Senate Approves 3,400-Acre BLM Conveyance to La Paz County for Solar

Federal legislation now directs the transfer of roughly 3,400 acres of Bureau of Land Management land to La Paz County for solar power development and related economic activity. The measure, H.R. 1043, the La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act, passed the House on July 21, 2025, received Senate approval in mid-December 2025, and is recorded in the public law text as Public Law 119-68 with a statutory date of December 29, 2025.

The statute defines the “Federal land” to be conveyed by reference to a map titled “BLM Arizona - La Paz County Land Conveyance Map,” dated June 29, 2023, and directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey the parcels “as soon as practicable” after La Paz County requests the transfer. The law requires payment of fair market value as determined under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and makes conveyance subject to valid existing rights and any terms the Secretary deems necessary. The statute also mandates exclusion of any federal land that “contains significant cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational resources.”

Representative Paul A. Gosar framed the legislation as a local economic and energy priority. “I applaud the Senate’s passage of my bipartisan legislation to unlock responsible solar development in La Paz County. H.R. 1043 conveys 3,400 acres of BLM land to strengthen the county’s tax base, create good-paying local jobs, and expand domestic renewable energy and storage capacity, advancing America’s energy independence,” Gosar said. Gosar added that the bill “builds on my long-standing work, including the 2019 La Paz County Land Conveyance Act, to establish the county as a regional energy hub,” and said the law will “attract private investment, lower energy costs, and drive lasting economic growth. At a time when Americans are demanding affordable energy and economic growth, this legislation does both. I look forward to President Trump signing my legislation into [law].”

Local officials greeted the news with optimism; La Paz County District 1 Supervisor David Plunkett summed his reaction in one word: “Awesome!”

The Department of the Interior and the BLM retain procedural roles before any title transfers. The BLM has warned that environmental assessments, cultural and biological surveys, cadastral surveys, and potential compensation for range improvements tied to grazing will likely be required. The agency has also expressed a desire to work with sponsors to finalize an official legislative map and clarify responsibilities for survey and assessment work.

The 3,400-acre conveyance sits within a broader pattern of land transfers and solar proposals in La Paz County. The John D. Dingell Jr. Act previously conveyed about 5,900 acres to the county on May 22, 2020, and separate proposals discussed by the BLM include a roughly 4,800-acre package and a 4,654-acre photovoltaic application with a proposed 800-megawatt capacity. For La Paz County residents, the immediate implications hinge on whether county officials promptly request the conveyance and how quickly the BLM completes required surveys and environmental reviews. Those steps will determine timelines for development, impacts on grazing operations, and any revenue or job gains that proponents promise.