← Back to Bills
H.R. 8850House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Apple Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area Establishment Act

Sponsored by Paul CookRep. Paul Cook (R-CA)
Introduced December 3, 2020

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 4:03 PM UTC

The Apple Valley Off‑Highway Vehicle Recreation Area Establishment Act directs the U.S. Interior Secretary to transfer about 4,630 acres of federal land in California to the town of Apple Valley. The land is to be used to create a public off‑road vehicle recreation park, including racing and training facilities, and to help keep off‑highway vehicles out of environmentally sensitive areas.

Key Provisions

  • Within five years of the law’s enactment, the Secretary of the Interior must convey the surface rights of the land to Apple Valley at no cost; mineral rights and any existing legal interests remain unchanged.
  • The town may use the land for public off‑highway vehicle recreation, such as a centralized park, races, competitive events, and related commercial services.
  • The town cannot sell or otherwise dispose of the land without approval from the Interior Secretary.
  • If the town fails to establish the recreation area or improperly disposes of the land within five years, the Secretary can reclaim the title for the United States.
  • The Interior Secretary may create a special management plan to promote safe off‑highway vehicle use on the area.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

1 earlier action
HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

December 3, 2020

View full timeline
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

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode
Latest
Raw Text PDF XML
Introduced in HouseIssued December 3, 2020

I

116th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 8850

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 Apple Valley, California.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Apple Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area Establishment Act.

2.

Conveyance for Apple Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Town

The term Town means the town of Apple Valley, California.

(2)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

(b)

Conveyance of Federal land to town

(1)

Conveyance required

Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall convey to the Town, without consideration, all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the surface estate of approximately 4,630 acres of land generally as Proposed Conveyance Area on the entitled Conveyance to the Town of Apple Valley and dated June 1, 2015. Such land shall be known and designated as the Apple Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area.

(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 Town 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 Town 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 Town 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 Town 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 Town has disposed of the conveyed land in violation of subsection (c)(3) or has failed to establish the off-road vehicle recreation park, 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.

(e)

Management plan

The Secretary may develop a special management plan for the Apple Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area to enhance the safe use of off-highway vehicles for recreational purposes.