February 5, 2025
Mr. Stauber (for himself, Mr. Finstad, Mrs. Fischbach, Mr. Fulcher, Mr. Tiffany, Mr. Begich, Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Hunt, Ms. Maloy, Ms. Hageman, and Mr. Gosar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
To rescind Public Land Order 7917, to reinstate mineral leases and permits in the Superior National Forest, to ensure timely review of Mine Plans of Operations, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Superior National Forest Restoration Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Superior National Forest System Lands in Minnesota
(a) Rescission
The order titled Public Land Order No. 7917 for Withdrawal of Federal Lands; Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties, MN
, issued by the Bureau of Land Management and dated January 31, 2023, is hereby rescinded.
(b) Timely review
The Secretary shall complete all necessary environmental and regulatory reviews, including processes subject to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), for all Mine Plans of Operations within the Superior National Forest lands in the State of Minnesota—
(1)
with respect to a Mine Plan of Operations submitted or resubmitted in the 10-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this section, not later than 18 months after the date on which such Mine Plan of Operations is submitted or resubmitted; and
(2)
with respect to a Mine Plan of Operations reviewed pursuant to this section, all necessary supplemental environmental and regulatory reviews shall be reviewed by the Secretary not later than 6 months after the date on which such supplemental Mine Plan of Operations is submitted, and all necessary regulatory and environmental permits shall be issued not later than 6 months after the Mine Plan of Operations is approved.
(c) Reissuance of mineral leases
(1) In general
The Secretary shall issue each mineral lease, preference right lease, and prospecting permit canceled by the Secretary relating to lands within Superior National Forest during the period beginning on January 31, 2021, and ending on the date of the enactment of this section. Such mineral leases, preference right leases, and prospecting permits shall be reissued on the same terms as were in effect on the date of such cancellations, except that—
(A)
prospecting permits shall be reissued with their original terms and conditions as established upon initial issuance; and
(B)
all mineral leases and preference right leases shall be modified to—
(i)
an initial term of 20 years beginning on the date of the enactment of this section;
(ii)
a nondiscretionary right to renewal for 5 subsequent 10-year terms; and
(iii)
a right to make reasonable adjustments of the rental and royalty terms at renewal.
(2) Judicial review
A lease or permit issued under paragraph (1) is not subject to judicial review.
(d) Issuance of new preference right leases
(1) In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, not later than 5 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall grant preference right leases for any preference right lease applications that were rejected after January 31, 2021, and prior to the date of the enactment of this section and have received a notice of preliminary valuable deposit determination.
(2) Lease terms
Such preference right leases shall be issued with terms consistent with subsection (c)(1).
(e) Permits for use of surface lands
With respect to lands subject to a lease pursuant to subsection (d), the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, may issue permits for the use of surface lands not included in the lease for purposes connected with, and reasonably necessary to, the exploration, development, and use of the deposits covered by the lease.
(f) Secretary defined
For the purposes of this section, the term Secretary means—
(1)
the Secretary of the Interior; or
(2)
when used with respect to any unit of the National Forest System, the Secretary of Agriculture.