[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2074 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2074

  To designate certain Bureau of Land Management Land in the State of 
       Montana to preserve unique cultural and natural features.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 19, 1995

 Mr. Williams introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To designate certain Bureau of Land Management Land in the State of 
       Montana to preserve unique cultural and natural features.
    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be referred to as the ``Sweetgrass Hills Protection 
Act of 1995''.

SEC. 2. SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA.

    (a) In General.--For the purpose of conserving, protecting, and 
enhancing the exceptional scenic, wildlife, water quality, and cultural 
characteristics of lands along the Sweetgrass Hills in north central 
Montana, there is hereby established the Sweetgrass Hills Natural Area 
within the Bureau of Land Management's Sweetgrass Hills Area of 
Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) as identified in the West HiLine 
Resource Management Plan in the State of Montana (hereinafter in this 
Act referred to as the ``natural area'').
    (b) Area Included.--The natural area shall consist of the lands, 
waters, and interests therein within the area generally depicted on the 
map entitled ``Boundary Map, . . .'', numbered ________, and Dated 
__________. The map shall be on file and available for public 
inspection in the office of the Bureau of Land Management, Department 
of the Interior. The Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter in this Act 
referred to as the ``Secretary'') may from time to time make minor 
revisions in the boundary of the natural area to promote management 
effectiveness and efficiency in the furtherance of this Act.

SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer the natural area in 
accordance with this Act and with the provisions of law generally 
applicable to units of the Bureau of Land Management. In the 
administration of such natural area, the Secretary may utilize such 
statutory authority as may be available to him for the conservation of 
wildlife, natural and cultural resources, and water quality as he deems 
necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.
    (b) Hunting and Fishing.--The Secretary shall permit hunting and 
fishing on lands and waters within the natural area in accordance with 
applicable Federal and State law.

SEC. 4. ACQUISITION OF LANDS.

    The Secretary is directed to acquire lands or interests in lands 
within the boundaries of the natural area that are necessary to carry 
out the purposes of this Act by donation, purchase with donation or 
appropriated funds, or exchange. Lands within the boundaries of the 
natural area owned by the State of Montana or any political subdivision 
thereof may only be acquired by donation or exchange.

SEC. 5. MINERALS AND MINING.

    (a) Withdrawals.--After the enactment of this Act:
            (1) Lands within the natural area shall not be open to 
        location of mining claims under the mining laws of the United 
        States.
            (2) The Secretary shall not issue any lease under the 
        mineral leasing or geothermal leasing laws of the United States 
        for lands within the natural area.
            (3) Lands within the natural area shall not be available 
        for disposal of mineral materials under the Act of July 31, 
        1947, commonly known as the Materials Act of 1947 (30 U.S.C. 
        601 and following).
    (b) Limitation on Patent Issuance.--(1) Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, no patents shall be issued after July 19, 1995, for 
any location or claim made in the natural area under the mining laws of 
the United States.
    (2) Notwithstanding any statute of limitations or similar 
restriction otherwise applicable, any party claiming to have been 
deprived of any property right enactment of paragraph (1) may file in 
the United States Claims Court a claim against the United States within 
one year after the date of enactment of this Act seeking compensation 
for such property right. The United States Claims Court shall have 
jurisdiction to render judgement on such claim in accordance with 
section 1491 of title 28, United States Code.
    (c) Prohibition.--No Federal lands may be used in connection with 
any mining or mining related activities within the Natural Area.
    (d) Reclamation.--No mining or mining related activities involving 
any surface disturbance of lands or waters within such area, including 
disturbances through subsistence, shall be permitted except in 
accordance with requirements imposed by the Secretary, including 
requirements for reasonable reclamation of disturbed lands to a visual 
and hydrological condition as close as practicable to their premining 
condition.
    (e) Mining Claim Validity Review.--The Secretary shall undertake 
and complete within three years after the enactment of this Act an 
expedited program to examine all unpatented mining claims, including 
those for which a patent application has been filed, within the natural 
area. Upon determination by the Secretary that the elements of contest 
are present, the Secretary shall immediately determine the validity of 
such claims. If a claim is determined to be invalid, the Secretary 
shall declare the claim null and void.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION FOR APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.
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