S.J.R. 4
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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 4–
COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
(ON BEHALF OF THE JOINT INTERIM STANDING
COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES)
PREFILED JANUARY 28, 2025
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Referred to Committee on Natural Resources
SUMMARY—Urges the Federal Government to support and
recognize certain land use planning principles when
conducting projects in this State. (BDR R-380)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
Effect on the State: No.
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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION—Urging the Federal Government
to support and recognize certain land use planning
principles when conducting projects in this State.
WHEREAS, Over 80 percent of the land in the State of Nevada is 1
owned by the Federal Government; and 2
WHEREAS, The public lands in the State of Nevada are managed 3
by a variety of federal agencies, including, the United States Bureau 4
of Land Management, the United States Forest Service, the United 5
States National Park Service, the United States Bureau of 6
Reclamation, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the 7
United States Department of Defense, including the United States 8
Army Corps of Engineers; and 9
WHEREAS, The high percentage of federally-owned lands in the 10
State of Nevada requires coordination between these federal 11
agencies, the State of Nevada, tribal governments and local 12
governments and communities when engaging in land use planning 13
in this State; and 14
WHEREAS, The Legislature has emphasized the importance in 15
land use planning of local leadership and knowledge along with 16
coordination with tribal and local governments; and 17
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WHEREAS, The Legislature has declared that the conservation 1
and development of renewable natural resources is best led and 2
directed by persons in local communities and, as such, has 3
authorized the creation of conservation districts, comprised of 4
members of local communities, to oversee certain projects and 5
measures relating to the conservation and development of renewable 6
natural resources within each conservation district; and 7
WHEREAS, The Legislature also passed the State and Local 8
Government Cooperation Act to encourage communication, 9
cooperation and coordinated working relationships between state 10
agencies and local governments; and 11
WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States has also 12
recognized in law the importance of consultation and coordination 13
with local communities by declaring that it is the policy of the 14
United States when conducting the land use planning process for 15
public lands and the resources of such public lands to coordinate 16
with other federal and state planning efforts; and 17
WHEREAS, A variety of federal laws that regulate federal actions 18
on public lands, including, without limitation, the National 19
Environmental Policy Act, the National Forest Management Act and 20
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act require federal 21
agencies to involve state, tribal and local governments and the 22
public in the process of evaluating federal actions on public lands; 23
and 24
WHEREAS, Managing public lands for multiple uses and 25
sustained yield are also important principles of land use planning as 26
these principles will best meet the needs of current and future 27
generations of Americans; and 28
WHEREAS, Federal law requires the Secretary of the Interior to 29
manage public lands under the principles of multiple use and 30
sustained yield and authorizes and directs the Secretary of 31
Agriculture to develop and administer the renewable surface 32
resources of the national forests for multiple use and sustained yield; 33
now, therefore, be it 34
RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF 35
NEVADA, JOINTLY, That the members of the 83rd Session of the 36
Nevada Legislature hereby urge the Federal Government to support 37
and recognize the following land use planning principles when 38
conducting projects in this State: 39
1. Actions on public lands in the State of Nevada should be led 40
and driven by the impacted local communities; 41
2. There must be coordination between federal, state, tribal and 42
local governments, including, without limitation, federal agencies: 43
(a) Providing early notification to the State of Nevada and 44
impacted tribal and local governments in the State; 45
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(b) Providing opportunities for meaningful input from the State 1
of Nevada and impacted tribal and local governments in the State; 2
(c) Remaining informed of the land use policies and plans of the 3
State of Nevada and impacted tribal and local governments in the 4
State and soliciting and considering the input of the State and 5
impacted tribal and local governments when interpreting these 6
policies and plans; and 7
(d) To the extent practicable, developing federal policies, plans 8
and actions that are consistent with the land use policies and plans 9
of the State of Nevada and impacted tribal and local governments; 10
and 11
3. Public lands must be managed for multiple uses while also 12
providing for the economic, social and environmental sustainability 13
of public lands; and be it further 14
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and 15
transmit a copy of this resolution to the President of the United 16
States, the Vice President of the United States as presiding officer of 17
the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of 18
Representatives, the United States Secretary of the Interior, the 19
United States Secretary of Agriculture, the Director of the United 20
States Bureau of Land Management, the Chief of the United States 21
Forest Service, the Director of the United States National Park 22
Service, the Commissioner of the United States Bureau of 23
Reclamation, the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife 24
Service, the Secretary of Defense of the United States Department 25
of Defense, each member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation 26
and the Governor of the State of Nevada; and be it further 27
RESOLVED, That this resolution becomes effective upon 28
passage. 29
H