H.R. 8848 – Twentynine Palms Outdoor Recreational Enhancement Act

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Updated April 14, 2026 at 4:03 PM UTC

The Twentynine Palms Outdoor Recreational Enhancement Act directs the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to transfer a specific parcel of federal surface land in California to the City of Twentymine Palms, free of charge. The city may use the land for public off‑road vehicle recreation, including a park, races, and training, but cannot sell or otherwise dispose of it without Interior approval. The transfer excludes any mineral rights, and the city must use the land for the stated purposes or risk the land reverting to the federal government within five years.

Key Provisions

The Secretary of the Interior must convey the identified federal surface estate to the City of Twentynine Palms within five years of the law’s enactment, with no payment required.
The conveyance does not include any mineral rights and is subject to any existing valid rights on the land.
The city may use the land only for public off‑road vehicle recreation purposes, such as a centralized park, races, training, and related commercial services, and to help protect environmentally sensitive areas.
The city cannot sell or otherwise dispose of the land without prior approval from the Secretary of the Interior.
If the city misuses the land or violates the disposal restriction within five years, the Secretary may reclaim the title; after five years, any reversionary interest is released.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

December 3, 2020

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

December 3, 2020

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

December 3, 2020

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued December 3, 2020

I

116th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 8848

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 3, 2020

Mr. Cook introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To convey certain Federal land in California to Twentynine Palms, California.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Twentynine Palms Outdoor Recreational Enhancement Act.

2.

Conveyance for City of Twentynine Palms

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

City

The term City means the city of Twentynine Palms, California.

(2)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

(b)

Conveyance of federal land to city

(1)

Conveyance required

At the request of the city of Twentynine Palms, California, not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall convey to the City, without consideration, all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the surface estate of the land generally as Proposed Conveyance to Twentynine Palms on the map entitled Proposed Conveyance to Twentynine Palms and dated September 18, 2015.

(2)

Existing rights and mineral estate

The conveyance under this subsection—

(A)

is subject to valid existing rights; and

(B)

does not include the mineral estate.

(c)

Use of conveyed land

(1)

In general

The land conveyed under subsection (b) may be used by the City for any public purpose authorized in paragraph (2), consistent with the Act of June 14, 1926 (commonly known as the Recreation and Public Purposes Act; 43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.).

(2)

Authorized purposes

The purposes of the conveyance under subsection (b) are to permit the City to use the conveyed land to provide—

(A)

a suitable location for the establishment of a centralized off-road vehicle recreation park;

(B)

the public with opportunities for off-road vehicle recreation, including a location for races, competitive events, training, and other commercial services that directly support a centralized off-road vehicle recreation area and City park; and

(C)

a designated area and facilities that would discourage unauthorized use of off-highway vehicles in areas that have been identified by the Federal Government, the State of California, or the County of San Bernardino as containing environmentally sensitive land.

(3)

Disposal prohibited

The land conveyed under subsection (b) may not be disposed of by the City without the approval of the Secretary of the Interior.

(d)

Temporary reversionary interest

During the 5-year period beginning on the date of the conveyance of the land under subsection (b), if the Secretary of the Interior determines that the City has disposed of the conveyed land in violation of subsection (c)(3) or has failed to use the land for the authorized purposes laid out in subsection (c)(2), title to the land shall revert to the United States, at the option of the Secretary. At the end of the 5-year period, the Secretary shall release the reversionary interest.