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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 651 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 651

To provide for the withdrawal and protection of certain Federal land in 
             the State of Colorado, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 22, 2013

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To provide for the withdrawal and protection of certain Federal land in 
             the State of Colorado, 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Thompson Divide Withdrawal and 
Protection Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the Thompson Divide in western Colorado is an area 
        comprised of Federal and non-Federal land that provides 
        important watershed, scenic, recreational, wildlife, and other 
        benefits to the general public and local communities;
            (2) the Thompson Divide provides rural character, a robust 
        agriculture-based economy, and outstanding recreational and 
        sporting opportunities to many surrounding communities; and
            (3) the Thompson Divide provides important spring and 
        summer grazing land for historical ranching operations.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) subject to valid existing rights, to withdraw certain 
        Federal land and mineral rights in the Thompson Divide 
        Withdrawal and Protection Area from--
                    (A) disposition under the mineral and geothermal 
                leasing laws of the United States;
                    (B) location, patent, and entry under mining laws 
                of the United States; and
                    (C) all forms of appropriation or disposal under 
                the public land laws; and
            (2) to allow for the retirement, purchase, donation, 
        voluntary exchange, or other acquisition of mineral and other 
        interests in land from willing sellers within the Thompson 
        Divide Withdrawal and Protection Area.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled 
        ``Thompson Creek Divide Proposed Withdrawal'' and dated May 31, 
        2012.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (3) Thompson divide withdrawal and protection area.--The 
        term ``Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Area'' means 
        the Federal land consisting of the approximately 183,000 acres 
        depicted on the map as ``Thompson Creek Divide Proposed 
        Withdrawal''.

SEC. 4. THOMPSON DIVIDE WITHDRAWAL AND PROTECTION AREA.

    (a) In General.--Subject to valid existing rights, the Thompson 
Divide Withdrawal and Protection Area is withdrawn from all forms of--
            (1) entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public 
        land laws;
            (2) location, entry, and patent under mining laws; and
            (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, 
        and geothermal leasing laws.
    (b) Surveys.--The exact acreage and legal description of the 
Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Area shall be determined by 
surveys approved by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary 
of Agriculture.
    (c) Acquisition of Mineral Rights.--
            (1) Notification.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
                date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in 
                consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall 
                provide written notice to holders of valid existing 
                mineral leases or other mineral interests within the 
                Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Area of the 
                potential opportunity for donation, voluntary exchange, 
                or other relinquishment of those rights for retirement 
                under this Act.
                    (B) Notification to secretary.--On receipt of the 
                notification under subparagraph (A), a holder of a 
                valid mineral lease or other mineral interest within 
                the Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Area may 
                submit a written notice to the Secretary of the 
                interest of the holder in the retirement or other 
                conveyance of that right for withdrawal and protection 
                purposes.
                    (C) List of interested holders.--The Secretary 
                shall prepare a list of interested holders under 
                subparagraph (A) and make the list available to--
                            (i) the Secretary of Agriculture;
                            (ii) any non-Federal nonprofit organization 
                        described in section 170(h) of the Internal 
                        Revenue Code of 1986; or
                            (iii) any person interested in acquiring a 
                        right for retirement under this Act.
            (2) Withdrawal and retirement.--If any mineral lease or 
        other mineral interest is relinquished, donated to, exchanged, 
        or otherwise acquired by the United States wholly or partially 
        within the Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Area under 
        this Act or under the authority of the Secretary or the 
        Secretary of Agriculture, respectively the land shall, without 
        further action by the Secretary concerned, be automatically 
        withdrawn from all forms of--
                    (A) entry, appropriation, and disposal under the 
                public land laws;
                    (B) location, entry, and patent under mining laws; 
                and
                    (C) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral 
                materials, and geothermal leasing laws.
            (3) Prohibition.--The Secretary and the Secretary of 
        Agriculture shall not use Federal funds to repurchase any valid 
        Federal mineral lease or other mineral interest within the 
        Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Area.
            (4) Applicability.--
                    (A) Existing rights.--Nothing in this Act expands, 
                diminishes, impairs, or otherwise affects any valid 
                existing mineral leases, mineral interest, or other 
                private property rights wholly or partially within the 
                Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Area, 
                including access to the leases, rights, or land in 
                accordance with applicable Federal, State, and local 
                laws (including regulations).
                    (B) Prior lease sales.--Nothing in this Act 
                prohibits the Secretary from taking any action 
                necessary to issue, deny, remove the suspension of, or 
                cancel a lease or any sold lease parcel that has not 
                been issued pursuant to any lease sale carried out 
                prior to the date of enactment of this Act, including 
                the completion of any requirements under the National 
                Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
                seq.).
                                 <all>
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