[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 723 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 723

          Entitled the ``Badger-Two Medicine Protection Act''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

               April 25 (legislative day, April 24), 1995

  Mr. Baucus introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
          Entitled the ``Badger-Two Medicine Protection Act''.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. BADGER-TWO MEDICINE AREA.

    (a)(1) Subject to valid existing rights, all federally owned lands 
as depicted on a map entitled ``Badger-Two Medicine Area'', dated 
September 1991, comprising approximately one hundred sixteen thousand 
six hundred acres, are withdrawn from all forms of entry, 
appropriation, and disposal under the mining and public land laws and 
from disposition under the geothermal and mineral leasing laws. Until 
otherwise directed by Congress, the Secretary shall manage this area so 
as to protect its currently existing wilderness qualities.
    (2) Nothing in this section shall preclude the gathering of timber 
by the Blackfeet Tribe in exercise of valid treaty rights within the 
Badger-Two Medicine Area.
    (3)(A) With respect to oil and gas leases on Federal lands within 
the Badger-Two Medicine Area, no surface disturbance shall be permitted 
pursuant to such leases until Congress determines otherwise.
    (B) Notwithstanding any other law, the term of any oil and gas 
lease subject to the limitations imposed by this section shall be 
extended for a period of time equal to the term that such limitation 
remains in effect.
    (b) The Secretary shall conduct a review of this area in accordance 
with the Wilderness Act of 1964 and the following provisions. Within 
five years of the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
report his findings to Congress. In conducting this review:
            (1) The Secretary shall establish a committee composed of 
        representatives of the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council, the 
        Pikuni Traditionalist Association, the National Park Service, 
        and representatives of the user public including environmental 
        groups and representatives of user industry groups. The 
        committee shall regularly advise the Secretary of the 
        development of the report and submit its findings to Congress 
        along with those of the Secretary.
            (2) Special consideration shall be given to the religious, 
        wilderness and wildlife uses of the area, taking into account 
        any treaties the United States has entered into with the 
        Blackfeet Nation.
            (3) In consultation with the Committee, the Secretary shall 
        establish a process to provide information to the Tribe and 
        interested public about options for future designation of the 
        Badger-Two Medicine Area.
                                 <all>