Apex Area Technical Corrections Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 618) to amend the Apex Project, Nevada Land Transfer and Authorization Act of 1989 to include the City of North Las Vegas and the Apex Industrial Park Owners Association, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 618

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Apex Area Technical Corrections Act''. SEC. 2. APEX PROJECT, NEVADA LAND TRANSFER AND AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 1989.

The Apex Project, Nevada Land Transfer and Authorization Act of 1989 (Public Law 101-67; 103 Stat. 168) is amended--

(1) in section 2(b)--

(A) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (8); and

(B) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:

``(6) The term `Apex Industrial Park Owners Association' has the meaning given such term by the charter document for the entity entitled `Apex Industrial Park Owners Association', formed on April 9, 2001, and any successor documents to such charter document, on file with the Nevada Secretary of State.

``(7) The term `City of North Las Vegas' means North Las Vegas, Nevada.'';

(2) in section 3(b)--

(A) by striking ``Clark County for the connection'' and inserting ``Clark County, the City of North Las Vegas, and the Apex Industrial Park Owners Association, individually or jointly as appropriate, for the connection'';

(B) by striking ``Kerr-McGee Site'' and inserting ``Kerr- McGee Site and other lands conveyed in accordance with this Act''; and

(C) by inserting ``(or any successor maps created by the Secretary)'' after ``May 1989'';

(3) in section 4(c), by striking ``Pursuant'' and all that follows through ``Clark County'' and inserting ``During such time as the requirements of section 6 are met, and pursuant to applicable law, the Secretary shall grant Clark County, the City of North Las Vegas, and the Apex Industrial Owners Association'';

(4) in section 4(e)(1), by striking the last sentence and inserting ``The withdrawal made by this subsection shall continue in perpetuity for all lands transferred in accordance with this subsection.'';

(5) in section 4(e), by adding at the end the following:

``(3) In the case of the sale of mineral materials resulting from grading, land balancing, or other activities on the surface of a parcel within the Apex Site for which the United States retains and interest in the minerals--

``(A) it shall be considered impracticable to obtain competition for purposes of section 3602.31(a)(2) of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of the enactment of the Apex Area Technical Corrections Act); and

``(B) such sale shall be exempt from the quantity and term limitations imposed on noncompetitive sales under subpart 3602 of such title (as in effect on the date of the enactment of the Apex Area Technical Corrections Act.''; and

(6) in section 6, by adding at the end the following:

``(d) Compliance With Environmental Assessments.--Each transfer by the United States of additional lands or interests in lands within the Apex Site or rights-of-way issued pursuant to this Act shall be conditioned upon compliance with applicable Federal land laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976.''.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. 618, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Representative Horsford's bill, H.R. 618, the Apex Area Technical Corrections Act.

H.R. 618 is a bipartisan bill supported by the entire Nevada delegation that would streamline permitting in the Apex Industrial Park in North Las Vegas to encourage new business development and economic growth.

Specifically, the legislation authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to grant utility and transportation rights-of-way to the Apex Industrial Park Owners Association, the city of North Las Vegas, and Clark County for electric, power, water, natural gas, telephone, railroad, or highway facilities.

Congress created the Apex Industrial Park in 1989 by authorizing the sale of roughly 21,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management land to Clark County, Nevada, to establish a new area to attract businesses and create jobs.

While the original law directed BLM to issue utility and transportation rights-of-way for Apex, businesses seeking to start construction or expand operations currently face a complicated permitting process. The delayed installation of utilities has stalled the growth of existing businesses in the Apex area. Additionally, the prolonged permitting process deters new investment and hinders economic development in North Las Vegas.

Removing bureaucratic delays by the Federal Government is necessary for the growth and prosperity of North Las Vegas.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Horsford and the entire Nevada delegation for their work on this issue. I support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, this legislation would support economic growth, create jobs, and attract new businesses to North Las Vegas by streamlining permitting and cutting Federal red tape. I commend Representative Horsford on this bill, and I urge its adoption.

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