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Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-110

§460mm–1 Administration of Conservation Area

Title 16 › CHAPTER 1 — NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › SUBCHAPTER XCVIII — STEESE NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA AND WHITE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL RECREATION AREA › § 460mm–1

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Land Management, must run the Steese National Conservation Area under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. Existing valid rights remain in force. A land use plan had to be written for each conservation area and a related area created by the law within five years of Dec. 2, 1980. Public lands in the conservation area cannot be removed from federal ownership except by an authorized exchange. Mineral leasing or material removal can be allowed if it fits the land use plan and the applicable mineral laws. Except for existing valid rights, minerals in these lands are closed to claims, entry, and patent under the old mining laws unless the Secretary classifies and opens specific areas under the land use plan. Mining claims and any patents issued after Dec. 2, 1980, are subject to reasonable rules to protect scenic, scientific, cultural, and other resources.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §460mm–1

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Management and use of land; land use plan
Subject to valid existing rights, the Secretary, through the Bureau of Land Management, shall administer the Steese National Conservation Area established in section 460mm of this title pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 [43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.] dealing with the management and use of land in Federal ownership, and shall, within five years of Dec. 2, 1980, develop a land use plan for each such area, and for the area established in section 460mm–2 of this title.
(b)Transfer of lands; mineral exploration and development
No public lands within the national conservation area shall be transferred out of Federal ownership except by exchange pursuant to section 206 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act [43 U.S.C. 1716]. Where consistent with the land use plans for the area, mineral development may be permitted pursuant to the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, and supplemented (30 U.S.C. 181–287) or the Materials Act of 1947, as amended (30 U.S.C. 601–603). Subject to valid existing rights, the minerals in Federal lands within national conservation areas are hereby withdrawn from location, entry, and patent under the United States mining laws (30 U.S.C. 22–54). Where consistent with the land use plan for the area, the Secretary may classify lands within national conservation areas as suitable for locatable mineral exploration and development and open such lands to entry, location, and patent under the United States mining laws (30 U.S.C. 22–54).
(c)Regulation of mining activities
Subject to valid existing rights, all mining claims located within any such unit shall be subject to such reasonable regulations as the Secretary may prescribe to assure that mining will, to the maximum extent practicable, be consistent with protection of the scenic, scientific, cultural, and other resources of the area and any patent issued after December 2, 1980, shall convey title only to the minerals together with the right to use the surface of lands for mining purposes subject to such reasonable regulations as the Secretary may prescribe as aforesaid.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 94–579, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2743, which is classified principally to chapter 35 (§ 1701 et seq.) of Title 43, Public Lands. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1701 of Title 43 and Tables. The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, and supplemented, referred to in subsec. (b), is act Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, 41 Stat. 437, known as the Mineral Leasing Act, which is classified generally to chapter 3A (§ 181 et seq.) of Title 30, Mineral Lands and Mining. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 181 of Title 30 and Tables. The Materials Act of 1947, as amended, referred to in subsec. (b), is act July 31, 1947, ch. 406, 61 Stat. 681, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 601 et seq.) of chapter 15 of Title 30. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 601 of Title 30 and Tables.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 460mm–1

Title 16, Conservation

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110