Library / Laws / 113th / s / S. 25 / Reported in Senate
II
Calendar No. 46
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 25
[Report No. 113–15]
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 22
(legislative day, January 3), 2013
Mr. Hatch (for himself
and Mr. Lee) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources
April 22, 2013
Reported by Mr. Wyden,
without amendment
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain
Federal features of the electric distribution system to the South Utah Valley
Electric Service District, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
South Utah Valley Electric Conveyance
Act.
2.
Definitions
In this Act:
(1)
District
The
term District means the South Utah Valley Electric Service
District, organized under the laws of the State of Utah.
(2)
Electric
distribution system
The term Electric Distribution
System means fixtures, irrigation, or power facilities lands,
distribution fixture lands, and shared power poles.
(3)
Fixtures
The
term fixtures means all power poles, cross-members, wires,
insulators and associated fixtures, including substations, that—
(A) comprise those
portions of the Strawberry Valley Project power distribution system that are
rated at a voltage of 12.5 kilovolts and were constructed with Strawberry
Valley Project revenues; and
(B) any such fixtures
that are located on Federal lands and interests in lands.
(4)
Irrigation or
power facilities lands
The term irrigation or power
facilities lands means all Federal lands and interests in lands where
the fixtures are located on the date of the enactment of this Act and which are
encumbered by other Strawberry Valley Project irrigation or power features,
including lands underlying the Strawberry Substation.
(5)
Distribution
fixture lands
The term
distribution fixture lands means all Federal lands and interests
in lands where the fixtures are located on the date of the enactment of this
Act and which are unencumbered by other Strawberry Valley Project features, to
a maximum corridor width of 30 feet on each side of the centerline of the
fixtures’ power lines as those lines exist on the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(6)
Shared power
poles
The term shared power poles means poles that
comprise those portions of the Strawberry Valley Project Power Transmission
System, that are rated at a voltage of 46.0-kilovolts, are owned by the United
States, and support fixtures of the Electric Distribution System.
(7)
Secretary
The
term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
3.
Conveyance of
Electric Distribution System
(a)
In
general
Inasmuch as the Strawberry Water Users Association
conveyed its interest, if any, in the Electric Distribution System to the
District by a contract dated April 7, 1986, and in consideration of the
District assuming from the United States all liability for administration,
operation, maintenance, and replacement of the Electric Distribution System,
the Secretary shall, as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this
Act and in accordance with applicable law, convey and assign to the District
without charge or further consideration—
(1) all of the United
States right, title, and interest in and to—
(A) all fixtures owned
by the United States as part of the Electric Distribution System; and
(B) the distribution
fixture land;
(2) license for use in
perpetuity of the shared power poles to continue to own, operate, maintain, and
replace Electric Distribution Fixtures attached to the shared power poles;
and
(3) licenses for use and for access in
perpetuity for purposes of operation, maintenance, and replacement across,
over, and along—
(A) all project lands
and interests in irrigation and power facilities lands where the Electric
Distribution System is located on the date of the enactment of this Act that
are necessary for other Strawberry Valley Project facilities (the ownership of
such underlying lands or interests in lands shall remain with the United
States), including lands underlying the Strawberry Substation; and
(B) such corridors
where Federal lands and interests in lands—
(i) are
abutting public streets and roads; and
(ii) can
provide access that will facilitate operation, maintenance, and replacement of
facilities.
(b)
Compliance with
environmental laws
(1)
In
general
Before conveying lands, interest in lands, and fixtures
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall comply with all applicable
requirements under—
(A) the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.);
(B) the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); and
(C) any other law
applicable to the land and facilities.
(2)
Effect
Nothing
in this Act modifies or alters any obligations under—
(A) the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); or
(B) the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
(c)
Power Generation
and 46kV Transmission Facilities Excluded
Except for the uses as
granted by license in Shared Power Poles under section 3(a)(2), nothing in this
Act shall be construed to grant or convey to the District or any other party,
any interest in any facilities shared or otherwise that comprise a portion of
the Strawberry Valley Project power generation system or the federally owned
portions of the 46 kilovolt transmission system which ownership shall remain in
the United States.
4.
Effect of
conveyance
On conveyance of
any land or facility under section 3(a)(1)—
(1) the conveyed and
assigned land and facilities shall no longer be part of a Federal reclamation
project;
(2) the District shall
not be entitled to receive any future Bureau or Reclamation benefits with
respect to the conveyed and assigned land and facilities, except for benefits
that would be available to other non-Bureau of Reclamation facilities;
and
(3) the United States
shall not be liable for damages arising out of any act, omission, or occurrence
relating to the land and facilities, including the transaction of April 7,
1986, between the Strawberry Water Users Association and the Strawberry
Electric Service District.
5.
Report
If a conveyance required under section 3 is
not completed by the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall, not later than 30 days after that date, submit
to Congress a report that—
(1) describes the
status of the conveyance;
(2) describes any
obstacles to completing the conveyance; and
(3) specifies an
anticipated date for completion of the conveyance.
April 22, 2013
Reported without amendment