Senate Joint Resolution No. 8-Committee on Natural Resources
January 29, 1997
____________
Referred to Committee on Natural Resources
SUMMARY--Urges Nevada Congressional Delegation to introduce and support legislation to assist local telephone companies in obtaining rights of way over public land managed by Federal Government. (BDR R-965)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: No.
EXPLANATION - Matter in italics is new; matter in brackets [ ] is material to be omitted.
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION--Urging the members of the Nevada Congressional Delegation to introduce and support legislation to assist local telephone companies in obtaining rights of way over public land managed by the Federal Government.
Whereas, A sophisticated, reliable and responsive system of telecommunication is vital to economic growth in Nevada; and
Whereas, Local telephone companies are often relied upon in Nevada to provide systems of telecommunication, especially in sparsely populated rural counties; and
Whereas, Local telephone companies generally do not have the equipment or facilities to provide modern systems of telecommunication required by their customers and are limited in their geographic area of service; and
Whereas, To improve existing systems, local telephone companies have entered into agreements with other companies to install and operate improved systems of telecommunication in their areas of service, thereby requiring the acquisition of rights of way over public land managed by the Federal Government; and
Whereas, Applications to obtain rights of way that have been submitted to the Bureau of Land Management are often not processed in a uniform manner among the various districts that are managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the period in which those applications are granted or otherwise acted upon often varies greatly from district to district; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada, Jointly, That the Legislature of the State of Nevada urges each member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation to introduce and support legislation to assist local telephone companies in obtaining rights of way over public land managed by the Federal Government; and be it further
Resolved, That such legislation include, without limitation, provisions that:
1. Transfer to the State of Nevada ownership of the public land:
(a) Over which a right of way has been granted by the Federal Government to a local telephone company; or
(b) For which an application for a right of way over the land:
(1) Has been submitted to the Federal Government by such a company more than 2 years before the date the legislation becomes effective; and
(2) Has not been granted or otherwise acted upon by the Federal Government before the date the legislation becomes effective;
2. Specify the period in which an application for a right of way over public land must be granted or otherwise acted upon by the Federal Government;
3. Ensure that an application for a right of way over public land is processed by the Federal Government as expeditiously as possible within the period specified for the processing of that application; and
4. Require that applications for rights of way submitted to the Bureau of Land Management be processed in a uniform manner among the various districts that are managed by the Bureau of Land Management; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy of this resolution to each member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation; and be it further
Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage and approval.