A bill to consolidate certain mineral interests in the National Grasslands in Billings County, North Dakota, through the exchange of Federal and private mineral interests to enhance land management capabilities and environmental and wildlife protection, and for other purposes.
PL 105-167 (S.750), enacted 04/13/1998

112 STAT. 40 
PUBLIC LAW 105-167—APR. 13, 1998 
Apr. 13, 1998 
[S. 750] 
Public Law 105-167 
105th Congress 
An Act 
Burlington 
Resources Oil & 
Gas Company. 
To consolidate certain mineral interests in the National Grasslands in Billings 
County, North Dakota, through the exchange of Federal and private mineral 
interests to enhance land management capabilities and environmental and wildlife 
protection, 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. EXCHANGE OF CERTAIN MINERAL INTERESTS IN BIL-
LINGS COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA. 
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to direct the consolida-
tion of certain mineral interests in the Little Missouri National 
Grasslands in Billings County, North Dakota, through the exchange 
of Federal and private mineral interests in order to enhance land 
management capability and environmental and wildlife protection. 
(b) EXCHANGE.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law— 
(1) if, not later than 45 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company (referred 
to in this Act as "Burlington" and formerly known as Meridian 
Oil Inc.), conveys title acceptable to the Secretary of Agriculture 
(referred to in this Act as the "Secretary") to all oil and gas 
rights and interests on lands identified on the map entitled 
"Billings 
County, 
North 
Dakota, 
Consolidated 
Mineral 
Exchange—^November 1995", by quitclaim deed acceptable to 
the Secretary, the Secretary shall convey to Burlington, subject 
to valid existing rights, by quitclaim deed, all Federal oil and 
gas rights and interests on lands identified on that map; and 
(2) if Burlington makes the conveyance under paragraph 
(1) and, not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the owners of the remaining non-oil and gas mineral 
interests on lands identified on that map convey title acceptable 
to the Secretary to all rights, title, and interests in the interests 
held by them, by quitclaim deed acceptable to the Secretary, 
the Secretary shall convey to those owners, subject to valid 
existing rights, by exchange deed, all remaining Federal non-
oil and gas mineral rights, title, and interests in National 
Forest System lands and National Grasslands identified on 
that map in the State of North Dakota as are agreed to by 
the Secretary and the owners of those interests. 
PUBLIC LAW 105-167—APR. 13, 1998 
112 STAT. 41 
(c) LEASEHOLD INTERESTS.—As a condition precedent to the 
conveyance of interests by the Secretary to Burlington under this 
Act, all leasehold and contractual interests in the oil and gas 
interests to be conveyed by Burlington to the United States under 
this Act shall be released, to the satisfaction of the Secretary. 
(d) EQUAL VALUATION OF OIL AND GAS RIGHTS EXCHANGE.— 
The values of the interests to be exchanged under subsection (b)(1) 
shall be deemed to be equal. 
(e) APPROXIMATE EQUAL VALUE OF EXCHANGES WITH OTHER 
INTEREST OWNERS.—^The values of the interests to be exchanged 
under subsection (b)(2) shall be approximately equal, as determined 
by the Secretary. 
(f) LAND USE.— 
(1) EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT.—The Secretary shall 
grant to Burlington, and its successors and assigns, the use 
of federally-owned surface lands to explore for and develop 
interests conveyed to Burlington under this Act, subject to 
applicable Federal and State laws. 
(2) SURFACE OCCUPANCY AND USE.—^Rights to surface occu-
pancy and use that Burlington would have absent the exchange 
under this Act on its oil and gas rights and interests conveyed 
under this Act shall apply to the same extent on the federally-
owned surface estate overlying oil and gas rights and interests 
conveyed to Burlington under this Act. 
(g) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY SEN-
SITIVE LANDS.—^All activities of Burlington, and its successors and 
assigns, relating to exploration and development on environmentally 
sensitive National Forest System lands, as described in the "Memo-
randum of Understanding Concerning Certain Severed Mineral 
Estates, Billings County, North Dakota", executed by the Forest 
Service and Burlington and dated November 2, 1995, shall be 
subject to the terms of the memorandum. 
(h) MAP.—^The map referred to in subsection (b) shall be pro-
vided to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
Senate and the Committee on Resources of the House of Representa-
tives, kept on file in the office of the Chief of the Forest Service, 
and made available for public inspection in the office of the Forest 
Supervisor of the Custer National Forest within 45 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act. 
(i) CONTINUATION OF MULTIPLE USE.—Nothing in this Act shall 
limit, restrict, or otherwise affect the application of the principle 
of multiple use (including outdoor recreation, range, timber, water-
shed, and fish Eind wildlife purposes) in any area of the Little 
Missouri National Grasslands. Federal grazing permits or privileges 
in areas designated on the map entitled "Billings County, North 
112 STAT. 42 
PUBLIC LAW 105-167—APR. 13, 1998 
Dakota, Consolidated Mineral Exchange—^November 1995" or those 
lands described in the "Memorandum of Understanding Concerning 
Certain Severed Mineral Estates, Billings County, North Dakota", 
shall not be curtailed or otherwise limited as a result of the 
exchanges directed by this Act. 
Approved April 13, 1998. 
/ 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 750 (H.R. 2574): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 105-471 accompanying H.R. 2574 (Comm. on Resources). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 105-92 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 143 (1997): Oct. 6, considered and passed Senate. 
Vol. 144 (1998): Mar. 30, considered and passed House.