A bill to amend and supplement the acreage limitation and residency provisions of the Federal reclamation laws, as amended and supplemented, and other purposes.
Reclamation Reform Act of 1979 - Replaces the existing maximum Federal reclamation law acreage limitation of 160 acres of reclaimed land per individual with a maximum farm size limit of 1,280 acres, owned or leased by any combination of persons. Restricts the number of persons who may join in such combination to 25 or fewer. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to limit the number of landholdings that any person, firm, or business may manage for the benefit of a qualified recipient.
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to designate by rule appropriate increases in the acreage limitation for lands of lesser productive potential.
Abolishes the requirement that a qualified recipient must be resident on or near a landholding in order for such landholding to be eligible to receive water.
Prohibits any qualified recipient from leasing a landholding acquired after January 1, 1978, unless he or she has derived nonrental income from such landholding for agricultural production for a period of not less than ten years.
Provides for the removal of acreage limitations upon repayment of construction charges of the reclamation project required under contracts with the Secretary relating to the delivery of water supplies to such landholding for agricultural use.
Prohibits the delivery of water to landholders whose lands do not comply with the Federal reclamation law acreage limitation one year after the passage of this Act.
Referred to House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs.
checking server…
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line