[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 137 (Monday, October 6, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10446-S10447]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 NATIONAL GRASSLANDS CONSOLIDATION ACT

  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, Calendar No. 184, S. 750. I ask 
unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of 
the above-stated calendar and bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 750) to consolidate certain mineral interests in 
     the National Grasslands in Billings County, North Dakota, 
     through the exchange of Federal and private mineral interests 
     to enhance land management capabilities and environmental and 
     wildlife protection, and for other purposes.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the bill?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting clause 
and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

[[Page S10447]]

     SECTION 1. EXCHANGE OF CERTAIN MINERAL INTERESTS IN BILLINGS 
                   COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA.

       (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to direct the 
     consolidation of certain mineral interests in the Little 
     Missouri National Grasslands in Billings County, North 
     Dakota, through the exchange of Federal and private mineral 
     interests in order to enhance land management capability and 
     environmental and wildlife protection.
       (b) Exchange.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law--
     --
       (f) if, not later than 45 days after the date of enactment 
     of this Act, Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company (referred 
     to in this Act as ``Burlington'' and formerly known as 
     Meridian Oil Inc.), conveys title acceptable to the Secretary 
     of Agriculture (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') 
     to all oil and gas rights and interests on lands identified 
     on the map entitled ``Billings County, North Dakota, 
     Consolidated Mineral Exchange--November 1995'', by quitclaim 
     deed acceptable to the Secretary, the Secretary shall convey 
     to Burlington, subject to valid existing rights, by quit-
     claim deed, all Federal oil and gas rights and interests on 
     lands identified on that map; and
       (2) if Burlington makes the conveyance under paragraph (1) 
     and, not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the owners of the remaining non-oil and gas mineral 
     interests on lands identified on that map convey title 
     acceptable to the Secretary to all rights, title, and 
     interests in the interests held by them, by quitclaim deed 
     acceptable to the Secretary, the Secretary shall convey to 
     those owners, subject to valid existing rights, by exchange 
     deed, all remaining Federal non-oil and gas mineral rights, 
     title, and interests in National Forest System lands and 
     National Grasslands identified on that map in the State of 
     North Dakota as are agreed to by the Secretary and the owners 
     of those interests.
       (c) Leasehold Interests.--As a condition precedent to the 
     conveyance of interests by the Secretary to Burlington under 
     this Act, all leasehold and contractual interests in the oil 
     and gas interests to be conveyed by Burlington to the United 
     States under this Act shall be released, to the satisfaction 
     of the Secretary.
       (d) Equal Valuation of Oil and Gas Rights Exchange.--The 
     values of the interests to be exchanged under subsection 
     (b)(1) shall be deemed to be equal.
       (e) Approximate Equal Value of Exchanges With Other 
     Interest Owners.--The values of the interests to be exchanged 
     under subsection (b)(2) shall be approximately equal, as 
     determined by the Secretary.
       (f) Land Use.--
       (1) Exploration and development.--The Secretary shall grant 
     to Burlington, and its successors and assigns, the use of 
     Federally-owned surface lands to explore for and develop 
     interests conveyed to Burlington under this Act, subject to 
     applicable Federal and State laws.
       (2) Surface occupancy and use.--Rights to surface occupancy 
     and use that Burlington would have absent the exchange under 
     this Act on its oil and gas rights and interests conveyed 
     under this Act shall apply to the same extent on the 
     federally owned surface estate overlying oil and gas rights 
     and interests conveyed to Burlington under this Act.
       (g) Environmental Protection for Environmentally Sensitive 
     Lands.--All activities of Burlington, and its successors and 
     assigns, relating to exploration and development on 
     environmentally sensitive National Forest System lands, as 
     described in the ``Memorandum of Understanding Concerning 
     Certain Severed Mineral Estates, Billings County, North 
     Dakota'', executed by the Forest Service and Burlington and 
     dated November 2, 1995, shall be subject to the terms of the 
     memorandum.
       (h) Map--The map referred to in subsection (b) shall be 
     provided to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
     the Senate and the Committee on Resources of the House of 
     Representatives, kept on file in the office of the Chief of 
     the Forest Service, and made available for public inspection 
     in the office of the Forest Supervisor of the Custer National 
     Forest within 45 days after the date of enactment of this 
     Act.
       (i) Continuation of Multiple Use.--Nothing in this Act 
     shall limit, restrict, or otherwise affect the application of 
     the principle of multiple use (including outdoor recreation, 
     range, timber, watershed, and fish and wildlife purposes) in 
     any area of the Little Missouri National Grasslands. Federal 
     grazing permits or privileges in areas designated on the map 
     entitled ``Billings County, North Dakota, Consolidated 
     Mineral Exchange--November 1995'' or those lands described in 
     the ``Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Certain Severed 
     Mineral Estates, Billings County, North Dakota'', shall not 
     be curtailed or otherwise limited as a result of the 
     exchanges directed by this Act.

  Mr. DOMENICI. I ask unanimous consent the committee amendment be 
agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read three times, passed, and the 
motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee amendment was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 750), as amended, was read the third time and passed.

                                 S. 750

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

     SECTION 1. EXCHANGE OF CERTAIN MINERAL INTERESTS IN BILLINGS 
                   COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA.

       (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to direct the 
     consolidation of certain mineral interests in the Little 
     Missouri National Grasslands in Billings County, North 
     Dakota, through the exchange of Federal and private mineral 
     interests in order to enhance land management capability and 
     environmental and wildlife protection.
       (b) Exchange.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law--
       (1) if, not later than 45 days after the date of enactment 
     of this Act, Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company (referred 
     to in this Act as ``Burlington'' and formerly known as 
     Meridian Oil Inc.), conveys title acceptable to the Secretary 
     of Agriculture (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') 
     to all oil and gas rights and interests on lands identified 
     on the map entitled ``Billings County, North Dakota, 
     Consolidated Mineral Exchange--November 1995'', by quitclaim 
     deed acceptable to the Secretary, the Secretary shall convey 
     to Burlington, subject to valid existing rights, by quit 
     claim deed, all Federal oil and gas rights and interests on 
     lands identified on that map; and
       (2) if Burlington makes the conveyance under paragraph (1) 
     and, not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the owners of the remaining non-oil and gas mineral 
     interests on lands identified on that map convey title 
     acceptable to the Secretary to all rights, title, and 
     interests in the interests held by them, by quitclaim deed 
     acceptable to the Secretary, the Secretary shall convey to 
     those owners, subject to valid existing rights, by exchange 
     deed, all remaining Federal non-oil and gas mineral rights, 
     title, and interests in National Forest System lands and 
     National Grasslands identified on that map in the State of 
     North Dakota as are agreed to by the Secretary and the owners 
     of those interests.
       (c) Leasehold Interests.--As a condition precedent to the 
     conveyance of interests by the Secretary to Burlington under 
     this Act, all leasehold and contractual interests in the oil 
     and gas interests to be conveyed by Burlington to the United 
     States under this Act shall be released, to the satisfaction 
     of the Secretary.
       (d) Equal Valuation of Oil and Gas Rights Exchange.--The 
     values of the interests to be exchanged under subsection 
     (b)(1) shall be deemed to be equal.
       (e) Approximate Equal Value of Exchanges With Other 
     Interest Owners.--The values of the interests to be exchanged 
     under subsection (b)(2) shall be approximately equal, as 
     determined by the Secretary.
       (f) Land Use.--
       (1) Exploration and development.--The Secretary shall grant 
     to Burlington, and its successors and assigns, the use of 
     Federally-owned surface lands to explore for and develop 
     interests conveyed to Burlington under this Act, subject to 
     applicable Federal and State laws.
       (2) Surface occupancy and use.--Rights to surface occupancy 
     and use that Burlington would have absent the exchange under 
     this Act on its oil and gas rights and interests conveyed 
     under this Act shall apply to the same extent on the 
     federally owned surface estate overlying oil and gas rights 
     and interests conveyed to Burlington under this Act.
       (g) Environmental Protection for Environmentally Sensitive 
     Lands.--All activities of Burlington, and its successors and 
     assigns, relating to exploration and development on 
     environmentally sensitive National Forest System lands, as 
     described in the ``Memorandum of Understanding Concerning 
     Certain Severed Mineral Estates, Billings County, North 
     Dakota'', executed by the Forest Service and Burlington and 
     dated November 2, 1995, shall be subject to the terms of the 
     memorandum.
       (h) Map.--The map referred to in subsection (b) shall be 
     provided to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
     the Senate and the Committee on Resources of the House of 
     Representatives, kept on file in the office of the Chief of 
     the Forest Service, and made available for public inspection 
     in the office of the Forest Supervisor of the Custer National 
     Forest within 45 days after the date of enactment of this 
     Act.
       (i) Continuation of Multiple Use.--Nothing in this Act 
     shall limit, restrict, or otherwise affect the application of 
     the principle of multiple use (including outdoor recreation, 
     range, timber, watershed, and fish and wildlife purposes) in 
     any area of the Little Missouri National Grasslands. Federal 
     grazing permits or privileges in areas designated on the map 
     entitled ``Billings County, North Dakota, Consolidated 
     Mineral Exchange--November 1995'' or those lands described in 
     the ``Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Certain Severed 
     Mineral Estates, Billings County, North Dakota'', shall not 
     be curtailed or otherwise limited as a result of the 
     exchanges directed by this Act.

                          ____________________