AND FUTURE BENEFITS. (a) If the Authority changes the use or operation of the Griffith Project, the Authority shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations governing the changes at that time. (b) On conveyance of the Griffith Project under section 3 of this Act, the Act of June 17, 1902 (43 U.S.C. 391 et seq.), and all Acts amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto shall not apply to the Griffith Project. Effective upon transfer, the lands and facilities transferred pursuant to this Act shall not be entitled to receive any further Reclamation benefits pursuant to the Act of June 17, 1902, and all Acts amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto attributable to their status as a Federal Reclamation Project, and the Griffith Project shall no longer be a Federal Reclamation Project. (c) Nothing in this Act shall transfer or affect Federal ownership, rights, or interests in Lake Mead National Recreation Area associated lands, nor affect the authorities of the National Park Service to manage Lake Mead National Recreation Area including lands on which the Griffith Project is located consistent with the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535), Public Law 88-639, October 8, 1964 (78 Stat. 1039), or any other applicable legislation, regulation, or policy. (d) Nothing in this Act shall affect the application of Federal reclamation law to water delivered to the Authority pursuant to any contract with the Secretary under section 5 of the Boulder Canyon Project Act. (e) Effective upon conveyance of the Griffith Project and acquired interests in land under section 3 of this Act, the United States shall not be liable for damages of any kind arising out of any act, omission, or occurrence based on its prior ownership of the conveyed property. Speaker of the House of Representatives. Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.
summary: Grants to the Authority at no cost a right-of-way across all public land and withdrawn land on which the Project is situated and across any Federal lands as reasonably necessary for the operation, maintenance, replacement, and repair of the Project, including existing access routes. Provides that such rights-of-way shall be valid for as long as they are needed for municipal water supply purposes and shall not require payment of rental or other fee. Requires the Secretary, if such conveyance has not occurred within 12 months after the effective date of this Act, to report on its status to Congress.