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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6869 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

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.

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

SECTION 1. WITHDRAWAL OF CERTAIN LAND WITHIN SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL 
              FOREST.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Department of Agriculture, acting through the 
        Forest Service, has implemented a strategy known as the 
        Carbonate Habitat Management Strategy to conserve listed 
        threatened and endangered species where minerals co-occur with 
        those species' habitats to allow for species conservation and 
        efficient administration of mining activities on the San 
        Bernardino National Forest.
            (2) The withdrawal of certain land in the San Bernardino 
        National Forest will help preserve habitat to protect 4 listed 
        threatened and endangered plant species from the effects of 
        mineral development and other forms of entry, appropriation, 
        and disposal under the public land laws.
    (b) In General.--Subject to valid existing rights, the Proposed 
Withdrawal is withdrawn from all forms of--
            (1) entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public 
        land laws;
            (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
            (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, 
        and geothermal leasing laws.
    (c) Effective Date.--The withdrawal under subsection (b) shall take 
effect--
            (1) on the date of the enactment of this section, with 
        respect to Federal land; and
            (2) on the date the land is acquired by the United States, 
        with respect to non-Federal land.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means the 
        approximately 2,775 acres of land generally depicted on the Map 
        as ``National Forest Land'' within the Proposed Withdrawal.
            (2) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map titled ``Proposed 
        Mineral Withdrawal, San Bernardino National Forest, Mountaintop 
        Ranger District'' and dated October 19, 2020.
            (3) Non-federal land.--The term ``non-Federal land'' means 
        the approximately 280 acres of land generally depicted on the 
        Map as ``Non-National Forest Land'' within the Proposed 
        Withdrawal.
            (4) Proposed withdrawal.--The term ``Proposed Withdrawal'' 
        means the approximately 3,055 acres of land generally depicted 
        on the Map as ``Proposed Withdrawal''.
                                 <all>
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