Lee, Joyce Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Accelerate Appraisals for Public Lands, Cut “Red Tape,” and Boost Government Efficiency

WASHINGTON– Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) and Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14) introduced the bipartisan Accelerating Appraisals and Conservation Efforts (AACE) Act. This bill will enhance the Department of the Interior's (DOI) appraisal process to better ensure that America's principal land management agency is able to complete land transactions of all kinds as effectively and efficiently as possible.

DOI oversees hundreds of millions of acres of public lands nationwide. The agency's Bureau of Land Management alone stewards roughly 70 percent of Nevada lands. Before it is able to buy, sell, lease, trade, or conduct any type of land-related activities, DOI must first make sure that these activities are done at fair market value to protect the public trust. However, while full-time federal appraisers are able to work quickly and easily across state lines, the private appraisers on whom DOI has had to increasingly rely to satisfy the growing demands on the agency can only work in the specific states or territories in which they are individually credentialed. This is undermining progress in the West and across the country on a range of conservation, economic, and infrastructure goals dependent on DOI's ability to complete land transactions promptly.

The AACE Act will help alleviate and prevent appraisal bottlenecks by building upon a 31-year-old precedent established under the Bush-Quayle Administration, enabling DOI to contract with private appraisers who are appropriately credentialed in one state or territory to perform appraisal and valuation services on DOI's behalf in any state or territory. The bill will cut government red tape and maximize DOI's efficiency without spending a single additional dollar of taxpayers' money. It will also require DOI to continue to prioritize working with local appraisers, unlocking the enhanced flexibility provided by the bill only when no assignment-qualified or cost-competitive local appraisers are available to perform needed services.

"Nevadans are facing a housing crisis and we can't let red tape get in the way of more access to affordable housing," said Congresswoman Lee (NV-03). "Whether it's for conservation, building critical infrastructure, or expanding access to affordable housing, the Department of the Interior needs all the tools it can get — and none of the obstacles it can avoid — to get key land deals done. I'm proud to lead this bipartisan legislation with Congressman Dave Joyce to cut red tape and give DOI the resources it requires, all at no additional cost to the American taxpayer."

"As land-related activities continue to skyrocket nationwide, so does the need for accurate and timely appraisals," said Congressman Joyce. "The bipartisan AACE Act will help to alleviate the appraisal backlog by expanding the Department of the Interior's ability to work with credentialed private appraisers. In doing so, we can help support preservation efforts and spur economic growth in Ohio and across the country."

You can find endorsements and more information about the AACE Act here.

As Nevada's sole member of the House Natural Resources Committee, Congresswoman Lee has been a champion for pragmatic stewardship of Nevada's public lands. Last year, Congresswoman Lee was one of the first federal lawmakers to call on the Biden Administration to protect Avi Kwa Ame, inviting Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to visit this one-of-a-kind landscape and joining in a tour of the site with Tribal and community leaders. Congresswoman Lee also recently introduced bipartisan legislation to expand access to outdoor recreation and long-distance bike trails as well as legislation to end speculative and unproductive oil and gas leasing on public lands.

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