Home > 105th Congressional Bills > S. 750 (es) 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 protecti...S. 750 (es) 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 protecti...
S.750
One Hundred Fifth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the twenty-seventh day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-
eight
An Act
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.
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 quitclaim 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.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.
Pages: 1 Other Popular 105th Congressional Bills Documents:
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