Document: 541 U.S. 176 BEDROC LIMITED, LLC, ET AL.v.UNITED STATES AL. No. 02-1593. Supreme Court of United States. Argued January 20, 2004. Decided March 31, The Pittman Underground Water Act 1919 authorized the Secretary Interior to designate certain "nonmineral" Nevada lands on which settlers could obtain permits drill for water. Under § 8 Act, each land grant, or patent, reserved States all coal and other "valuable minerals" in lands, right remove same. When one petitioners' predecessors-in-interest began extracting sand gravel from patented under Bureau Land Management ruled that he had trespassed against Government's interest property's minerals," Board Appeals affirmed. Petitioner BedRoc Limited, subsequently acquired property continued an interim agreement with Department Interior, petitioner Western Elite, Inc., filed a quiet title action Federal District Court. court granted Government summary judgment, holding contested are by Act. Ninth Circuit Held: judgment is reversed, case remanded. 314 F. 3d 1080, reversed THE CHIEF JUSTICE, joined JUSTICE O'CONNOR, SCALIA, KENNEDY, concluded not grants issued In construing mineral reservation Stock-Raising Homestead 1916 (SRHA) — was identical Act's except insofar as it "all whereas this determined neither dictionary nor legal understanding "minerals" prevailing conclusive, but SRHA's purpose history demonstrated "mineral" Watt v. Nuclear, 462 U. S. 36, 55-60. This will extend conclude minerals." Nuclear no choice speculate about congressional intent respect scope amorphous term "minerals," here Congress has textually narrowed term's using modifier "valuable." inquiry begins statutory text, ends there text unambiguous. proper interpreting reservations focuses reservation's ordinary meaning when enacted. Amoco Production Co. Southern Ute Tribe, 526 865, 874. Because applied only Nevada, ultimate question whether State's were commonly regarded 1919. Common sense says no: They were, are, abundant throughout Nevada; they have intrinsic value; commercially worthless Thus, even if minerals, would mistaken them valuable minerals. context further confirms its meaning, explicitly cross-referenced General Mining 1872, beyond dispute became law, common constitute locatable deposit" clearly excludes gravel, occasion resort legislative here. Pp. 181-187. THOMAS, BREYER, 1919's cannot be meaningfully distinguished analogous provision (SRHA), pursuant both do include gravel. Emphasizing "valuable" ignores fact uses interchangeably. And implies erred too broadly narrowly reading into requirement minerals can used commercial purposes. If textual source requirement, then lack imply SRHA contains such requirement. should construed similarly, plurality's reasoning confined naturally carries over SRHA. included within because considered at time passed, they, susceptible use passed Although incorrectly defined significant reliance interests upset overruled. however, involves substantially less than SRHA, does identify any unsettled Court's failing Nuclear's reasoning. 187-189. REHNQUIST, C. J., announced delivered opinion, JJ., joined. opinion concurring joined, post, p. 187. STEVENS, dissenting SOUTER GINSBURG, 189. CERTIORARI TO UNITED COURT OF APPEALS FOR NINTH CIRCUIT. R. Timothy McCrum argued cause petitioners. With him briefs Clifton Elgarten Ellen B. Steen. Assistant Attorney Sansonetti respondents. brief Solicitor Olson, Deputy Kneedler, Dan Himmelfarb, William Lazarus, Elizabeth Ann Peterson, Blaine T. Welsh.* REHNQUIST KENNEDY join. 1 (Pittman Act), ch. 77, 41 Stat. 293. We hold not. 2 Beginning 1862, 75, 12 392, stretching early 20th century, enacted series land-grant statutes aimed settling American frontier. One these That sought succeed where earlier homestead laws failed: promoting development population growth State Nevada. H. Rep. 286, 66th Cong., 1st Sess., (1919).1 It thought Nevada's surface water resources hindering agricultural progress. Ibid. After rejecting various proposals directly fund exploration underground water, encourage private citizens prospect Id., 1. 3 lies heart Great Basin, part lying roughly between Sierra Range west Wasatch mountain ranges east. western face blocks rain-bearing winds off Pacific Ocean reaching forming rain shadow entire region. has, average, precipitation Union. reason why most rivers, instead eventually flowing sea, disappear "sinks." 5 New Encyclopaedia Britannica 442 (15th ed. 1985); Agriculture Yearbook, Climate Man 987-988 (1941) (cited States, 463 110, 114 (1983)). 4 lands2 §§ 1-2, 293-294. Any settler who demonstrate successful irrigation least 20 acres crops eligible up 640 acres. 5, id., 294. Of central importance here, patent required contain "a . ., together for, mine, same." 8, 295. By virtue reservation, free dispose "coal deposits lands" accordance "the provisions force disposal." failed significantly advance 1282, 88th 2d (1964), repealed 1964, Pub. L. 88-417, 78 389. repealing legislation, expressly rights existing patentees. 6 Two patentees, Newton Mabel Butler, petitioners case. 1940, Butlers obtained 560 Lincoln County, some 65 miles north Las Vegas. As plentiful visible Butlers' land, market due sparse land's remote location. App. 10, 11. 7 Earl Williams Butler 1993. time, expansion Vegas created land. Shortly after (BLM) served trespass notices 43 CFR 9239.0-7 (1993) (providing unauthorized removal "mineral materials" public "an act trespass"). challenged notices, BLM removing property. affirmed decision. Williams, 140 I. A. 295 (1997). Meanwhile, LLC (BedRoc), 1995.3 pending final resolution ownership dispute. Petitioners seeking Government, 50 Supp. 1001 (Nev. 1999). affirmed, relying primarily our decision 36 (1983). 1080 (2002). certiorari, 539 986 (2003), now reverse. 9 supra, we 39 862, 291 et seq. important statut[e] 1900's." S., 47. Unlike limited "public designated "`stock-raising lands.'" (1976 ed.) (repealed 94-579, 90 2787). A person resided stockraising three years, 291, "ma[de] permanent improvements upon tending increase value [land] stock-raising purposes," 293 every respect, save one: Whereas 299 (2000 ed.), (emphasis added). 10 before us "whether found [SRHA] States." 38. closely divided held is. 60. determining "neither `minerals' prevailed sheds much light us," turned 46-47. observed like Acts containing reservations, "facilitate subsurface resources." 49-52. therefore reasoned determination particular substance estate made contemplated." 52. Accordingly, interpreted "substances character (i. e., inorganic), removed soil, purposes, suppose intended estate." 53. unlikely exploitation dependent farmers ranchers "whose known lie elsewhere," met criteria, indeed 55-60.4 11 argues rationale compels outcome case, notwithstanding seemingly narrower Petitioners, their part, argue ground or, alternative, overruled altogether. While share concerns expressed dissent, see n. 4, decline overrule recent precedent. same token, Whatever correctness broad construction so expansively interpret reservation. "minerals." Here, contrast, "valuable."5 13 preeminent canon interpretation requires "presume [the] legislature statute what means there." Connecticut Nat. Bank Germain, 503 249, 253-254 (1992). well Lamie Trustee, 540 526, 534 (2004); Hartford Underwriters Ins. Union Planters Bank, N. A., 530 1, (2000); Hughes Aircraft Jacobson, 525 432, 438 (1999); 254. think makes clear did intend 14 "In issue emphasized `was dealing practical subject way' terms understood `their popular sense.'" 873 (1999) (quoting Burke Co., 234 669, 679 (1914)). Importantly, it. 874; Leo Sheep 440 668, 682 (1979) (land-grant condition country acts passed" (internal quotation marks omitted)); also Perrin 444 37, 42 ("[U]nless otherwise defined, words taking ordinary, contemporary, meaning" statute). 15 tells us, contest, answer emphatic "No." Sand development.6 marketable parts during World War I explained, evidence simply irrelevant Cf. 873-880 (relying "coal" 1909 1910 coalbed methane gas). readily "most natural interpretation" encompass "need consider applicability ambiguities favor sovereign." 880. 16 meaning. sentence following provides shall disposal cross-referencing currently codified Rev. 2319, 30 22. Then, now, provided belonging open purchase regulations prescribed law." infer class located disposed 59 (drawing inference nearly reservation). 17 law 1919, Zimmerman Brunson, D. 310 (1910), 45 (discussing Zimmerman); 63-65 (Powell, dissenting) (same), remained Department's position until 1929, Layman Ellis, 52 714, see, e. g., 65-69 dissenting); Robert Beery, 83 253 (1976) ("Prior 1929 general mining law").7 event ambitious prospector extract flatly refused him. 18 correct sidestepped impact line ambiguity possibility aware Interior's decision, 45-47. But approach analysis, structure convincingly reinforces unambiguous 19 Notwithstanding contemporaneous plain counsels give precisely ascribed Nuclear. history. See, Lamie, 534, 536; Underwriters, 6; 438; Having declined support it, allow through back door presuming ignorant language employed." Montclair Ramsdell, 107 147, 152 (1883).8 remanded proceedings. 21 ordered. Notes: * Briefs ofamici curiae urging reversal Associated Contractors America al. Ross E. Davies; National Stone, & Gravel Association Laura Lindley Christopher G. Hayes. 81,875; 1920, fallen 77,407. Less 11% 112,000 square privately owned. "Nonmineral" "more purposes [they] contai[n]."Watt 48, 1996, conveyed 40 Inc Four Justices vigorously disagreed approachId., 60-72 dissenting). dissenters pointed out "had consistently laws." 62-67. Furthermore, behind West, stockraising, argued, been thwarted potential "commonplace substances actually soil." 71-72. Despite difference, STEVENS nonetheless findsWestern dispositive because, according him, `mineral' material valuable." Post, 190-191 (dissenting opinion). quite correct. "that purposes" "have separate value" soil. 53-54. However, remainder explains, minimal might point soil might, abstract, far different mineral" Indeed, aptly out, "[e]ven enterprising sold desert." Brief restored theZimmerman rule 1955 Surface Resources 3, 69 368, 611 ("No deposit varieties [and] deemed ..."). contest takes task "refusing examine" proffered thereby engaging "deliberately uninformed" "unconstrained" method interpretationPost, 190-192. course, accepting STEVENS' require radical abandonment longstanding precedents permit necessary ambiguous text. Chief Justice Marshall 1805 stated principle definitively resolves 200 years later: "Where unambiguous, terms, mean plainly expressed, consequently room left construction." Fisher, Cranch 358, 399. thus accept invitation presume itself single House Committee Report rather approved Houses signed President. fail moreover, how exercises unconstrained discretion "sole function" statute, namely, "enforce terms." Caminetti 242 470, 485 (1917). 22 whom BREYER joins, judgment. 23 agree Act) (SRHA). points twice modified adjective "valuable," "suggest[s] `valuable minerals' synonymous." 191 concur believe 24 To reach result without reconsidering (1983), plurality relies heavily contrasting holds, more narrow See ante, 183. Placing emphasis (as suggests 183), purposes.* word strongly properly put 25 disagree, conclusion merely hypothetically, passage 55. "statutory context" enactment confirm view since 184-185. Likewise, 26 definition typically reluctant decisions involving "stare decisis acme cases contract rights." Oil Khan, 522 identifies overruling advocate doing so. reverse faulty inWestern times suggested "mineral," stating "Congress contemplated location 51. Those allowed individuals "to locate claims federal deposits.'" 50-51 Hence, indisputably fall outside substantial enough 27 GINSBURG join, dissenting. 28 (SRHA settlement homesteads "lands which" "chiefly grazing raising forage crops" "not supply." 292 ed.). entered patented" decades ago, 55 29 293, just designed reclamation reasonable cost (1919). Today decides highly reserve millions West covered describing states: "Section bill facility prospecting developing [SRHA]." clearer expression Congress' hard find. rests entirely difference "`all minerals'" minerals.'" Ante, 181. valuable.* Moreover, appears eight suggesting synonymous. history, two short, weight places 31 matter policy, enact broader either statute. policy including may unwise, and, indeed, majority misinterpreted 1916. Neither those possibilities, adequate justification substituting appraisal today settled decades. fortified well-recognized certainty predictability titles concerned." 687 (1979). 32 refusing examine identical, abandons tools judicial decisionmaking. Aharon Barak Israel perceptively "minimalist" judge "who holds learned language" retains greater "will seek guidance reliable source." Judicial Discretion 62 (Y. Kaufmann transl. 1989). deliberately uninformed, hence unconstrained, increases risk judge's own preferences affect decisional process. surely executive agency administering acceptance past control residual doubt eliminated deference owed 56-57 (citing rulings Interior). 33 respectfully dissent. "Given ranching farming, estate. Law 3.26 [(1982)] (`A sever taken value'). Northern Soderberg, 188 [526, 536-537 (1903)] (`mineral metalliferous chiefly character, useful arts manufacture'); Isbell Construction [78 385, 390 (1971)] (`the value') original). best serves encouraging concurrent resources, farming ordinarily entail extraction value."

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