To withdraw the Valle Vidal Unit of the Carson National Forest in New Mexico from location, entry, and patent under the mining laws, and for other purposes.

September 15, 2005

Mr. UDALL of New Mexico introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

To withdraw the Valle Vidal Unit of the Carson National Forest in New Mexico from location, entry, and patent under the mining laws, 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. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Valle Vidal Protection Act of 2005'.

SEC. 2. WITHDRAWAL OF VALLE VIDAL UNIT, CARSON NATIONAL FOREST, NEW MEXICO, FROM MINING LAWS.

(a) Withdrawal- Subject to subsection (b), the Valle Vidal Unit of the Carson National Forest in New Mexico, which consists of 101,794 acres and is identified as Management Area 21 in the land and resource management plan for the Carson National Forest, is hereby withdrawn from--

(1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws;

(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and

(3) operation of the mineral leasing and geothermal leasing laws and mineral materials laws.

(b) Treatment of Existing Rights- The withdrawal required by subsection (a) is subject to valid existing rights. If these existing rights are relinquished or otherwise acquired by the United States at any time after the date of the enactment of this Act, the lands that were subject to the rights shall be immediately withdrawn as provided in subsection (a).

END