Sloan Canyon boundary expands; pipeline right-of-way required

What This Bill Does

This law expands the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area by changing the official map and acreage from 48,438 to 57,728 acres. It also directs the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Land Management, to grant the Southern Nevada Water Authority rights-of-way for the Horizon Lateral Pipeline and related facilities, subject to specific protections for conservation resources and wilderness areas.

The bill matters because it changes how federal land in southern Nevada is managed and makes room for water infrastructure while setting limits to protect conservation values. It affects land use, water delivery planning, and nearby utility corridors by preserving existing rights-of-way and allowing new utility facilities in designated corridors under federal review.

Who This Bill Affects

For the general public, the main effect is localized to southern Nevada: more land is formally added to the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, while the Southern Nevada Water Authority gains a federal pathway to build and operate the Horizon Lateral Pipeline and related water transmission facilities. People outside the region are unlikely to feel a direct day-to-day effect.

Latest Status

May 19, 2026

Became Public Law No: 119-91.

Will It Pass?

8% estimated chance of becoming law

Pass percentages are estimates and may be inaccurate.

Final Passage Vote

• Senate PASSED
  697 Yea · 699 Nay · 50% yea
  2026-02-26