SJR 4

                                                                                                         S.J.R. 4
                          SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 4–
                         COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
                  (ON BEHALF OF THE JOINT INTERIM STANDING
                     COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES)
                                  PREFILED JANUARY 28, 2025
                                        ____________
                    Referred to Committee on Natural Resources
 SUMMARY—Urges the Federal Government to support and
         recognize certain land use planning principles when
         conducting projects in this State. (BDR R-380)
 FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
              Effect on the State: No.
                                                           ~
  EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION—Urging the Federal Government
        to support and recognize certain land use planning
        principles when conducting projects in this State.
1     WHEREAS, Over 80 percent of the land in the State of Nevada is
2 owned by the Federal Government; and
3     WHEREAS, The public lands in the State of Nevada are managed
4 by a variety of federal agencies, including, the United States Bureau
5 of Land Management, the United States Forest Service, the United
6 States National Park Service, the United States Bureau of
7 Reclamation, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the
8 United States Department of Defense, including the United States
9 Army Corps of Engineers; and
10     WHEREAS, The high percentage of federally-owned lands in the
11 State of Nevada requires coordination between these federal
12 agencies, the State of Nevada, tribal governments and local
13 governments and communities when engaging in land use planning
14 in this State; and
15     WHEREAS, The Legislature has emphasized the importance in
16 land use planning of local leadership and knowledge along with
17 coordination with tribal and local governments; and
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1    WHEREAS, The Legislature has declared that the conservation
2 and development of renewable natural resources is best led and
3 directed by persons in local communities and, as such, has
4 authorized the creation of conservation districts, comprised of
5 members of local communities, to oversee certain projects and
6 measures relating to the conservation and development of renewable
7 natural resources within each conservation district; and
8    WHEREAS, The Legislature also passed the State and Local
9 Government Cooperation Act to encourage communication,
10 cooperation and coordinated working relationships between state
11 agencies and local governments; and
12    WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States has also
13 recognized in law the importance of consultation and coordination
14 with local communities by declaring that it is the policy of the
15 United States when conducting the land use planning process for
16 public lands and the resources of such public lands to coordinate
17 with other federal and state planning efforts; and
18    WHEREAS, A variety of federal laws that regulate federal actions
19 on public lands, including, without limitation, the National
20 Environmental Policy Act, the National Forest Management Act and
21 the Federal Land Policy and Management Act require federal
22 agencies to involve state, tribal and local governments and the
23 public in the process of evaluating federal actions on public lands;
24 and
25    WHEREAS, Managing public lands for multiple uses and
26 sustained yield are also important principles of land use planning as
27 these principles will best meet the needs of current and future
28 generations of Americans; and
29    WHEREAS, Federal law requires the Secretary of the Interior to
30 manage public lands under the principles of multiple use and
31 sustained yield and authorizes and directs the Secretary of
32 Agriculture to develop and administer the renewable surface
33 resources of the national forests for multiple use and sustained yield;
34 now, therefore, be it
35    RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF
36 NEVADA, JOINTLY, That the members of the 83rd Session of the
37 Nevada Legislature hereby urge the Federal Government to support
38 and recognize the following land use planning principles when
39 conducting projects in this State:
40    1. Actions on public lands in the State of Nevada should be led
41 and driven by the impacted local communities;
42    2. There must be coordination between federal, state, tribal and
43 local governments, including, without limitation, federal agencies:
44    (a) Providing early notification to the State of Nevada and
45 impacted tribal and local governments in the State;
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                                   –3–
1    (b) Providing opportunities for meaningful input from the State
2 of Nevada and impacted tribal and local governments in the State;
3    (c) Remaining informed of the land use policies and plans of the
4 State of Nevada and impacted tribal and local governments in the
5 State and soliciting and considering the input of the State and
6 impacted tribal and local governments when interpreting these
7 policies and plans; and
8    (d) To the extent practicable, developing federal policies, plans
9 and actions that are consistent with the land use policies and plans
10 of the State of Nevada and impacted tribal and local governments;
11 and
12    3. Public lands must be managed for multiple uses while also
13 providing for the economic, social and environmental sustainability
14 of public lands; and be it further
15    RESOLVED, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and
16 transmit a copy of this resolution to the President of the United
17 States, the Vice President of the United States as presiding officer of
18 the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of
19 Representatives, the United States Secretary of the Interior, the
20 United States Secretary of Agriculture, the Director of the United
21 States Bureau of Land Management, the Chief of the United States
22 Forest Service, the Director of the United States National Park
23 Service, the Commissioner of the United States Bureau of
24 Reclamation, the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife
25 Service, the Secretary of Defense of the United States Department
26 of Defense, each member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation
27 and the Governor of the State of Nevada; and be it further
28    RESOLVED, That this resolution becomes effective upon
29 passage.
                                   H
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