text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Southern Nevada Higher Education 
  Land Act of 2008''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.
  
      (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
              (1) southern Nevada is one of the fastest growing regions 
          in the United States, with 750,000 new residents added since 
          2000 and 250,000 residents expected to be added by 2010;
              (2) the Nevada System of Higher Education serves more than 
          70,000 undergraduate and graduate students in southern Nevada, 
          with enrollment in the System expected to grow by 21 percent 
          during the next 10 years, which would bring enrollment to a 
          total of 85,000 students in the System;
              (3) the Nevada System of Higher Education campuses in 
          southern Nevada comprise 1,200 acres, one of the smallest land 
          bases of any major higher education system in the western 
          United States;
              (4) the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with 28,500 
          students and 3,300 faculty and staff, is the fourth fastest-
          growing research university in the United States;
              (5) the College of Southern Nevada--
                      (A) serves 39,000 students each semester; and
                      (B) is near capacity at each of the 3 urban 
                  campuses of the College;
              (6) Pahrump, located in rural Nye County, Nevada--
                      (A) has grown by 20 percent since 2000; and
                      (B) has a small satellite campus of Great Basin 
                  College to serve the 40,500 residents of Pahrump, 
                  Nevada; and
              (7) the Nevada System of Higher Education needs additional 
          land to provide for the future growth of the System, 
          particularly for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the 
          College of Southern Nevada, and the Pahrump campus of Great 
          Basin College.
      (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
              (1) to provide additional land for a thriving higher 
          education system that serves the residents of fast-growing 
          southern Nevada;
              (2) to provide residents of the State with greater 
          opportunities to pursue higher education and the resulting 
          benefits, which include increased earnings, more employment 
          opportunities, and better health; and
              (3) to provide communities in southern Nevada the economic 
          and societal values of higher education, including economic 
          growth, lower crime rates, greater civic participation, and 
          less reliance on social services.
  
  SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
  
      In this Act:
              (1) Board of regents.--The term ``Board of Regents'' means 
          the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.
              (2) Campuses.--The term ``Campuses'' means the Great Basin 
          College, College of Southern Nevada, and University of Las 
          Vegas, Nevada, campuses.
              (3) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means each of 
          the 3 parcels of Bureau of Land Management land identified on 
          the maps as ``Parcel to be Conveyed'', of which--
                      (A) approximately 40 acres is to be conveyed for 
                  the College of Southern Nevada;
                      (B) approximately 2,085 acres is to be conveyed for 
                  the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; and
                      (C) approximately 285 acres is to be conveyed for 
                  the Great Basin College.
              (4) Map.--The term ``Map'' means each of the 3 maps 
          entitled ``Southern Nevada Higher Education Land Act'', dated 
          July 11, 2008, and on file and available for public inspection 
          in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management.
              (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
          of the Interior.
              (6) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Nevada.
              (7) System.--The term ``System'' means the Nevada System of 
          Higher Education.
  
  SEC. 4. CONVEYANCES OF FEDERAL LAND TO THE SYSTEM.
  
      (a) Conveyances.--
              (1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 202 of the Federal 
          Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712) and 
          section 1(c) of the Act of June 14, 1926 (commonly known as the 
          ``Recreation and Public Purposes Act'') (43 U.S.C. 869(c)), and 
          subject to all valid existing rights, the Secretary shall--
                      (A) not later than 180 days after the date of 
                  enactment of this Act, convey to the System, without 
                  consideration, all right, title, and interest of the 
                  United States in and to the Federal land for the Great 
                  Basin College and the College of Southern Nevada; and
                      (B) not later than 180 days after the receipt of 
                  certification of acceptable remediation of 
                  environmental conditions existing on the parcel to be 
                  conveyed for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 
                  convey to the System, without consideration, all right, 
                  title, and interest of the United States in and to the 
                  Federal land for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
              (2) Phases.--The Secretary may phase the conveyance of the 
          Federal land under paragraph (1)(B) as remediation is 
          completed.
      (b) Conditions.--
              (1) In general.--As a condition of the conveyance under 
          subsection (a)(1), the Board of Regents shall agree in 
          writing--
                      (A) to pay any administrative costs associated with 
                  the conveyance, including the costs of any 
                  environmental, wildlife, cultural, or historical 
                  resources studies;
                      (B) to use the Federal land conveyed for 
                  educational and recreational purposes;
                      (C) to release and indemnify the United States from 
                  any claims or liabilities that may arise from uses 
                  carried out on the Federal land on or before the date 
                  of enactment of this Act by the United States or any 
                  person;
                      (D) as soon as practicable after the date of the 
                  conveyance under subsection (a)(1), to erect at each of 
                  the Campuses an appropriate and centrally located 
                  monument that acknowledges the conveyance of the 
                  Federal land by the United States for the purpose of 
                  furthering the higher education of the citizens in the 
                  State; and
                      (E) to assist the Bureau of Land Management in 
                  providing information to the students of the System and 
                  the citizens of the State on--
                              (i) public land (including the management 
                          of public land) in the Nation; and
                              (ii) the role of the Bureau of Land 
                          Management in managing, preserving, and 
                          protecting the public land in the State.
              (2) Agreement with nellis air force base.--As a condition 
          of the conveyance of the Federal land for the University of 
          Nevada, Las Vegas under subsection (a)(1)(B), the Board of 
          Regents shall enter into a cooperative interlocal agreement 
          with Nellis Air Force Base that is consistent with the missions 
          of the System and the United States Air Force.
      (c) Use of Federal Land.--
              (1) In general.--The System may use the Federal land 
          conveyed under subsection (a)(1) for--
                      (A) any purpose relating to the establishment, 
                  operation, growth, and maintenance of the System; and
                      (B) any uses relating to the purposes, including 
                  residential and commercial development that would 
                  generally be associated with an institution of higher 
                  education.
              (2) Other entities.--The System may--
                      (A) consistent with Federal and State law, lease, 
                  or otherwise provide property or space at, the 
                  Campuses, with or without consideration, to religious, 
                  public interest, community, or other groups for 
                  services and events that are of interest to the System 
                  or to any community located in southern Nevada;
                      (B) allow any other communities in southern Nevada 
                  to use facilities of the Campuses for educational and 
                  recreational programs of the community; and
                      (C) in conjunction with the city of Las Vegas, 
                  North Las Vegas, or Pahrump or Clark or Nye County 
                  plan, finance (including through the provision of cost-
                  share assistance), construct, and operate facilities 
                  for the city of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, or Pahrump 
                  or Clark or Nye County on the Federal land conveyed for 
                  educational or recreational purposes consistent with 
                  this section.
      (d) Reversion.--
              (1) In general.--If the Federal land or any portion of the 
          Federal land conveyed under subsection (a)(1) ceases to be used 
          for the System, the Federal land, or any portion of the Federal 
          land shall, at the discretion of the Secretary, revert to the 
          United States.
              (2) University of nevada, las vegas.--If the System fails 
          to complete the first building or show progression toward 
          development of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus on 
          the applicable parcels of Federal land by the date that is 50 
          years after the date of receipt of certification of acceptable 
          remediation of environmental conditions, the parcels of the 
          Federal land described in section 3(3)(B) shall, at the 
          discretion of the Secretary, revert to the United States.
target: Southern Nevada Higher Education Land Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey three parcels of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land to: (1) the Nevada System of Higher Education for the Great Basin College and the College of Southern Nevada; and (2) the System for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
  
  Specifies that the Nevada System of Higher Education may use the conveyed federal land for any purpose relating to the establishment, operation, growth, and maintenance of the System and for any uses related to such purposes, including residential and commercial development that would generally be associated with an institution of higher education.
feat_title: To direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the Nevada System of Higher Education certain Federal land located in Clark and Nye counties, Nevada, and for other purposes.