§158 Mineral Resources on Withdrawn Lands; Disposition and Exploration

Summary

When the United States sets aside public land for the Department of Defense (except lands set aside as naval petroleum, naval oil shale, or naval coal reserves), the minerals there — including oil and gas — are controlled by the Secretary of the Interior. Any exploration or disposal of those minerals must follow the public land mining and mineral leasing laws. The Secretary of Defense, after talking with the Secretary of the Interior, can block any mineral activity that would interfere with the military use of the land.