To provide for the conveyance of certain Federal land at Swanson Reservoir and Hugh Butler Reservoir in the State of Nebraska, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill authorizes the transfer of federal land around two Nebraska reservoirs (Swanson and Hugh Butler) from the Bureau of Reclamation to two local county governments: Hitchcock County and Frontier County. The counties would gain ownership of land currently used for cabin sites, concession operations, and the Lakeview Lodge.
Who Benefits and How
Hitchcock and Frontier Counties gain valuable lakefront real estate and the ability to manage recreation facilities locally. Current cabin permit holders and concession operators benefit from potential local management rather than federal oversight. The Bureau of Reclamation benefits by shedding management responsibilities for these recreation areas.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The counties must demonstrate technical capability to manage the land and comply with federal environmental laws (NEPA, Endangered Species Act) before transfer. They must also meet state fire, safety, and health codes within 2 years of conveyance. The federal government retains liability exposure during the transition period.
Key Provisions
- Counties must enter title transfer agreements within 3 years of enactment
- Land must be conveyed in whole and cannot be subdivided
- Existing permits, easements, and mineral rights are preserved
- Counties must comply with NEPA and Endangered Species Act requirements
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Authorizes the conveyance of federal land at Swanson Reservoir and Hugh Butler Reservoir in Nebraska to Hitchcock County and Frontier County for local management
Key Policy Areas
Public Lands, Water Resources, Local Government
Primary Purpose
Authorizes the conveyance of federal land at Swanson Reservoir and Hugh Butler Reservoir in Nebraska to Hitchcock County and Frontier County for local management
Policy Domains
Federal Land Conveyance - Nebraska Reservoirs
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Local county governments (Hitchcock, Frontier)
- Cabin permit holders
- Concession operators
- Bureau of Reclamation
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Hitchcock County taxpayers
- Frontier County taxpayers
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
ReportedReported by Mr. Manchin, with an amendment
Mrs. Fischer (for herself, Mr. Ricketts, Mr. Marshall, and Mr. …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Frontier County government, Hitchcock County and Frontier County, Hitchcock County and Frontier County governments
Frontier County government, Hitchcock County government face effects in multiple directions
Bureau of Reclamation, United States federal government
Bureau of Reclamation faces effects in multiple directions
Cabin permit holders at Swanson Reservoir, Existing permit and license holders, Existing permit holders
Positive-direction: Cabin permit holders at Swanson Reservoir, Existing permit and license holders, Existing permit holders, Permit holders at reservoirs
Negative-direction: Property owners near reservoirs
Concession operators, Concession operators at Swanson Reservoir, Lakeview Lodge operators
Frontier County taxpayers, Hitchcock County taxpayers
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of the Interior (Bureau of Reclamation)
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
The most probable price in cash or equivalent terms for which a property right should sell after reasonable exposure in a competitive market under conditions requisite for a fair sale
Frontier County, Nebraska, acting through the Board of Commissioners
Hitchcock County, Nebraska, acting through the Board of Commissioners
Hugh Butler Lake and Red Willow Dam constructed as part of Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program
Swanson Lake and Dam constructed as part of Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology