I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6869 

To withdraw certain land within the San Bernardino National Forest in 

California from location, entry, and patent under mining laws, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 19, 2023 

Mr. OBERNOLTE (for himself and Mr. AGUILAR) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To withdraw certain land within the San Bernardino National Forest in California from location, entry, and patent under mining laws, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. WITHDRAWAL OF CERTAIN LAND WITHIN SAN 

4 BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST. 

5 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) The Department of Agriculture, acting 

7 through the Forest Service, has implemented a 

8 strategy known as the Carbonate Habitat Manage9 ment Strategy to conserve listed threatened and enVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:54 Jan 08, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6869.IH H6869

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•HR 6869 IH

1 dangered species where minerals co-occur with those 

2 species’ habitats to allow for species conservation 

3 and efficient administration of mining activities on 

4 the San Bernardino National Forest. 

5 (2) The withdrawal of certain land in the San 

6 Bernardino National Forest will help preserve habi7 tat to protect 4 listed threatened and endangered 

8 plant species from the effects of mineral develop9 ment and other forms of entry, appropriation, and 

10 disposal under the public land laws. 

11 (b) IN GENERAL.—Subject to valid existing rights, 

12 the Proposed Withdrawal is withdrawn from all forms 

13 of— 

14 (1) entry, appropriation, and disposal under the 

15 public land laws; 

16 (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining 

17 laws; and 

18 (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral 

19 materials, and geothermal leasing laws. 

20 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The withdrawal under sub21 section (b) shall take effect— 

22 (1) on the date of the enactment of this section, 

23 with respect to Federal land; and 

24 (2) on the date the land is acquired by the 

25 United States, with respect to non-Federal land. 


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•HR 6869 IH

1 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

2 (1) FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘Federal land’’ 

3 means the approximately 2,775 acres of land gen4 erally depicted on the Map as ‘‘National Forest 

5 Land’’ within the Proposed Withdrawal. 

6 (2) MAP.—The term ‘‘Map’’ means the map ti7 tled ‘‘Proposed Mineral Withdrawal, San Bernardino 

8 National Forest, Mountaintop Ranger District’’ and 

9 dated October 19, 2020. 

10 (3) NON-FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘non-Fed11 eral land’’ means the approximately 280 acres of 

12 land generally depicted on the Map as ‘‘Non-Na13 tional Forest Land’’ within the Proposed With14 drawal. 

15 (4) PROPOSED WITHDRAWAL.—The term ‘‘Pro16 posed Withdrawal’’ means the approximately 3,055 

17 acres of land generally depicted on the Map as ‘‘Pro18 posed Withdrawal’’. 

Æ 


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