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propriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management 
and the Forest Service. 
(d) ACQUISITION OF LAND.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary or the Sec-
retary of the Interior, as appropriate, may acquire 
any land or interest in land within the boundaries of 
a Special Management Area or the wilderness des-
ignated under paragraphs (27) through (29) of sec-
tion 2(a) of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 
(16 U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 103–77) (as 
added by section 202) only through exchange, dona-
tion, or purchase from a willing seller. 
(2) MANAGEMENT.—Any land or interest in 
land acquired under paragraph (1) shall be incor-
porated into, and administered as a part of, the wil-
derness or Special Management Area in which the 
land or interest in land is located. 
(e) GRAZING.—The grazing of livestock on covered 
land, if established before the date of enactment of this 
Act, shall be permitted to continue subject to such reason-
able regulations as are considered to be necessary by the 
Secretary with jurisdiction over the covered land, in ac-
cordance with— 
(1) section 4(d)(4) of the Wilderness Act (16 
U.S.C. 1133(d)(4)); and 
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(2) the applicable guidelines set forth in Appen-
dix A of the report of the Committee on Interior and 
Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives ac-
companying H.R. 2570 of the 101st Congress (H. 
Rept. 101–405) or H.R. 5487 of the 96th Congress 
(H. Rept. 96–617). 
(f) FIRE, INSECTS, AND DISEASES.—In accordance 
with section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 
1133(d)(1)), the Secretary with jurisdiction over a wilder-
ness area designated by paragraphs (27) through (29) of 
section 2(a) of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 (16 
U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 103–77) (as added by sec-
tion 202) may carry out any activity in the wilderness area 
that the Secretary determines to be necessary for the con-
trol of fire, insects, and diseases, subject to such terms 
and conditions as the Secretary determines to be appro-
priate. 
(g) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid rights in exist-
ence on the date of enactment of this Act, the covered 
land and the approximately 6,590 acres generally depicted 
on the map entitled ‘‘Proposed Naturita Canyon Mineral 
Withdrawal Area’’ and dated September 6, 2018, is with-
drawn from— 
(1) entry, appropriation, and disposal under the 
public land laws; 
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(2) location, entry, and patent under mining 
laws; and 
(3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral 
materials, and geothermal leasing laws. 
TITLE III—THOMPSON DIVIDE 
SEC. 301. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this title are— 
(1) subject to valid existing rights, to withdraw 
certain Federal land in the Thompson Divide area 
from mineral and other disposal laws; and 
(2) to promote the capture of fugitive methane 
emissions that would otherwise be emitted into the 
atmosphere— 
(A) to reduce methane gas emissions; and 
(B) to provide— 
(i) new renewable electricity supplies 
and other beneficial uses of fugitive meth-
ane emissions; and 
(ii) increased royalties for taxpayers. 
SEC. 302. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) FUGITIVE METHANE EMISSIONS.—The term 
‘‘fugitive methane emissions’’ means methane gas 
from those Federal lands in Garfield, Gunnison, 
Delta, or Pitkin County in the State generally de-
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picted on the pilot program map as ‘‘Fugitive Coal 
Mine Methane Use Pilot Program Area’’ that would 
leak or be vented into the atmosphere from an ac-
tive, inactive or abandoned underground coal mine. 
(2) PILOT
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘pilot pro-
gram’’ means the Greater Thompson Divide Fugitive 
Coal Mine Methane Use Pilot Program established 
by section 305(a)(1). 
(3) PILOT
PROGRAM
MAP.—The term ‘‘pilot 
program map’’ means the map entitled ‘‘Greater 
Thompson Divide Fugitive Coal Mine Methane Use 
Pilot Program Area’’ and dated June 17, 2019. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(5) THOMPSON DIVIDE LEASE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘Thompson 
Divide lease’’ means any oil or gas lease in ef-
fect on the date of enactment of this Act within 
the Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protec-
tion Area. 
(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘Thompson 
Divide lease’’ does not include any oil or gas 
lease that— 
(i) is associated with a Wolf Creek 
Storage Field development right; or 
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(ii) before the date of enactment of 
this Act, has expired, been cancelled, or 
otherwise terminated. 
(6) 
THOMPSON
DIVIDE
MAP.—The 
term 
‘‘Thompson Divide map’’ means the map entitled 
‘‘Greater Thompson Divide Area Map’’ and dated 
June 13, 2019. 
(7) THOMPSON DIVIDE WITHDRAWAL AND PRO-
TECTION AREA.—The term ‘‘Thompson Divide With-
drawal and Protection Area’’ means the Federal 
land and minerals generally depicted on the Thomp-
son Divide map as the ‘‘Thompson Divide With-
drawal and Protection Area’’. 
(8) WOLF CREEK STORAGE FIELD DEVELOP-
MENT RIGHT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘Wolf Creek 
Storage Field development right’’ means a de-
velopment right for any of the Federal mineral 
leases numbered COC 007496, COC 007497, 
COC 007498, COC 007499, COC 007500, COC 
007538, COC 008128, COC 015373, COC 
0128018, COC 051645, and COC 051646, and 
generally depicted on the Thompson Divide map 
as ‘‘Wolf Creek Storage Agreement’’. 
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(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘Wolf Creek 
Storage Field development right’’ does not in-
clude any storage right or related activity with-
in the area described in subparagraph (A). 
SEC. 303. THOMPSON DIVIDE WITHDRAWAL AND PROTEC-
TION AREA. 
(a) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing rights, 
the Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Area is 
withdrawn from— 
(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. 
(b) SURVEYS.—The exact acreage and legal descrip-
tion of the Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection 
Area shall be determined by surveys approved by the Sec-
retary, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(c) GRAZING.—The grazing of livestock on covered 
land, if established before the date of enactment of this 
Act, shall be allowed to continue subject to such reason-
able regulations as are considered to be necessary by the 
Secretary with jurisdiction over the covered land. 
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development of the applicable Thompson 
Divide leases as of January 28, 2019, in-
cluding any expenses relating to the prepa-
ration of any analysis under the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and 
(B) require the approval of the Secretary. 
(2) EXCLUSION.—The amount of a credit 
issued under subsection (a) shall not include any ex-
penses paid by the leaseholder of a Thompson Divide 
lease for legal fees or related expenses for legal work 
with respect to a Thompson Divide lease. 
(c) CANCELLATION.—Effective on relinquishment 
under this section, and without any additional action by 
the Secretary, a Thompson Divide lease— 
(1) shall be permanently cancelled; and 
(2) shall not be reissued. 
(d) CONDITIONS.— 
(1) APPLICABLE
LAW.—Except as otherwise 
provided in this section, each exchange under this 
section shall be conducted in accordance with— 
(A) this Act; and 
(B) other applicable laws (including regu-
lations). 
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(2) ACCEPTANCE OF CREDITS.—The Secretary 
shall accept credits issued under subsection (a) in 
the same manner as cash for the payments described 
in that subsection. 
(3) APPLICABILITY.—The use of a credit issued 
under subsection (a) shall be subject to the laws (in-
cluding regulations) applicable to the payments de-
scribed in that subsection, to the extent that the 
laws are consistent with this section. 
(4) TREATMENT OF CREDITS.—All amounts in 
the form of credits issued under subsection (a) ac-
cepted by the Secretary shall be considered to be 
amounts received for the purposes of— 
(A) section 35 of the Mineral Leasing Act 
(30 U.S.C. 191); and 
(B) section 20 of the Geothermal Steam 
Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1019). 
(e) WOLF CREEK STORAGE FIELD DEVELOPMENT 
RIGHTS.— 
(1) CONVEYANCE TO SECRETARY.—As a condi-
tion precedent to the relinquishment of a Thompson 
Divide lease, any leaseholder with a Wolf Creek 
Storage Field development right shall permanently 
relinquish, transfer, and otherwise convey to the 
Secretary, in a form acceptable to the Secretary, all 
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Wolf Creek Storage Field development rights of the 
leaseholder. 
(2) LIMITATION
OF
TRANSFER.—An interest 
acquired by the Secretary under paragraph (1)— 
(A) shall be held in perpetuity; and 
(B) shall not be— 
(i) transferred; 
(ii) reissued; or 
(iii) otherwise used for mineral extrac-
tion. 
SEC. 305. GREATER THOMPSON DIVIDE FUGITIVE COAL 
MINE METHANE USE PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) FUGITIVE COAL MINE METHANE USE PILOT 
PROGRAM.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in 
the Bureau of Land Management a pilot program, 
to be known as the ‘‘Greater Thompson Divide Fu-
gitive Coal Mine Methane Use Pilot Program’’. 
(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the pilot pro-
gram is to promote the capture, beneficial use, miti-
gation, and sequestration of fugitive methane emis-
sions— 
(A) to reduce methane emissions; 
(B) to promote economic development; 
(C) to produce bid and royalty revenues; 
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(D) to improve air quality; and 
(E) to improve public safety. 
(3) PLAN.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall develop a plan— 
(i) to complete an inventory of fugitive 
methane emissions in accordance with sub-
section (b); 
(ii) to provide for the leasing of fugi-
tive methane emissions in accordance with 
subsection (c); and 
(iii) to provide for the capping or de-
struction of fugitive methane emissions in 
accordance with subsection (d). 
(B) COORDINATION.—In developing the 
plan under this paragraph, the Secretary shall 
coordinate with— 
(i) the State; 
(ii) Garfield, Gunnison, Delta, and 
Pitkin Counties in the State; 
(iii) lessees of Federal coal within the 
counties referred to in clause (ii); 
(iv) interested institutions of higher 
education in the State; and 
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(v) interested members of the public. 
(b) FUGITIVE METHANE EMISSION INVENTORY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall complete an inventory of fugitive methane 
emissions. 
(2) CONDUCT.—The Secretary may conduct the 
inventory under paragraph (1) through, or in col-
laboration with— 
(A) the Bureau of Land Management; 
(B) the United States Geological Survey; 
(C) the Environmental Protection Agency; 
(D) the United States Forest Service; 
(E) State departments or agencies; 
(F) Garfield, Gunnison, Delta, or Pitkin 
County in the State; 
(G) the Garfield County Federal Mineral 
Lease District; 
(H) institutions of higher education in the 
State; 
(I) lessees of Federal coal within a county 
referred to in subparagraph (F); 
(J) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration; 
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(K) the National Center for Atmospheric 
Research; or 
(L) other interested entities, including 
members of the public. 
(3) CONTENTS.—The inventory under para-
graph (1) shall include— 
(A) the general location and geographic co-
ordinates of each vent, seep, or other source 
producing significant fugitive methane emis-
sions; 
(B) an estimate of the volume and con-
centration of fugitive methane emissions from 
each source of significant fugitive methane 
emissions including details of measurements 
taken and the basis for that emissions estimate; 
(C) an estimate of the total volume of fugi-
tive methane emissions each year; 
(D) relevant data and other information 
available from— 
(i) 
the 
Environmental 
Protection 
Agency; 
(ii) the Mine Safety and Health Ad-
ministration; 
(iii) Colorado Department of Natural 
Resources; 
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(iv) Colorado Public Utility Commis-
sion; 
(v) Colorado Department of Health 
and Environment; and 
(vi) Office of Surface Mining Rec-
lamation and Enforcement; and 
(E) such other information as may be use-
ful in advancing the purposes of the pilot pro-
gram. 
(4) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION; DISCLOSURE.— 
(A) PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION.—The Sec-
retary shall provide opportunities for public 
participation in the inventory under this sub-
section. 
(B) AVAILABILITY.—The Secretary shall 
make the inventory under this subsection pub-
licly available. 
(C) DISCLOSURE.—Nothing in this sub-
section requires the Secretary to publicly re-
lease information that— 
(i) poses a threat to public safety; 
(ii) is confidential business informa-
tion; or 
(iii) is otherwise protected from public 
disclosure. 
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(5) USE.—The Secretary shall use the inven-
tory in carrying out— 
(A) the leasing program under subsection 
(c); and 
(B) the capping or destruction of fugitive 
methane emissions under subsection (d). 
(c) FUGITIVE METHANE EMISSION LEASING PRO-
GRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to valid existing 
rights and in accordance with this section, not later 
than 1 year after the date of completion of the in-
ventory required under subsection (b), the Secretary 
shall carry out a program to encourage the use and 
destruction of fugitive methane emissions. 
(2) FUGITIVE METHANE EMISSIONS FROM COAL 
MINES SUBJECT TO LEASE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall au-
thorize the holder of a valid existing Federal 
coal lease for a mine that is producing fugitive 
methane emissions to capture for use, or de-
stroy by flaring, the fugitive methane emissions. 
(B) CONDITIONS.—The authority under 
subparagraph (A) shall be— 
(i) subject to valid existing rights; and 
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(ii) subject to such terms and condi-
tions as the Secretary may require. 
(C) LIMITATIONS.—The program carried 
out under paragraph (1) shall only include fugi-
tive methane emissions that can be captured for 
use, or destroyed by flaring, in a manner that 
does not— 
(i) endanger the safety of any coal 
mine worker; or 
(ii) unreasonably interfere with any 
ongoing operation at a coal mine. 
(D) COOPERATION.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
work cooperatively with the holders of valid 
existing Federal coal leases for mines that 
produce fugitive methane emissions to en-
courage— 
(I) the capture of fugitive meth-
ane emissions for beneficial use, such 
as generating electrical power, pro-
ducing usable heat, transporting the 
methane to market, transforming the 
fugitive methane emissions into a dif-
ferent marketable material; or 
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(II) if the beneficial use of the 
fugitive methane emissions is not fea-
sible, the destruction of the fugitive 
methane emissions by flaring. 
(ii) GUIDANCE.—In furtherance of the 
purposes of this paragraph, not later than 
1 year after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall issue guidance for 
the implementation of Federal authorities 
and programs to encourage the capture for 
use, or destruction by flaring, of fugitive 
methane emissions while minimizing im-
pacts on natural resources or other public 
interest values. 
(E) ROYALTIES.—The Secretary shall de-
termine whether any fugitive methane emissions 
used or destroyed pursuant to this paragraph 
are subject to the payment of a royalty under 
applicable law. 
(3) FUGITIVE
METHANE
EMISSIONS
FROM 
ABANDONED COAL MINES.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Except as otherwise 
provided in this section, notwithstanding section 
303, subject to valid existing rights, and in ac-
cordance with section 21 of the Mineral Leasing 
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Act (30 U.S.C. 241) and any other applicable 
law, the Secretary shall— 
(i) authorize the capture for use, or 
destruction by flaring, of fugitive methane 
emissions from abandoned coal mines on 
Federal land; and 
(ii) make available for leasing such fu-
gitive methane emissions from abandoned 
coal mines on Federal land as the Sec-
retary considers to be in the public inter-
est. 
(B) SOURCE.—To the maximum extent 
practicable, the Secretary shall offer for lease 
each significant vent, seep, or other source of 
fugitive methane emissions from abandoned 
coal mines. 
(C) BID QUALIFICATIONS.—A bid to lease 
fugitive methane emissions under this para-
graph shall specify whether the prospective les-
see intends— 
(i) to capture the fugitive methane 
emissions for beneficial use, such as gener-
ating electrical power, producing usable 
heat, transporting the methane to market, 
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transforming the fugitive methane emis-
sions into a different marketable material; 
(ii) to destroy the fugitive methane 
emissions by flaring; or 
(iii) to employ a specific combination 
of— 
(I) capturing the fugitive meth-
ane emissions for beneficial use; and 
(II) destroying the fugitive meth-
ane emission by flaring. 
(D) PRIORITY.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—If there is more 
than one qualified bid for a lease under 
this paragraph, the Secretary shall select 
the bid that the Secretary determines is 
likely to most significantly advance the 
public interest. 
(ii) 
CONSIDERATIONS.—In 
deter-
mining the public interest under clause (i), 
the Secretary shall take into consider-
ation— 
(I) the size of the overall de-
crease in the time-integrated radiative 
forcing of the fugitive methane emis-
sions; 
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