COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES GEORGE MILLER, California, Chairman PHILIP R. SHARP, Indiana EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts JOHN LEWIS, Georgia BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL, Colorado PETER A. DEFAZIO, Oregon ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American TIM JOHNSON, South Dakota CHARLES E. SCHUMER, New York JIM JONTZ, Indiana PETER HOAGLAND, Nebraska HARRY JOHNSTON, Florida DON YOUNG, Alaska, Ranking Republican Member BARBARA F. VUCANOVICH, Nevada CHARLES H. TAYLOR, North Carolina DAN BEARD, Staff Director DANIEL VAL KISH, Republican Staff Director (II) LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL June 24, 1991 Members of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C. Dear Colleagues: I am pleased to transmit to you a copy of perhaps the first-ever compilation of the major mining and mineral resource laws under the jurisdiction of our Committee. From gold on public domain lands and manganese nodules on the ocean floor, to geothermal, oil, gas and coal, these laws govern the development of a wide variety of fuel and non-fuel mineral resources that are so important to the security of the Nation. The Committee jurisdiction over these laws is with the Subcommittee on Mining and Natural Resources, chaired by our colleague Nick Rahall. The enclosed compilation includes the three major reforms to these laws enacted under his tenure; namely, the Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Act of 1987, the Geothermal Steam Act Amendments of 1988, and the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Act of 1990. These modifications, along with Chairman Rahall's efforts to reform the Mining Law of 1872, are a reminder that few things remain static, and as such, copies of this compilation can also be obtained in looseleaf binder format. Sincerely yours, (III) GEORGE MILLER CONTENTS SELECTED LAWS CONCERNING MINERALS AND MINING Page |