Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) passed her legislation to make it easier to complete conservation projects, open new businesses, and build affordable housing on federal land. The legislation streamlines Department of the Interior (DOI) processes and led by Representatives Susie Lee (D-Nev. 03) and Dave Joyce (R-Ohio-14) in the U.S. House. This now heads to President Biden’s desk for signature into law.
“This legislation makes it easier to start businesses, build homes families can afford, and protect our great outdoors,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’m proud to have passed this commonsense bill today to cut through government red tape and support critical projects across Nevada.”
The Accelerating Appraisals and Conservation Efforts (AACE) Act is bipartisan legislation that would address the federal government’s historic backlog of land appraisals by allowing private appraisers to operate with the same flexibility as the government. This commonsense fix will make it faster and easier for states, municipalities, and communities nationwide to complete land transfers that are vital to achieving their conservation, economic, and housing goals.
This legislation is supported by the Conservation Lands Foundation, Trout Unlimited, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Battlefield Trust, Nevada Conservation League, Nevada Housing Coalition and Nevada Land Trust.
Senator Cortez Masto has been working to cut red tape and streamline public land management across Nevada. Her bills allowing new industrial businesses to expand in Las Vegas and protecting the region’s water supply by building a critical new water pipeline passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last year. Last year she helped secure streamlined and improved guidance for building affordable housing on federal land under the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act.
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