Park Service. As soon as practicable after the date of en-
actment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish a legal
description of the Bodie Bowl area in the Federal
Register.
(b) VALID EXISTING RIGHTS.—As used in this sub-
section, the term ‘‘valid existing rights’’ in reference to
the general mining laws means that a mining claim located
on lands within the Bodie Bowl was properly located and
maintained under the general mining laws prior to the
date of enactment of this Act, was supported by a discov-
ery of a valuable mineral deposit within the meaning of
the general mining laws on the date of enactment of this
Act, and that such claim continues to be valid.
(c) VALIDITY REVIEW.—The Secretary shall under-
take an expedited program to determine the validity of all
unpatented mining claims located within the Bodie Bowl.
The expedited program shall include an examination of all
unpatented mining claims, including those for which a pat-
ent application has not been filed. If a claim is determined
to be invalid, the Secretary shall promptly declare the
claim to be null and void, except that the Secretary shall
not challenge the validity of any claim located within the
Bodie Bowl for the failure to do assessment work for any
period after the date of enactment of this Act. The Sec-
retary shall make a determination with respect to the va-
lidity of each claim referred to under this subsection with-
in 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
(d) LIMITATION ON PATENT ISSUANCE.—
(1) MINING CLAIMS.—(A) After January 11,
1993, no patent shall be issued by the United States
for any mining claim located under the general min-
ing laws within the Bodie Bowl unless the Secretary
determines that, for the claim concerned—
(i) a patent application was filed with the
Secretary on or before such date; and
(ii) all requirements established under sec-
tions 2325 and 2326 of the Revised Statutes
(30 U.S.C. 29 and 30) for vein or lode claims
and sections 2329, 2330, 2331, and 2333 of
the Revised Statutes (30 U.S.C. 35, 36, 37) for
placer claims were fully complied with by that
date.
(B) If the Secretary makes the determinations
referred to in subparagraph (A) for any mining
claim, the holder of the claim shall be entitled to the
issuance of a patent in the same manner and degree
to which such claim holder would have been entitled
to prior to the enactment of this Act, unless and
until such determinations are withdrawn or invali-
dated by the Secretary or by a court of the United
States.
(2) MILL SITE CLAIMS.—(A) After January 11,
1993, no patent shall be issued by the United States
for any mill site claim located under the general
mining laws within the Bodie Bowl unless the Sec-
retary determines that, for the claim concerned—
(i) a patent application was filed with the
Secretary on or before January 11, 1993; and
(ii) all requirements applicable to such pat-
ent application were fully complied with by that
date.
(B) If the Secretary makes the determinations
referred to in subparagraph (A) for any mill site
claim, the holder of the claim shall be entitled to the
issuance of a patent in the same manner and degree
to which such claim holder would have been entitled
to prior to the enactment of this Act, unless and
until such determinations are withdrawn or invali-
dated by the Secretary or by a court of the United
States.
SEC. 5. MINERAL ACTIVITIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the last sentence
of section 302(b) of the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976, and in accordance with this Act and
other applicable law, the Secretary shall require that min-
eral activities be conducted in the Bodie Bowl so as to—
(1) avoid adverse effects on the historic, cul-
tural, recreational and natural resource values of the
Bodie Bowl; and
(2) minimize other adverse impacts to the envi-
ronment.
(b) RESTORATION OF EFFECTS OF MINING EXPLO-
RATION.—As soon as possible after the date of enactment
of this Act, visible evidence or other effects of mining ex-
ploration activity within the Bodie Bowl conducted on or
after September 1, 1988, shall be reclaimed by the opera-
tor in accordance with regulations prescribed pursuant to
subsection (d).
(c) ANNUAL EXPENDITURES; FILING.—The require-
ments for annual expenditures on unpatented mining
claims imposed by Revised Statute 2324 (30 U.S.C. 28)
shall not apply to any such claim located within the Bodie
Bowl. In lieu of filing the affidavit of assessment work
referred to under section 314(a)(1) of the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C.
1744(a)(1)), the holder of any unpatented mining or mill
site claim located within the Bodie Bowl shall only be re-
quired to file the notice of intention to hold the mining
claim referred to in such section 314(a)(1).
(d) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall promulgate
rules to implement this section, in consultation with the
Governor of the State of California, within 180 days after
the date of enactment of this Act. Such rules shall be no
less stringent than the rules promulgated pursuant to the
Act of September 28, 1976 entitled ‘‘An Act to provide
for the regulation of mining activity within, and to repeal
the application of mining laws to, areas of the National
Park System, and for other purposes’’ (Public Law 94–
429; 16 U.S.C. 1901–1912).
SEC. 6. STUDY.
Beginning as soon as possible after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall review
possible actions to preserve the scenic character, historical
integrity, cultural and recreational values, flora and fauna,
and ghost town characteristics of lands and structures
within the Bodie Bowl. No later than 3 years after the
date of such enactment, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Natural Resources of the United States
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy
and Natural Resources of the United States Senate a re-
port that discusses the results of such review and makes
recommendations as to which steps (including but not lim-
ited to acquisition of lands or valid mining claims) should
be undertaken in order to achieve these objectives.
Passed the House of Representatives May 11, 1993.
Attest:
Clerk.