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Rep. Boebert Bill Creating Jobs in Mesa County Passes the House Natural Resources Committee With Unanimous Bipartisan Consent

July 26, 2023

Today, Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s Clifton Opportunities Now for Vibrant Economic Yields (CONVEY) Act passed the House Committee on Natural Resources by unanimous bipartisan consent and will now move to the House Floor for passage.

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-03) stated, “I am excited that my CONVEY Act benefiting Mesa County passed the House Committee on Natural Resources. This common-sense bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey 31 acres, currently on the disposal list, to Mesa County for economic development in Clifton. Mesa County will purchase the land for fair market value. My bill will help Mesa County cut through the federal bureaucracy, bring jobs to Clifton, incentivize businesses to invest in the area, and create long-term economic growth for the region. I look forward to this bill passing the House and being signed into law as I continue to deliver legislative results for the people of Colorado’s Third District.”

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) said, “This legislation represents Representative Boebert's and the committee's continued efforts to reduce bureaucratic red tape and streamline federal processes for the benefit of Americans throughout the country. These bills will lead to economic benefits not just in Colorado but for every state that deals with federal land transfers and anyone who has dealt with repaying the federal government for water usage. I look forward to continuing to work with Representative Boebert to get these bills passed through the House.”

Colorado House Republican Assistant Minority Leader and Former Mesa County Commissioner Rose Pugliese stated, “I am grateful to Congresswoman Boebert for her dedication to Mesa County in getting the CONVEY Act passed. This is a positive step towards enhancing rural economic development opportunities in Clifton. However, the fact that it took a literal Act of Congress to help facilitate the transfer of land that the federal government no longer wanted to manage for the people of the United States speaks volumes on the need to continue to streamline federal processes to ensure a more efficient government, especially in rural areas of the country that are home to a large percentage of federally-managed land.”

Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davissaid, “Again, we are so grateful for Congresswoman Boebert cutting through the bureaucratic tape. The CONVEY Act gives us one more tool to help serve the residents of Clifton.”

Mesa County Commissioner Janet Rowland stated, “We are thankful for Congresswoman Boebert’s work to assist Mesa County in this project that will create jobs and boost our economy. It has taken over five years, beginning with former Commissioner Rose Pugliese, and we are so appreciative that Lauren pushed it over the finish line. This bill will enable us to cut through the bureaucratic red tape and finally begin incentivizing more businesses to come to Clifton, create jobs, improve Mesa County, and invest in the region for years to come.”

Mesa County Commissioner Bobbie Daniel said, “In Mesa County, we have a strong track record of working collaboratively to build a thriving economy focusing on local solutions for more prosperity and opportunities. We want to extend our deepest appreciation to Congresswoman Boebert for her commitment to supporting our working families in Clifton and Mesa County with The CONVEY Act. The Act allows the acquisition of a parcel of land that the Bureau of Land Management has designated for disposal and no longer serves a purpose for the federal government. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to Bureau of Land Management Principal Deputy Director Nada Wolff Culver, and former Mesa County Commissioner Representative Rose Pugliese, for their support of this important bill that will positively impact the residents of Mesa County for generations to come.”

Bureau of Land Management Principal Deputy Director Nada Wolff Culver previously testified, “The BLM generally supports the conveyance of public lands when such conveyances are in the public interest and consistent with publicly approved land use plans. As the Clifton Parcel has already been identified as potentially suitable for disposal should it return to public land status, the BLM supports H.R. 2997 and the direct sale of the parcel to Mesa County.”

Background:

Congresswoman Boebert’s CONVEY Act passed the House Committee on Natural Resources by unanimous bipartisan consent via a voice vote and will now advance to the House Floor, where she has a successful record getting legislation passed that benefits Colorado’s Third District. In the 118th Congress, three of Congresswoman Boebert’s bills and 20 out of 20 of her amendments have passed the House. Congresswoman Boebert has also passed four bills through the House Committee on Natural Resources, including the Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act which also passed the Committee today.

Congresswoman Boebert spoke in the House Committee on Natural Resources regarding her CONVEY Act:

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert has been leading the charge to finally get the Mesa County Clifton parcel conveyance done. In November, 2022, Congresswoman Boebert led a congressional oversight effort requesting information from the Bureau of Land Management on where the Clifton parcel conveyance stood. In response, Bureau of Land Management State Director Doug Vilsack gave Congresswoman Boebert an update on the progress of the land conveyance. Congresswoman Boebert used this information to work with Mesa County and the Bureau of Land Management to author the CONVEY Act to help expedite this important economic development opportunity. Congresswoman Boebert introduced the CONVEY Act in April, and it received an important hearing in June. 

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s office met with Bureau of Land Management State Director Doug Vilsack to discuss this issue. Additionally, Congresswoman Boebert went on a Mesa County field site visit with senior Bureau of Land Management officials to tour the Clifton parcel.

Congresswoman Boebert’s bill ensures that the funds from the sale of this land will be deposited into the Federal Land Disposal Account, established by the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act, and retained by the Bureau of Land Management Colorado office, so these funds will be used in Colorado.

Colorado Congressmen Ken Buck (CO-04) and Doug Lamborn (CO-05) cosponsored Congresswoman Boebert’s CONVEY Act.

The full text of the COVEY Act is available here. A map of the 30.1-acre parcel that will be sold at fair market value as a result of the CONVEY Act is available here.

Hearing information, including testimony, may be viewed here and the hearing memo may be viewed here.

Previously, Congresswoman Boebert invited Colorado House Republican Assistant Minority Leader and former Mesa County Commissioner Rose Pugliese to testify in support of the CONVEY Act. Her written testimony is available here.

Bureau of Land Management Principal Deputy Director Nada Wolff Culver also testified in support of the CONVEY Act. Her written testimony is available here.

Additional Background Courtesy of House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands:

The federal government owns approximately 640 million acres, or 28 percent, of land in the United States. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is the largest federal land management agency and manages 244 million acres of public lands, heavily concentrated (99 percent) in eleven Western continental states and Alaska. While the BLM is a large landowner, data suggests they struggle to manage the land they have. The BLM’s deferred maintenance backlog reached $4.7 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, up 335 percent from FY 2019. In states with large federal footprints, local communities often lack power in decision making over the land in their backyards. When non-federal government entities, such as a city or county, would like to expand, the large footprint of federal land ownership surrounding those communities often stifles development and growth.

The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the authority to acquire and dispose of federal property. Congress granted BLM authority to acquire and dispose of land under several statutes, most notably in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA). While the BLM can dispose of land administratively, this process can take several years. To speed up the process, Congress can enact legislation to direct the agency to complete a land conveyance. These expedited conveyances are a win-win, as growing rural communities can expand and develop and the federal government can focus its limited resources on managing more high-value lands.

The State of Colorado has over 24 million acres, or over 36 percent, of land owned by the federal government. Specifically, in Mesa County, the federal government owns over 72 percent of the land. The population of Mesa County was 158,363 in 2022. As the population continues to grow, the county is significantly limited in the land it has available to develop.

H.R. 2997, introduced by Congresswoman Boebert, would convey 31.1 acres from the BLM to Mesa County, Colorado. The land sits in a prime location along Interstate 70. The land would be used for economic development in Clifton, a town in central Mesa County and a suburb of Grand Junction. Once Mesa County is able to secure the land from the BLM, the County plans to establish an economic development board to solicit input from stakeholders and pursue development options that will “incentivi[ze] industry and business in the Clifton area.” Despite the fact that this parcel has been identified for disposal by the BLM (meaning the agency deemed it is no longer serving the public interest), this conveyance has been held up for over five years. This bill would expedite the process to convey the land out of federal ownership to provide economic growth to the local community.