HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-06-13 - AGENDA REPORTS - FEDERAL LEGISLATION: H.R. 1557 (2)0
Agenda Item: 6
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
Q) AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: 1
P441)
DATE: June 13, 2017
SUBJECT: FEDERAL LEGISLATION: H.R. 1557
DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office
PRESENTER: Michael Murphy
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council support H.R. 1557 and transmit position statements to Representative Steve Knight,
Representative Brad Sherman, Representative Adam Schiff, Representative Judy Chu, Senator
Dianne Feinstein, Senator Kamala Harris, members of applicable congressional committees, the
Secretary of the Interior, other Members of Congress, administration officials and interested
organizations, as appropriate.
BACKGROUND
United States Representative Steve Knight (R -CA -25) has introduced H.R. 1557, the Soledad
Canyon Consistency Act. The bi-partisan measure is co-sponsored by Representative Brad
Sherman (D -CA -30), Representative Adam Schiff (D -CA -28) and Representative Judy Chu (D-
CA -27). Subject to valid existing rights, the bill seeks to withdraw from mineral entry the site of
the two cancelled mining contracts (CA -20139 and CA -22901) between the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) and CEMEX.
On August 28, 2015, the United States Bureau of Land Management's California State Director
issued a formal Decision, terminating two mining contracts in Soledad Canyon that the agency
previously had with CEMEX. Those contracts authorized the extraction of 56,000,000 net tons
of sand and gravel on split estate; the surface estate owned by the City of Santa Clarita and the
underlying mineral estate owned by BLM.
CEMEX appealed the California State Director's Decision to the Department of the Interior's
Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA). To date, the IBLA has not rendered a final
determination regarding the appeal.
In the event that the contracts are ultimately extinguished, the Secretary of the Interior would
retain the ability to enter into new contracts, leasing agreements or other conveyance for the
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extraction of materials from the site. H.R. 1557 proposes to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior
from entering into any future contracts or agreements for mining at the Soledad Canyon location.
The bill withdraws from mineral entry approximately 640 acres of Bureau of Land Management
mineral estate.
Once the two cancelled mining contracts, CA -20139 and CA -22901, have been fully
extinguished and the site legislatively withdrawn from mineral entry, the City of Santa Clarita
(City) has expressed an interest in formally engaging with the federal government regarding the
City's ownership of approximately 493 acres of surface estate. The City -owned property is
immediately adjacent to the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and Angeles National
Forest. Preliminary discussions with the United States Forest Service suggest a high level of
interest in the site potentially being conveyed to the federal government and ultimately being
used for a visitor's center or northern gateway entry point into the national monument and
Angeles National Forest.
H.R. 1557 has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources' Subcommittee on
Federal Lands. No date has yet been set for a hearing on the bill.
The City Council is requested to support H.R. 1557.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
1. Take no position regarding H.R. 1557.
2. Oppose H.R. 1557.
3. Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
No additional resources beyond those contained within the approved City budget are required for
implementation of the recommeded action.
ATTACHMENTS
H.R. 1557, As Introduced 03-16-17
Soledad Canyon Map A 01-21-16
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115TIICONH• R• 1557
IST SESSIONSION
To withdraw certain lands in Los Angeles County, California, from entry,
appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 16, 2017
Mr. KNIGHT (for himself, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Mr. SCHIFF, and Mr.
SHERMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources
A BILL
To withdraw certain lands in Los Angeles County, California,
from entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public
land laws, and for other purposes.
1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
4 This Act may be cited as the "Soledad Canyon Con -
5 sistencyAct".
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1 SEC. 2. WITHDRAWAL OF CERTAIN LANDS IN LOS ANGELES
2 COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
3 (a) WITHDRAWAL FRCM MINERAL ENTRY.—Subject
4 to valid existing rights, if any, the lands described in sub -
5 section (b) are withdrawn from -
6 (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the
7 public land laws;
8 (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining
9 laws; and
10 (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral
11 materials, and geothermal leasing laws.
12 (b) LANDS DESCRIBED. -
13 (1) IN GENERAL.—The lands referred to in sub -
14 section (a) consist of approximately 640.16 acres de -
15 picted as "Soledad Canyon Sand & Gravel Mining
16 Project Site" on the Bureau of Land Management
17 map entitled "Soledad Canyon Map A" and dated
18 January 21, 2016.
19 (2) EFFECT.—The map referred to in para -
20 graph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if
21 included in this Act, except that the Secretary of the
22 Interior may correct minor errors in the map.
23 (3) AvAILABILITY.—The Secretary shall make
24 the map referred to in paragraph (1) available in the
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1 appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Manage -
2 ment.
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