S. 2568: California Desert Conservation, Off-Road Recreation, and Renewable Energy Act

114th Congress · introduced 2016-02-23 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S961-962)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-02-23 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S961-962) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

California Desert Conservation, Off-Road Recreation, and Renewable Energy Act

Plain summary

California Desert Conservation, Off-Road Recreation, and Renewable Energy Act This bill designates specified lands in the California Desert Conservation Area or San Bernardino National Forest in California as wilderness areas. Specified wilderness study areas are released from further study. There is established the Vinagre Wash Special Management Area. Boundaries are revised for Death Valley National Park, Mojave National Preserve, and Joshua Tree National Park. The bill designates specified off-highway vehicle recreation areas within the Conservation Area in San Bernardino County, California. The Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture (USDA), as appropriate, shall complete a study to identify Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands within the Conservation Area suitable for addition to: (1) the national off-highway vehicle recreation areas designated by this Act, or (2) the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area. There is established the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area in Inyo County, California. Specified federal land in California shall be taken into trust for the Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe's reservation. The bill authorizes: a conveyance of specified federal land to Reginald Cook, a specified transfer of certain BLM land to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and a conveyance of specified BLM land to Imperial County Holtville Airport. Interior or USDA (as appropriate) shall: assess the impacts of climate change on the Conservation Area, and establish policies and procedures to ensure preservation of wildlife corridors and facilitate species migration likely to occur due to climate change. Interior and USDA shall ensure that members of specified tribes have access to designated areas for traditional and cultural purposes. The bill releases federal reversionary interests in certain land in the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The California Desert Protection Act of 1994 is amended to authorize the acquisition of land for the Joshua Tree National Park for purposes of operating a visitor center. The bill revises certain requirements of that Act for specified California state school land. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is revised to designate certain wild, scenic, and recreational rivers in California. Interior shall take no action within the Conservation Area with regard to the distribution of groundwater for municipal, commercial, or industrial use from specified aquifers in quantities that exceed the estimated perennial safe yield or annual recharge rate, as determined by the U.S. Geological Survey. The bill prescribes the disposition of revenues received from the development of wind and solar energy on BLM-managed lands, and establishes a Renewable Energy Resource Conservation Fund to address the impacts of wind and solar development on federal lands.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

California Desert Conservation, Off-Road Recreation, and Renewable Energy Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114s2568.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s2568 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114