By: Dep. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt

The Washington Post

A modern vision of conservation is one that uses federalism, public-private partnerships and market-based solutions to achieve sound stewardship. These approaches, combined with sensible regulations and the best available science, will achieve the greatest good in the longest term.

Last month, the Trump administration took this approach to bringing our government’s implementation of the Endangered Species Act into the 21st century. We asked ourselves how we can enhance conservation of our most imperiled wildlife while delivering good government for our citizens. We found room for improvement in the administration of the act.

When Congress created the Endangered Species Act, it built a tiered classification for our most at-risk wildlife, designing different protections for “endangered” and “threatened” species. The act was designed to give endangered species the most stringent protections while affording federal agencies the authority to tailor special rules for lower-risk, threatened species on a case-by-case basis.

It may surprise most Americans, however, that the highest level of protection is often applied, regardless of the classification, through application of a “blanket rule.” The use of this rule by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service automatically elevates protections for threatened species to the same level as those given to endangered species.

But automatically treating the threatened species as endangered places unnecessary regulatory burden on our citizens without additional benefit to the species. The blanket rule reflexively prohibits known habitat management practices, such as selective forest thinning and water management, that might ultimately benefit a threatened species.

We need creative, incentive-based conservation, but that becomes impossible with the current blurring of the lines between the two distinctions. This muddle discourages collaborative conservation from the parties we most need to partner with us — states, tribes and private landowners — ultimately harming species that can thrive with a more tailored approach.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a federal agency that also administers the act, understands this. NOAA has never employed a “blanket rule,” and we propose to follow this approach.

The Endangered Species Act provides intensive care for the species with the greatest need in order to ensure they survive for future generations. Like with a hospital’s intensive care unit, the goal is not to keep patients there forever. The goal is recovery — to send the healthier patients home where they can continue to receive the lower level of care they still need.

The criterion for admission to a hospital’s ICU is the same as it is for discharge: critical need. The same principle applies to the act, but over the years, the standards for down-listing (from endangered to threatened) and altogether delisting a species have been pushed higher than the standards for initially granting protection under the act.

We are proposing to clarify that the standards for listing and delisting are identical. With limited resources, we cannot and should not keep recovered species on the list forever. We must return conservation management back to the capable hands of the states and focus our federal protections and resources on those species that need them most.

These changes are just some in a series of proposals that will improve the administration of the Endangered Species Act, encouraging collaborative conservation and leveraging flexibility to incorporate innovation.

We are also clarifying the meaning of certain terms that are in the act itself but not defined. For example, the law allows us to list species as threatened when they are likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future, but it does not explain what “foreseeable future” means. We aim to provide the public and our federal agencies with a universal language that will increase regulatory certainty.

In addition, we want to keep everyday Americans apprised of the impact the government’s work will have on them. We will continue to consider only the best scientific and commercial data in our listing determinations, as required by the act. But collecting data about the economic impacts of a species listing and presenting it to the public increase transparency — a hallmark of good government.

This is the first step in a deliberative process. Rather than allowing special-interest groups to start and end the debate, we will give everyone — including the local voice and the rural voice — an opportunity to have their say. We have kicked off a 60-day public-comment period, after which we will evaluate the feedback and move forward, making adjustments where appropriate.

Familiar faces have come out in opposition to the proposal, which is no surprise, though sadly, much of their response has been hyperbolic and unhelpful in promoting constructive discussion. But they, too, should submit their ideas, because the status quo is unacceptable for everyone — including the various species of flora and fauna that merit the act’s protection.

###

Charred landscapes, torched buildings and the loss of property and life. These are the consequences of massive wildfires. Most Americans in the Eastern United States aren’t acquainted with this type of destruction. However, these scenes are all too familiar for those of us who live in the West.

Congress and the U.S. Forest Service have the opportunity now to stop catastrophic wildfires before they start. This is not some pie-in-the-sky hyperbole coming from Washington. It’s a realistic goal, achievable by using proven science to manage our country’s forests.

Most important, these practices have already been approved by the House of Representatives. We’ve simply been waiting for the Senate to get its act together and move these reforms to the president’s desk.

Wildfires are fierce, unpredictable and unforgiving, but they are also preventable. Proper forest management is key. The Forest Service is tasked with the big job of managing our forests, but it has had a lackluster record when it comes to preventing wildfires. Nearly 6 million acres were ravaged by fires last year, which is about the size of Maryland. We keep losing millions of acres each year because of defunct forest management. Lives and livelihoods are destroyed by these natural disasters, and our natural resources are being depleted.

While some believe an unfettered forest is progress, it’s really a recipe for greater disaster. Wildfires kill. They tear communities apart and obliterate local economies. Just look at the Carr fire in California, which is still burning. It has killed seven people and destroyed over 177,000 acres. Nature isn’t kind. We have an obligation to steward our forests so humans and forests flourish simultaneously.

The House has already taken bold, bipartisan steps in this direction. Last year, it passed the Resilient Federal Forests Act, introduced by my colleague Bruce Westerman, R-Ark. This bill gave the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management the tools they requested to limit catastrophic wildfires. Unfortunately, the Senate didn’t let this bill see the light of day, a recurring theme with the Senate.

In the 115th Congress, the House has passed more than 400 bills still stuck in the Senate because of arcane and ridiculous procedural rules. Meanwhile, the West continues to burn.

Congress still has time to do the right thing and enact real reforms. This year’s farm bill provides a vehicle for major policy changes. The conferees working on the farm bill must integrate active forest management practices into the overarching piece of legislation. These practices use techniques such as controlled burns and strategic thinning of overgrowth and dead trees so devastating fires are stopped before they start. Funding for forest rehabilitation projects is also extremely important. Scorched land won’t heal quickly by itself. Forest managers will need tools to help bring recovery to damaged forests. If implemented, these practices and funds will help keep our forests healthy and thriving.

The legislative clock is ticking as we enter election season. If we fail, the catastrophic wildfires will keep burning. We must not allow the sacrifice of American land and lives to continue simply because the Senate lacks the political will to do what is right. Meaningful forestry reform is within our grasp. Let’s get the job done and help our country’s forests thrive once again.

U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop represents Utah's 1st Congressional District and is the chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources.

###

By: U.S. Reps. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) and Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.)

The Hill

Years of increasing visitation and flat funding have left many of our national parks full of potholes, crumbling bridges, leaky water pipes and faltering power grids. Our parks have been “loved to death,” as Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke quipped a few months ago. While this is a good problem to have, it’s still a problem, and Congress should start doing its part to help fix it.

In one way or another, Americans from all regions of the country are familiar with our national parks. They are treasured landscapes. They have a special place for communities who live near their boundaries and share a deep history with the landscape. They are revered by millions of Americans who travel far from home to encounter these surreal wonders. These areas provide more than just a good vacation spot – they help define the American experience.

That experience is being threatened. The National Park Service (NPS) maintenance backlog is nearly $12 billion, and that figure isn’t getting smaller on its own. There’s enough blame to go around for this: Congress and several presidential administrations have allowed lands designated by Congress as icons of ecological or historical importance to languish.

The good news is that bipartisanship isn’t quite dead yet, and we’re working together to fix this problem. We’re introducing a bipartisan bill today that creates the National Park Service and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund. This fund puts us on the pathway toward eliminating the backlog, restoring these treasured lands and expanding quality access and enjoyment for Americans from all regions and walks of life.

The bill dedicates revenue from mineral extraction on federal lands and in federal waters to address the maintenance backlogs of the NPS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Indian Education schools. This same revenue stream is used now to support the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and our bill adds maintenance and repair work at national parks and public lands to the list of projects eligible for this dedicated funding. Continuing to use mineral royalties to support public lands makes sense for the long term. A $12 billion backlog won’t be overcome overnight, especially if funding is held hostage by Washington politics.    

How does this work in practice? It’s simple, and we’re hoping its simplicity will help us build a coalition of support. The new maintenance fund will receive 50 percent of all revenue the federal government receives from energy production on both federal lands and waters, not already allocated to LWCF or other programs. While the vast majority of this funding comes from onshore and offshore oil drilling, a portion comes from alternative and renewable energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower. Ultimately, this new fund will help our federal land management agencies aggressively reduce their maintenance backlogs and improve species restoration, environmental stewardship and resource management.

This legislation comes at the right time: our national parks are getting more popular every year. The maintenance backlog poses a real threat to this upward trend. Our bipartisan bill is a chance for some unity on a problem the American people want us to solve.
If we want millions of people to continue visiting and enjoying our national parks – and making return trips to celebrate our shared history and love of the natural world – we have to put our money where our mouth is, work together and move forward to reduce the backlog. Allowing our parks to crumble is simply not an option.

Our national parks are the crown jewels of our public lands, and the Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund will help ensure they remain the crown jewel for decades to come.

Rob Bishop is chairman of the Natural Resources Committee. Grijalva is ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee

                                                                                                               ###

Today, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) and Committee Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) introduced the bipartisan, Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act, establishing the National Park Service and Public Lands Restoration Fund.

“Our parks are national treasures. Let’s start treating them that way. This bipartisan bill will put us on the path to improving our parks for future generations,” Bishop said.

“The idea of dedicating energy development funds to conservation goes back to the creation of the Land and Water Conservation Fund in 1964. I’m pleased to join Chairman Bishop to add overdue maintenance and repair work at national parks and public lands to the list of projects eligible for this dedicated funding. Chairman Bishop and I share a commitment to providing visitors, both now and in the future, a world-class parks system,” Grijalva said.

H.R._____ would address the deferred maintenance backlog by utilizing federal energy development revenue not otherwise allocated for other purposes. It also protects payments to states, GOMESA, LWCF, Reclamation Fund, and all other existing uses of onshore and offshore revenues.

Stakeholder support for the legislation includes:

“National Parks are the backbone of the federal recreation system. For far too long these treasures have not received the care and attention worthy of America’s ‘Best Idea’. Rep. Bishop’s bipartisan legislation to address the multi-billion dollar maintenance backlog is the type of action and leadership needed for the Parks to thrive for the next 100 years and beyond.” – Fred Ferguson, vice president of government relations of Vista Outdoor

“Our National Park System serves as a living testament to our commitment to conservation and recreation. It is also a key economic engine for neighboring gateway counties. Visitors to national parks contribute billions of dollars to the economy, and support over 300,000 jobs nationwide. The quality of the visitor experience on public lands directly impacts economic growth in gateway counties. We support this bipartisan effort by Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva to tackle the federal lands deferred maintenance backlog, ensure greater recreational access and improve economic opportunities for public lands counties.” – Matthew Chase, executive director of the National Association of Counties

“We applaud Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva’s bipartisan efforts to address the backlog of critical projects in our National Parks and public lands of the BLM and FWS through the Restore our Parks & Public Lands Act. The nation’s 130 Service & Conservation Corps and our 25,000 youth and veteran Corpsmembers work to address public lands maintenance needs in order to expand access to recreation opportunities, improve the visitor experience and fish and wildlife habitat, and preserve infrastructure. Americans expect and deserve their public lands, which their taxes support, to be in a good condition when they visit. We look forward to working with the sponsors, Secretary Zinke, and other supporters of our public lands, to spread the word in Congress about this important bill and sign it in to law.” – Mary Ellen Sprenkel, president and CEO of The Corps Network

“The Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act represents a collaborative, bipartisan, and bicameral effort to address the $11.6 billion deferred maintenance backlog of the National Park Service, along with other federal agencies, which threatens some of our nation’s most iconic historic resources and cultural artifacts. We commend Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) and the original cosponsors for their leadership and commitment to reliable and dedicated funding that would enable the National Park Service to save important resources currently at risk from permanent damage or loss.” – Stephanie Meeks, president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

“Our country’s national parks hold some of America’s most precious natural and cultural resources from the rocky coastlines of Acadia to the Navajo sandstone cliffs of Zion. Unfortunately, due to years of funding shortfalls, our most treasured places are plagued by outdated water infrastructure, crumbling trails and decaying park facilities across the National Park System – nearly $12 billion in needed repairs. Millions of Americans visit our parks annually and expect great experiences when there. Today, with the introduction of the Restore our Parks and Public Lands Act, Congress is one step closer to ensuring that our parks can continue to provide safe conditions for visitors, while also protecting the resources that help tell our shared American story.” – Theresa Pierno, president and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association

“The effort to find a compromise to fix our parks is not only bipartisan; now it is also bicameral. Pew applauds Representatives Rob Bishop, Raul Grijalva and their colleagues for collaborating on this proposal, which combines the best of previous deferred-maintenance bills and provides significant and consistent funding to address the backlog.” – Marcia Argust, director of Pew Charitable Trusts’ Restore America’s Parks campaign

"For years, veterans with The Mission Continues have continued their mission of service in national parks across the country, rebuilding camping platforms, demolishing old structures, and building benches and comfort stations for visitors. It is through this impact in parks that veterans experience personal growth and connectedness, and our work will continue tirelessly. We are proud to support bipartisan legislation that leads to much-needed maintenance and infrastructure improvements in our national parks, knowing that this funding will make our work more impactful and our parks more sustainable." – Mary Beth Bruggeman, vice president of program strategy for The Mission Continues

“America’s national parks are major attractions for visitors from far and near. In 2017 alone, visitors to national parks spent $18 billion in gateway communities, which supported thousands of local jobs and fueled nearby businesses, like restaurants, hotels and retail shops. It is critical to preserve and protect our national parks to benefit generations to come, and the Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act will help to do just that by providing a dedicated and reliable source of funding to maintain and repair our nation’s parks. We thank Congressman Bishop and Congressman Grijalva for introducing this bill and for their support of America’s travel and tourism industry.” – Tori Barnes, senior vice president of government relations for the U.S. Travel Association

"The Public Lands Alliance believes that America's parks, wildlife refuges, conservation areas, and public lands require a dedicated, reliable, and sizeable funding source to substantially address their existing maintenance backlog. PLA applauds the bipartisan Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act for doing just that, while emphasizing critical improvements to public lands access, safety, recreation, and enjoyment. Investments created through the Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act can help inspire continued private support for historic preservation, trail restoration, and other infrastructure needs that enhance the visitor experience." – Dan Puskar, executive director of Public Lands Alliance

"New Mexico has firsthand experience with the seriousness of deferred and underfunded maintenance. Fact is, it took three years (from 2015 - 2018) to simply get an elevator fixed at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.  This left thousands of visitors without means to experience one of the natural jewels here in the Land of Enchantment. The Restore our Parks and Lands Act, with designated funds for such issues, is welcome news for our state and seeing party politics put aside for the good of our nation is even better. New Mexico Business Coalition applauds the bi-partisan leadership of Chairman Rob Bishop and Ranking Congressman Grijalva from the House Committee on Natural Resources in sponsoring this important legislation." – Carla Sonntag, president of the New Mexico Business Coalition  

###

Today, the House passed H.R. 2630 (U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.), H.R. 3045 (U.S. Rep. Luke Messer, R-Ind.), H.R. 5979 (U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky.), H.R. 6077 (U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y.), H.R. 5613 (U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Kan.), S. 2850 (U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.), H.R. 5875 (U.S. Rep. Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam), and H.R. 1220 (U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Massachusetts). Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) issued the following statement:

“These bills increase access to our public lands and ensure that the government is properly caring for the land it already manages. I hope the Senate will act quickly to send these pieces of legislation to the president,” Bishop stated. 

H.R. 2630, the La Paz County Land Conveyance Act, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land to La Paz County, Arizona.

H.R. 3045, the Eastern Legacy Extension Act, amends the National Trails System Act to extend the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail to 4,900 miles, from the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon.

H.R. 5979, the Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument Act, establishes the Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument in the State of Kentucky as a unit of the National Park System.

H.R. 6077, the National Comedy Center Recognition Act, recognizes that the National Comedy Center, located in Jamestown, New York, is the only museum of its kind that exists for the exclusive purpose of celebrating comedy in all its forms, and officially designates the National Comedy Center as the National Comedy Center.

H.R. 5613, the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark Act, designates the Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City, Kansas, as a National Historic Landmark.

S. 2850 amends the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2010 to specify that settlement funds may be used for the planning, design, and construction of the tribe's rural water system.

H.R. 5875 amends the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and the Dingell-Johnson Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, provides parity for United States territories and the District of Columbia, and makes technical corrections to such Acts and related laws.

H.R. 1220 amends the Act that authorized the Adams Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work in Washington, DC, to honor John Adams and his legacy to, instead, establish the Adams Memorial Commission to establish a permanent memorial in DC for such purpose.

###

By Miranda Green

The Hill

The Department of Defense is clarifying its stance on a controversial amendment in the House National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would keep a species of bird from being listed as endangered in the next ten years.

In a statement Thursday the DOD walked back previous recommendations that leaked Wednesday that appeared to show the agency was against the amendment first proposed by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah), Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.

"The Administration, the Defense Department, and the Interior Department support the provision in question and believe that it could help the Department avoid any negative readiness impacts on military facilities should the species be listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act," Pete Giambastiani, principal deputy assistant Secretary of Defense for legislative affairs said in a statement.

The response is turn around from the leaked recommendations circulated Wednesday between the Defense Department and House committees.

In those recommendations, the agency wrote that it objects to the addition and "urges its exclusion."

"The Department objects to the House provision and urges its exclusion, because it is not necessary to protect military testing and training and is therefore not appropriate for inclusion in the NDAA," the statement read.

"Inclusion of the provision misleadingly implies that the DOD has had or may have difficulty managing for these species without degrading military testing and training. That is simply not the case."

The species of bird, called the sage grouse, has long been a point of contention between landowners and conservationists who have pushed for it to be listed on the Endangered Species Act.

By Matthew Daly

The Associated Press

In an abrupt reversal, the Pentagon said Thursday it supports a Republican proposal in a defense policy bill that would bar the Fish and Wildlife Service from using the Endangered Species Act to protect two chicken-like birds in the western half of the U.S.

In an email to Congress, a top Pentagon official said the proposal could help avoid any “negative readiness impacts on military facilities” that might result from listing the sage grouse and lesser-prairie chicken as endangered.

The statement by Pete Giambastiani, a legislative affairs aide, directly repudiates comments Wednesday by Pentagon officials calling the GOP proposal unnecessary. The House-approved language would block endangered-species listing for the two birds for 10 years.

The birds have become flashpoints in an ongoing battle over whether they warrant federal protection that hinders mining and other development from Kansas to California.

In a one-paragraph position paper made public Wednesday, the Pentagon said the GOP provision was “not necessary to protect military testing and training” and said the department “urges its exclusion” from the defense bill being negotiated by House and Senate leaders.

Lucian Niemeyer, assistant secretary of defense for energy, installations and environment, said Wednesday that military installations are “not experiencing significant mission impacts related to the management” of the sage grouse, lesser-prairie chicken or the American burying beetle, another threatened species targeted by the GOP bill.

Giambastiani, in his email Thursday, challenged the accuracy of Niemeyer’s statement.

“The administration, the Defense Department and the Interior Department support the provision in question and believe that it could help the department avoid any negative readiness impacts on military facilities should the species be listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act,” he wrote. “Importantly, several vital military installations are impacted by sage grouse populations in, around or underneath the airspace used by the Department of Defense on a daily basis.”

Alex Thompson, a spokeswoman for the Wilderness Society, said the GOP bill would “undermine collaborative, bipartisan efforts of Western states and federal agencies by binding the hands of federal agencies to exercise authority under the Endangered Species Act” to protect the sage grouse and lesser-prairie chicken.

“This attempted end-run around congressional authorizing committee jurisdictions has drawn furious opposition” from veterans and sportsmen groups across the country, Thompson said, vowing to fight against the GOP plan.

Utah Rep. Rob Bishop inserted the endangered-species language into the defense policy bill, arguing that federal conservation efforts for the imperiled birds and the beetle undermine military training and readiness.

A 2015 report by the Army says land-use restrictions designed to protect the sage grouse could affect operations at a number of Western sites, including the Yakima Training Center in Washington state and Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada.

Today, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) sent a letter to Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló, inviting him to testify at a July 25 oversight hearing titled Management Crisis at the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority and Implications for Recovery.

“Despite your recognition of the politicization that has plagued PREPA and your commitment towards allowing for independence, the recent departure of PREPA’s governing board are the most recent signs of the utility’s continued dysfunction and a sign that ‘political forces…continue to control PREPA…’

“With continued disfunction at PREPA and the third CEO being named within only a week’s time, the Committee on Natural Resources is interested in hearing from your administration on how you intend to provide for the depoliticization of PREPA and a credible plan for the utility’s transformation that can garner the confidence of the island’s residents, federal taxpayers and future representatives…

“I cordially invite you, or a member of your administration who can provide context to the events of the past week, to testify at this hearing.”

Click here to read the full letter.

###

Today, House Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) issued the following statement in response to the Department of the Interior (DOI) releasing three proposed rules to modernize the Endangered Species Act:

“It’s no secret that modernizing the Endangered Species Act is long overdue. DOI’s proposed rules incorporate public input, innovative science and best practices to improve efficiency and certainty for federal agencies and the public. I commend Secretary Zinke and Deputy Secretary Bernhardt for their excellent leadership on this issue and look forward to working with my colleagues to enshrine these actions into law.”

Background:

DOI’s proposed rules focus on Sections four and seven of the Endangered Species Act, and would address improved consultation processes, changes to critical habitat designations, and issues within the criteria for listing and delisting species. They also incorporate public input and best practices to improve reliability, regulatory efficiency, and environmental stewardship.

###

Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources passed 10 bills, H.R. 5171 (Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Colo.), H.R. 5347 (Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev.), H.R. 5556 (Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.), H.R. 5923 (Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark.), H.R. 5979 (Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky.), H.R. 6038 (Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.), H.R. 6039 (Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.), H.R. 6146 (Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.), H.R. 6040 (Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif.), and H.R. 5532 (Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C.).

“These bills improve how the federal government stewards its resources and empowers local communities to play an active role in their management. I’m thankful for the hard work put forth on these pieces of legislation and will continue to help shepherd them through the legislative process,” Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) said.

H.R. 5171, the Ski Area Fee Retention Act, amends the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 to provide for the establishment of a Ski Area Fee Retention Account. 

H.R. 5347, the Lyon County Economic Development and Environmental Remediation Act, facilitates resolution of environmental remediation and reclamation, resolves potential liability of the United States, and promotes economic development in Lyon County, Nevada.

H.R. 5556, the Environmental Compliance Cost Transparency Act of 2018, provides for transparency and reporting related to direct and indirect costs incurred by the Bonneville Power Administration, the Western Area Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, and the Southeastern Power Administration related to compliance with any Federal environmental laws impacting the conservation of fish and wildlife. 

H.R. 5923, the Walnut Grove Land Exchange Act, directs the Secretary of Agriculture to exchange certain public lands in Ouachita National Forest. 

H.R. 5979, the Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument Act, establishes the Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument in the State of Kentucky as a unit of the National Park System. 

H.R. 6038 establishes a procedure for the conveyance of certain Federal property around the Dickinson Reservoir in the State of North Dakota.

H.R. 6039 establishes a procedure for the conveyance of certain Federal property around the Jamestown Reservoir in the State of North Dakota.

H.R. 6146, the Cottonwood Land Exchange Act of 2018, authorizes, directs, expedites, and facilitates a land exchange in Yavapai County, Arizona.

H.R. 6040, the Contra Costa Canal Transfer Act, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land and facilities of the Central Valley Project. 

H.R. 5532, the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park Act, redesignates the Reconstruction Era National Monument as the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park. 

###