H.R. 1499

La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act of 2021

This bill directs the Department of the Interior, after receiving a request from La Paz County, Arizona, to convey approximately 4,800 acres of identified land managed by the Bureau of Land Management to the county.

Interior shall exclude from the conveyance any federal land that contains significant cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational resources.

As a condition of the conveyance, La Paz County and any subsequent owner shall

• make good faith efforts to avoid disturbing tribal artifacts;
• minimize impacts on tribal artifacts if they are disturbed;
• coordinate with the Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal Historic Preservation Office to identify artifacts of cultural and historic significance; and
• allow tribal representatives to rebury unearthed artifacts at, or near, where they were discovered.

The federal land is withdrawn from the operation of U.S. mining and mineral leasing laws.