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S. 239 · Senate bill · 119th Congress
This bill addresses the exchange of mineral interests in Montana involving the federal government, the Crow Tribe of Montana, and a private party.
Specifically, the bill requires
the Department of the Interior to accept the relinquishment of a specified federal coal lease associated with the Bull Mountains Mine near Roundup, Montana (the current operator of the mine is Signal Peak Energy);
the Joe and Barbara Hope Mineral Trust (Hope Family Trust) to convey approximately 4,660 acres of subsurface mineral interests located within the boundaries of the Crow Indian Reservation in Big Horn County, Montana, to the tribe; and
Interior to convey approximately 4,530 acres of subsurface mineral interests and 940 acres of surface interests located in Musselshell County, Montana, to the Hope Family Trust.
Prior to these conveyances, the tribe must notify Interior that the tribe and the Hope Family Trust have agreed on a revenue-sharing formula for the development of the mineral and surface interests in Musselshell County, Montana.
The mineral interests conveyed by the Hope Family Trust to the tribe shall be held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the tribe, upon the tribe's request. These mineral interests shall not be subject to state or local taxation.
This Act may be cited as the “Crow Revenue Act”.
In this Act:
(1) Bull Mountains Lease.— The term Bull Mountains Lease means the Bureau of Land Management Lease MTM–97988 dated June 1, 2012.
(2) Bull Mountains Tracts.— The term Bull Mountains Tracts means the mineral interests that—
(A) are located in Musselshell County, Montana;
(B) comprise approximately 4,530 acres of subsurface interests owned by the United States located in—
(i) T. 6 N., R. 26 E., sec. 2;
(ii) T. 6 N., R. 26 E., sec. 24;
(iii) T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 4;
(iv) T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 8;
(v) T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 10;
(vi) T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 14;
(vii) T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 22;
(viii) T. 7 N., R. 26 E., sec. 24;
(ix) T. 7 N., R. 26 E., sec. 26;
(x) T. 7 N., R. 26 E., sec. 34;
(xi) T. 7 N., R. 27 E., sec. 20; and
(xii) T. 7 N., R. 27 E., sec. 22;
(C) comprise approximately 940 acres of surface interests owned by the United States located in—
(i) T. 6 N., R. 26 E., sec. 2;
(ii) T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 8;
(iii) T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 10;
(iv) T. 6 N., R. 28 E., sec. 8; and
(v) T. 7 N., R. 27 E., sec. 34; and
(D) are generally depicted on the map entitled “Bull Mountains Tracts” and dated January 30, 2024.
(3) Hope Family Tracts.— The term Hope Family Tracts means the aggregate mineral interests that—
(A) are located in Big Horn County, Montana, within the boundaries of the Crow Reservation;
(B) comprise approximately 4,660 acres of subsurface interests owned by the Hope Family Trust located in—
(i) T. 4 S., R. 37 E., sec. 33;
(ii) T. 4 S., R. 37 E., sec. 34;
(iii) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 1;
(iv) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 2;
(v) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 3;
(vi) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 10;
(vii) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 11;
(viii) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 12;
(ix) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 13;
(x) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 14;
(xi) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 15;
(xii) T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 5;
(xiii) T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 8;
(xiv) T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 9;
(xv) T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 16; and
(xvi) T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 17; and
(C) are generally depicted on the map entitled “Hope Family Tracts” and dated January 30, 2024.
(4) Hope family trust.— The term Hope Family Trust means the Joe and Barbara Hope Mineral Trust.
(5) Lessee.— The term Lessee means the lessee for the Bull Mountains Lease.
(6) Secretary.— The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
(7) State.— The term State means the State of Montana.
(8) Tribe.— The term Tribe means the Crow Tribe of Montana.
(a) Completion of mineral conveyances.— Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, in a single transaction—
(1) notwithstanding any other provision of law, including sections 3480.0–6(d)(8) and 3452.1 through 3452.1–3 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), if the Lessee offers to relinquish the Bull Mountains Lease, the Secretary shall accept the relinquishment;
(2) the Hope Family Trust shall convey to the Tribe all right, title, and interest in and to the mineral interests in the Hope Family Tracts; and
(3) subject to valid existing rights, and on relinquishment of the Bull Mountains Lease, the Secretary shall convey to the Hope Family Trust all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the mineral interests and surface land in the Bull Mountains Tracts.
(b) Trust status.— On the request of the Tribe, the mineral interests conveyed to the Tribe under subsection (a)(2) shall be held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the Tribe.
(c) No State taxation.— The mineral interests conveyed to the Tribe under subsection (a)(2) shall not be subject to taxation by the State (including any political subdivision of the State).
(d) Revenue sharing agreement.— Before the conveyances under subsection (a), the Tribe shall notify the Secretary, in writing, that the Tribe and the Hope Family Trust have agreed on a formula for sharing revenue from development of the mineral and surface interests described in subsection (a)(3) if those mineral or surface interests are developed at a later date.
(e) Withdrawal prior To exchange.— Subject to valid existing rights, pending the conveyances under paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (a), the tracts conveyed under those paragraphs shall be 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, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.
No amounts or other benefits provided to the Tribe under this Act shall result in the reduction or denial of any Federal services, benefits, or programs to the Tribe or any member of the Tribe to which the Tribe or member of the Tribe is entitled or eligible because of—
(1) the status of the Tribe as a federally recognized Indian Tribe; or
(2) the status of the member as a member of the Tribe.