Blunt Reservoir and Pierre Canal Land Conveyance Act of 2006

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on December 7, 2006. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Blunt Reservoir and Pierre Canal Land Conveyance Act of 2006 - Deauthorizes the Blunt Reservoir feature of the Oahe Irrigation Project authorized as part of the Pick-Sloan Missouri River Basin Program.

Allows preferential leaseholders of parcels of the Blunt Reservoir and Pierre Canal an option to purchase such parcels from the Secretary of the Interior (acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation) or the Commission of Schools and Public Lands of South Dakota for five years after this Act's enactment and for the fair market value for agricultural purposes less 25%, exclusive of the value of improvements made while the land was federally owned.

Directs the Secretary to offer to convey to the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks all preferential lease parcels not purchased by the leaseholder, and the nonpreferential leased parcels and unleased parcels of the Blunt Reservoir and Pierre Canal, to be used for mitigating the wildlife habitat that was lost as a result of the development of the Pick-Sloan project.

Authorizes the Commission, with the Department's concurrence, to allow a person to exchange other land in South Dakota for a nonpreferential lease parcel or unleased parcel at Blunt Reservoir or Pierre Canal. Requires priority to be granted to: (1) exchanges with current lessees for nonpreferential lease parcels; and (2) exchanges with adjoining and adjacent landowners for unleased parcels and nonpreferential lease parcels not exchanged by current lessees.

Conditions the exchange of land of the Pierre Canal Feature on U.S. reservation of a perpetual easement to the land to allow it to design, construct, operate, maintain, repair, and replace a pipeline or other water conveyance structure over, under, across, or through the Pierre Canal feature.

Shields the United States from liability for damages arising out of any act, omission, or occurrence relating to parcels conveyed under this Act, except for acts of negligence committed before the date of conveyance.

Directs the Secretary: (1) to continue, until the conveyance date, to lease each parcel to be conveyed according to the terms and conditions applicable on the date of enactment of this Act; and (2) to provide South Dakota with a full legal description of all parcels that may be conveyed.

Directs the Secretary to transfer all archeological and cultural resource items collected from the Blunt Reservoir Feature and Pierre Canal Feature to the South Dakota State Historical Society.

Authorizes appropriations to reimburse the Secretary, the Commission, and the Department for expenses incurred in implementing this Act, not to exceed 10% of the cost of each transaction.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov