H.R. 8686

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8686 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8686

To amend the Military Land Withdrawals Act of 2013 to withdraw and 
reserve certain public land in the vicinity of Yuma Proving Ground, 
Arizona.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 7, 2026

Mr. Gosar introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on 
Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Military Land Withdrawals Act of 2013 to withdraw and 
reserve certain public land in the vicinity of Yuma Proving Ground, 
Arizona.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. WITHDRAWAL AND RESERVATION OF LANDS LOCATED ON THE YUMA 
PROVING GROUND, ARIZONA, TO SUPPORT MILITARY READINESS 
AND SECURITY.

The Military Land Withdrawals Act of 2013 (title XXIX of Public Law 
113-66; 127 Stat. 1025) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subtitle:

``Subtitle H--Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona

``SEC. 2999B. WITHDRAWAL AND RESERVATION OF PUBLIC LAND.

``(a) Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights and except as 
otherwise provided in this subtitle, the public land (including 
interests in the land) described in subsection (b), and all other areas 
within the boundary of the land depicted on the map described in that 
subsection that may become subject to the operation of the public land 
laws, is withdrawn from--
``(1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under 
the public land laws;
``(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; 
and
``(3) disposition under all laws relating to mineral and 
geothermal leasing.
``(b) Description of Land.--The public land (including interests in 
the land) referred to in subsection (a) consists of--
``(1) the approximately 21,782.981 acres of Federal land--
``(A) generally depicted as `Highway 95 - Requested 
Withdrawal Area' on of the map titled `U.S. Army Yuma 
Proving Ground Withdrawal Highway 95 Withdrawal Area', 
sheet 2 of 3, dated March 12, 2025; and
``(B) excluding the approximately 800 acres of 
subsurface estate owned by the State of Arizona within 
the area generally depicted as `Surface Only 
Withdrawal/Subsurface Owned by Non-Federal Entity' on 
the map described in subparagraph (A); and
``(2) the approximately 249.29 acres of Federal land 
generally depicted as `Howard Cantonment - Requested Withdrawal 
Area' on the map titled `U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground 
Withdrawal Howard Cantonment Withdrawal Area', sheet 3 of 3, 
dated March 12, 2025.
``(c) Reservation; Purpose.--The land described in subsection (b) 
is reserved for use by the Secretary of the Army for the purposes 
specified in Public Land Order No. 848 of July 1, 1952, and as 
authorized under section 2914.

``SEC. 2999C. MANAGEMENT OF WITHDRAWN AND RESERVED LAND.

``(a) Applicable Laws.--The Secretary of the Interior shall manage 
the land withdrawn and reserved by section 2999B in accordance with--
``(1) subtitle A and this subtitle;
``(2) the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 
(43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and
``(3) any other applicable law.
``(b) Authorized Activities.--To the extent consistent with 
applicable law and Executive orders, the land withdrawn and reserved by 
section 2999B may be managed in a manner that permits the following 
activities:
``(1) Conservation of wildlife and wildlife habitat.
``(2) Preservation of cultural properties.
``(3) Management of wild horses and burros.
``(4) Control of predatory and other animals.
``(5) Recreation, public access, and hunting.
``(6) Prevention and appropriate suppression of brush and 
range fires resulting from non-military activities.
``(c) Nondefense Uses.--Subject to subsection (d), all nondefense-
related uses of the land withdrawn and reserved by section 2999B, shall 
be subject to any conditions and restrictions that the Secretary of the 
Interior and the Secretary of the Army jointly determine to be 
necessary to permit the defense-related use of the land for the 
purposes described in this section.
``(d) Issuance of Leases and Other Land Use Authorizations.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior shall be 
responsible for the issuance of any lease, easement, right-of-
way, permit, license, or other instrument authorized by law 
with respect to any activity that traverses both--
``(A) the public land withdrawn and reserved by 
section 2999B; and
``(B) any other land in the vicinity of the land 
withdrawn and reserved by section 2999B that is not 
under the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary 
of the Army.
``(2) Consent required.--Except as specified in section 
2999E, any lease, easement, right-of-way, permit, license, or 
other instrument issued under paragraph (1) shall--
``(A) only be issued with the consent of the 
Secretary of the Army; and
``(B) be subject to such conditions as the 
Secretary of the Army may require with respect to the 
land withdrawn and reserved by section 2999B.

``SEC. 2999D. ASSIGNMENT OF MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY TO SECRETARY OF 
THE ARMY.

``(a) Authority To Assign Management Responsibility.--The Secretary 
of the Interior may assign the management responsibilities for the land 
withdrawn and reserved by section 2999B to the Secretary of the Army.
``(b) Applicable Law.--On assignment of the management 
responsibility under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Army shall 
manage the land in accordance with--
``(1) subtitle A and this subtitle;
``(2) title I of the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C. 670a et seq.);
``(3) the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 
(43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.);
``(4) cooperative management arrangements entered into by 
the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of the Army; 
and
``(5) any other applicable law.

``SEC. 2999E. UTILITY CORRIDOR.

``(a) Issuance of Utility Rights-of-Way.--Notwithstanding 
subsections (c) and (d) of section 2999C, the Secretary of the Interior 
may issue rights-of-way within the Bureau of Land Management designated 
Parker-Blaisdell Utility Corridor under the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) for any critical 
regional-grid level utility infrastructure to include above-ground 
transmission lines, consistent with the Memorandum of Understanding 
between the United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land 
Management Yuma Field Office and United States Army Garrison Yuma 
Regarding the Yuma Proving Ground Highway 95 Withdrawal, dated February 
28, 2025.
``(b) Limitation on Delegation.--The authority to issue a right-of-
way under subsection (a) may not be delegated below the level of the 
Bureau of Land Management State Director.
``(c) Army Consent Not Required.--The decision to issue a right-of-
way under subsection (a) is not subject to consent by the Secretary of 
the Army; however, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with 
the Secretary of the Army, shall incorporate conditions in any right-
of-way issued under subsection (a) as much as practicable to minimize 
impacts to the mission of the Army.
``(d) Limitation.--The authority to issue rights-of-way under 
subsection (a) may not be assigned to the Secretary of the Army.

``SEC. 2999F. DURATION OF WITHDRAWAL AND RESERVATION.

``The withdrawal and reservation of public land made by section 
2999B shall be in effect for--
``(1) an indefinite period; or
``(2) until the Secretary of the Army determines that there 
is no longer a military need for the withdrawal and 
reservation.''.
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