Sloan Hills Withdrawal Act

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, May 18, 2011, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the following bills:

S. 220, to provide for the restoration of forest landscapes, protection of old growth forests, and management of national forests in the eastside forests of the State of Oregon;

S. 270, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Federal land to Deschutes County, Oregon;

S. 271, to require the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into a property conveyance with the city of Wallowa, Oregon, and for other purposes;

S. 278, to provide for the exchange of certain land located in the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forests in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes;

S. 292, to resolve the claims of the Bering Straits Native Corporation and the State of Alaska to land adjacent to Salmon Lake in the State of Alaska and to provide for the conveyance to the Bering Straits Native Corporation of certain other public land in partial satisfaction of the land entitlement of the Corporation under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act;

S. 322, to expand the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in the State of Washington, to designate the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River and Pratt River as wild and scenic rivers, and for other purposes;

S. 382, to amend the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 to clarify the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture regarding additional recreational uses of National Forest System land that is subject to ski area permits, and for other purposes;

S. 427, to withdraw certain land located in Clark County, Nevada, from location, entry, and patent under the mining laws and disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials, and for other purposes;

S. 526, to provide for the conveyance of certain Bureau of Land Management land in Mohave County, Arizona, to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, for use as a public shooting range;

S. 566, to provide for the establishment of the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System;

S. 590, to convey certain submerged lands to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in order to give that territory the same benefits in its submerged lands as Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa have in their submerged lands;

S. 607, to designate certain land in the State of Oregon as wilderness, to provide for the exchange of certain Federal land and non-Federal land, and for other purposes;

S. 617, to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Federal land to Elko County, Nevada, and to take land into trust for the Te-moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada, and for other purposes;

S. 683, to provide for the conveyance of certain parcels of land to the town of Mantua, Utah;

S. 684, to provide for the conveyance of certain parcels of land to the town of Alta, Utah;

S. 667, to establish the Rio Grande del Norte National Conservation Area in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes;

S. 729, to validate final patent number 27-2005-0081, and for other purposes;

S. 766, to provide for the designation of the Devil's Staircase Wilderness Area in the State of Oregon, to designate segments of Wasson and Franklin Creeks in the State of Oregon as wild rivers, and for other purposes;

S. 896, to amend the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 to expand the authorization of the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, and the Interior to provide service opportunities for young Americans; help restore the nation's natural, cultural, historic, archaeological, recreational and scenic resources; train a new generation of public land managers and enthusiasts; and promote the value of public service; and

S. 897, to amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to clarify that uncertified States and Indian tribes have the authority to use certain payments for certain noncoal reclamation projects.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Scott Miller or Allison Seyferth.

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the following bills:

S. 233, to withdraw certain Federal land and interests in that land from location, entry, and patent under the mining laws and disposition under the mineral and geothermal leasing laws;

S. 375, to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with State foresters authorizing State foresters to provide certain forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration and protection services;

S. 714, to reauthorize the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act, and for other purposes; and

S. 730, to provide for the settlement of certain claims under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and for other purposes.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Scott Miller or Allison Seyferth.

Mr. President, I rise today with my good friend Senator Ensign to introduce the Sloan Hills Withdrawal Act of 2010.

For nearly a decade, there has been heated debate over a proposal to permit a sand and gravel mine on public lands next door to a Henderson community with over 13,000 residents--many of whom are retired seniors. Local citizens have voiced serious safety and community health concerns about the mine. I have listened to their concerns and share their opposition to the mine.

That is why I am re-introducing legislation to stop the development of the proposed 640-acre gravel pit by withdrawing the area from location, entry, and patent under the mining laws and disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral materials. This legislation ensures the safety of Nevadans and puts an end to this proposed mining operation once and for all.

The opposition to the proposed gravel mine is overwhelming. I have received petitions with thousands--literally thousands--of signatures from people who are up in arms over the proposed gravel mine because of its potential effect on the health of residents and the toll that operations would have on an otherwise peaceful community. The project would be located on federal land, so local governments are limited in their ability to influence the outcome of the Sloan Hills proposal. It is clear, though, that the location envisioned for this project is not in the best interests of our community.

Despite strong local opposition, the Bureau of Land Management has undertaken an evaluation of the proposed gravel operation at Sloan Hills. If approved, the resulting mine would blast rock, crush gravel, kick up dust, and consume precious water resources up to twenty-four hours a day, every day, for thirty years. This would all be done just a stone's throw away from peaceful Henderson neighborhoods. Residents are justifiably worried that this project will reduce their home values, harm their health, and impact their overall quality of life.

Most troublesome to Henderson residents are large clouds of fine particulate matter that would be generated by mining activities at the Sloan Hills site. This dust pollution, kicked up by the proposed gravel operation, could exacerbate air quality challenges in the Las Vegas Valley and would be particularly troublesome for the nearby, age- restricted communities--home to many seniors already suffering from respiratory problems.

This bill is important to me and to the people of southern Nevada. I want to thank Steve Sisolak, vice chair of the Clark County Commission, for all his hard work championing this issue in Southern Nevada. Keeping our communities safe, healthy, and livable is critical.

I appreciate your help and I look forward to working with Chairman Bingaman, Ranking Member Murkowski and the other distinguished members of the Senate Energy Committee to move this legislation forward in the near future.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I rise today with my good friend Senator Ensign to introduce the Sloan Hills Withdrawal Act of 2010.

For nearly a decade, there has been heated debate over a proposal to permit a sand and gravel mine on public lands next door to a Henderson community with over 13,000 residents--many of whom are retired seniors. Local citizens have voiced serious safety and community health concerns about the mine. I have listened to their concerns and share their opposition to the mine.

That is why I am re-introducing legislation to stop the development of the proposed 640-acre gravel pit by withdrawing the area from location, entry, and patent under the mining laws and disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral materials. This legislation ensures the safety of Nevadans and puts an end to this proposed mining operation once and for all.

The opposition to the proposed gravel mine is overwhelming. I have received petitions with thousands--literally thousands--of signatures from people who are up in arms over the proposed gravel mine because of its potential effect on the health of residents and the toll that operations would have on an otherwise peaceful community. The project would be located on federal land, so local governments are limited in their ability to influence the outcome of the Sloan Hills proposal. It is clear, though, that the location envisioned for this project is not in the best interests of our community.

Despite strong local opposition, the Bureau of Land Management has undertaken an evaluation of the proposed gravel operation at Sloan Hills. If approved, the resulting mine would blast rock, crush gravel, kick up dust, and consume precious water resources up to twenty-four hours a day, every day, for thirty years. This would all be done just a stone's throw away from peaceful Henderson neighborhoods. Residents are justifiably worried that this project will reduce their home values, harm their health, and impact their overall quality of life.

Most troublesome to Henderson residents are large clouds of fine particulate matter that would be generated by mining activities at the Sloan Hills site. This dust pollution, kicked up by the proposed gravel operation, could exacerbate air quality challenges in the Las Vegas Valley and would be particularly troublesome for the nearby, age- restricted communities--home to many seniors already suffering from respiratory problems.

This bill is important to me and to the people of southern Nevada. I want to thank Steve Sisolak, vice chair of the Clark County Commission, for all his hard work championing this issue in Southern Nevada. Keeping our communities safe, healthy, and livable is critical.

I appreciate your help and I look forward to working with Chairman Bingaman, Ranking Member Murkowski and the other distinguished members of the Senate Energy Committee to move this legislation forward in the near future.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.