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<bill bill-stage="Introduced-in-House" dms-id="H7773292EEAC048A2A879549D9B1EF9EB" public-private="public" bill-type="olc"> 
<metadata xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
<dublinCore>
<dc:title>109 HR 3978 IH: To authorize the Secretary of Energy to purchase certain essential mineral rights and resolve natural resource damage liability claims.</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. House of Representatives</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>2005-10-06</dc:date>
<dc:format>text/xml</dc:format>
<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
</dublinCore>
</metadata>
<form> 
<distribution-code display="yes">I</distribution-code> 
<congress>109th CONGRESS</congress>
<session>1st Session</session>
<legis-num>H. R. 3978</legis-num> 
<current-chamber>IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES</current-chamber> 
<action> 
<action-date date="20051006">October 6, 2005</action-date> 
<action-desc><sponsor name-id="B001240">Mr. Beauprez</sponsor> introduced the following bill; which was referred to the <committee-name committee-id="HII00">Committee on Resources</committee-name></action-desc>
</action> 
<legis-type>A BILL</legis-type> 
<official-title>To authorize the Secretary of Energy to purchase certain essential mineral rights and resolve natural resource damage liability claims.</official-title> 
</form> 
<legis-body id="H1DDC12FAD18644C8AB50DC96E7A9ECE9" style="OLC"> 
<section section-type="section-one" id="H0D45602A3CB54801A7D4EFC004E4DE00" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>1.</enum><header>Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site</header>
<subsection id="HC2328D2560F040528569049719562706"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this Act:</text>
<paragraph id="H06DC4C89300849639B745B8BF19EA2A2"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Essential mineral right</header><text>The term <term>essential mineral right</term> means a right to mine sand and gravel at Rocky Flats, as depicted on the map.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H92BCBBA63BCE4DE085821C1F923F5D01"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Fair market value</header><text>The term <term>fair market value</term> means the value of an essential mineral right, as determined by an appraisal performed by an independent, certified mineral appraiser under the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H59C375368B074B53A1D5A0C470F002A2"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Map</header><text>The term <term>map</term> means the map entitled <quote>Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge</quote>, dated July 25, 2005, and available for inspection in appropriate offices of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Energy.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H4FF4935C45704EE89FCB4EC3E14F1036"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Natural resource damage liability claim</header><text>The term <term>natural resource damage liability claim</term> means a natural resource damage liability claim under subsections (a)(4)(C) and (f) of section 107 of the <act-name parsable-cite="CERCL">Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980</act-name> (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/9607">42 U.S.C. 9607</external-xref>) arising from hazardous substances releases at or from Rocky Flats that, as of the date of enactment of this Act, are identified in the administrative record for Rocky Flats required by the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan prepared under section 105 of that Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/9605">42 U.S.C. 9605</external-xref>).</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H0BB3D9B9EB914C9400C668AD18D200A5"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Rocky Flats</header><text>The term <term>Rocky Flats</term> means the Department of Energy facility in the State of Colorado known as the <quote>Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site</quote>.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HB992AC44333646C899844E86D305FE05"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Secretary</header><text>The term <term>Secretary</term> means the Secretary of Energy.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H2AD367841537412481E6FBC9399DB9BE"><enum>(7)</enum><header>Trustees</header><text>The term <term>Trustees</term> means the Federal and State officials designated as trustees under section 107(f)(2) of the <act-name parsable-cite="CERCL">Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980</act-name> (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/9607">42 U.S.C. 9607(f)(2)</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H4D29A1DE56544B92B1B7DE05C2FDC9B2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Purchase of essential mineral rights</header>
<paragraph id="H99838D4DAC704BE1BB0064AB9E06F900"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, such amounts authorized to be appropriated under subsection (c) shall be available to the Secretary to purchase essential mineral rights at Rocky Flats.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H6B2DADBBB9374EE6A1E90058F6E2AFF8"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Conditions</header><text>The Secretary shall not purchase an essential mineral right under paragraph (1) unless—</text>
<subparagraph id="HEFF2A58EAA134F36A664BDBB51AEC16B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the owner of the essential mineral right is a willing seller; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H4B824E8177FB451794B16657B61DC83F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the Secretary purchases the essential mineral right for an amount that does not exceed fair market value.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H2C8F20306CF449E7910441B10020E3AD"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Limitation</header><text>Only those funds authorized to be appropriated under subsection (c) shall be available for the Secretary to purchase essential mineral rights under paragraph (1).</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HAB48FAE76A484F529D06A499867C2823"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Release from liability</header><text>Notwithstanding any other law, any natural resource damage liability claim shall be considered to be satisfied by—</text>
<subparagraph id="H50E7CEDA694C4214839EA97B6C00933B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the purchase by the Secretary of essential mineral rights under paragraph (1) for consideration in an amount equal to $10,000,000;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H2BC6F80E566849289C4FC400A32800CC"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the payment by the Secretary to the Trustees of $10,000,000; or</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HA357B25E5EBF43F9B71835C5B7A5CD4C"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the purchase by the Secretary of any portion of the mineral rights under paragraph (1) for—</text>
<clause id="H6CC9F32C45734A91BFA006D4CA99F815"><enum>(i)</enum><text>consideration in an amount less than $10,000,000; and</text></clause>
<clause id="H01E49F1F3C4C4366A7014B88008DC4FF"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a payment by the Secretary to the Trustees of an amount equal to the difference between—</text>
<subclause id="H30AD5A596DD14AC5B4DE0077468E97F9"><enum>(I)</enum><text>$10,000,000; and</text></subclause>
<subclause id="H04D3F860A0C148D6976E344C0156EF48"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the amount paid under clause (i).</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H39609B0A42DD4963B953FCE46BEFBB08"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Use of funds</header>
<subparagraph id="HC00D2F4D7487424BA9DCD116947DC944"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Any amounts received under paragraph (4) shall be used by the Trustees for the purposes described in section 107(f)(1) of the <act-name parsable-cite="CERCL">Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980</act-name> (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/9607">42 U.S.C. 9607(f)(1)</external-xref>), including—</text>
<clause id="H1FF27F16D71A48BAA562FFC1C43FAE73"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the purchase of additional mineral rights at Rocky Flats; and</text></clause>
<clause id="H1FBC5D1C47FC47598594A74E2DB75970"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the development of habitat restoration projects at Rocky Flats.</text></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HE9C929D408EF4BF2A8E5E4A6966F594B"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Condition</header><text>Any expenditure of funds under this paragraph shall be made jointly by the Trustees.</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H67E7C3CAA62F4328B401E5EA1F28B76E"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Additional funds</header><text>The Trustees may use the funds received under paragraph (4) in conjunction with other private and public funds.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H8A7BDB78FCA24B30AB633B7665319855"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Exemption from national environmental policy Act</header><text>Any purchases of mineral rights under this subsection shall be exempt from the <act-name parsable-cite="NEPA69">National Environmental Policy Act of 1969</act-name> (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/4321">42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.</external-xref>).</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H498E6418B233417DB49C00EDB7F8E52C"><enum>(7)</enum><header>Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge</header>
<subparagraph id="H82E05319E3A341DA843BC8475FF25DD0"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Transfer of management responsibilities</header><text>The Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge Act of 2001 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/668dd">16 U.S.C. 668dd</external-xref> note; <external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/107/107">Public Law 107–107</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<clause id="HD15D77EB5DFD41C0B1C45FF7B8FA6FD"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in section 3175—</text>
<subclause id="H234B046C1F3D4FE282D96163702C5776"><enum>(I)</enum><text>by striking subsections (b) and (f); and</text></subclause>
<subclause id="H846F993E6E5145D5B6BFE25937919B97"><enum>(II)</enum><text>by redesignating subsections (c), (d), and (e) as subsections (b), (c), and (d), respectively; and</text></subclause></clause>
<clause id="H5D246190B38F45D5B77060DD07E29990"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in section 3176(a)(1), by striking <quote>section 3175(d)</quote> and inserting <quote>section 3175(c)</quote>.</text></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HC3B06EAD2DB547509FF5DA433F3D36B8"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Boundaries</header><text>Section 3177 of the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge Act of 2001 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/668dd">16 U.S.C. 668dd</external-xref> note; <external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/107/107">Public Law 107–107</external-xref>) is amended by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="H16FE0C9E39B34D7EB7A1BBC7C7DC9BF">
<subsection id="H99A00136E8364268B4D32FCDC7628CE0"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Composition</header>
<paragraph id="H6449DA516C3F461A817D2E5B12F03BBE"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Except as provided in paragraph (2), the refuge shall consist of land within the boundaries of Rocky Flats, as depicted on the map—</text>
<subparagraph id="H0E4EF39F49214CA6868661CFBE9626C6"><enum>(A)</enum><text>entitled <quote>Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge</quote>;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H4FC2DC279D6B45079EC7D0082E57496"><enum>(B)</enum><text>dated July 25, 2005; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H7F92AF9189C342419DA4D4A6C3DAE51F"><enum>(C)</enum><text>available for inspection in the appropriate offices of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Energy.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H9706FCFC3C8D4A89BEF300C9EFBC58CE"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Exclusions</header><text>The refuge does not include—</text>
<subparagraph id="H9E22B837DEC441C587C0E1B858DA809E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>any land retained by the Department of Energy for response actions under section 3175(c);</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H4E3209FC88B745D8AF1BA0397B8E5E89"><enum>(B)</enum><text>any land depicted on the map described in paragraph (1) that is subject to 1 or more essential mineral rights described in section 3114(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 over which the Secretary shall retain jurisdiction of the surface estate until the essential mineral rights—</text>
<clause id="H2FC154B861F348379D7D0999BE64FD1E"><enum>(i)</enum><text>are purchased under subsection (b) of that Act; or</text></clause>
<clause id="HF396C829C342415BA187842327572379"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>are mined and reclaimed by the mineral rights holders in accordance with requirements established by the State of Colorado; and</text></clause></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HEFA5BFF8E64A4D01B30025C49B87FDC8"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the land depicted on the map described in paragraph (1) on which essential mineral rights are being actively mined as of the date of enactment of this subparagraph until—</text>
<clause id="HB2ADF9B5C5B34AF688CFAB59D883CDA8"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the essential mineral rights are purchased; or</text></clause>
<clause id="H678C2B2C59A24888B300BAFAA270DBEA"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the surface estate is reclaimed by the mineral rights holder in accordance with requirements established by the State of Colorado.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HB89ED9F1C1E348D5AD00198C42DD7858"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Acquisition of additional land</header><text>Notwithstanding paragraph (2), upon the purchase of the mineral rights or reclamation of the land depicted on the map described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—</text>
<subparagraph id="H6FECF0061E014F55A121F54214AB35C8"><enum>(A)</enum><text>transfer the land to the Secretary of the Interior for inclusion in the refuge; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="HD22361DDA24640FD86FB204DBDEDBFE4"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the Secretary of the Interior shall—</text>
<clause id="H0A7C862023754E5A99B0501755258278"><enum>(i)</enum><text>accept the transfer of the land; and</text></clause>
<clause id="H3D2C93A54BE44BFD8685DAB36059243"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>manage the land as part of the refuge.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H36A0C7E3CC5B4601B1927ECF02CF3FBF"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Funding</header><text>Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site for fiscal year 2006, $10,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary for the purposes described in subsection (b).</text></subsection></section> 
</legis-body> 
</bill> 


