Pub. L. 100-446, tit. III, sec. 307

Sec. 307. Except for lands described by sections 105 and 106 of Public Law 96–560, section 103 of Public Law 96–550, section 5(d)(1) of Public Law 96–312, and except for land in the State of Alaska, and lands in the National Forest System released to management for 102 STAT. 1824any use the Secretary of Agriculture deems appropriate through the land management planning process by any statement or other Act of Congress designating components of the National Wilderness Preservation System now in effect or hereinafter enacted, and except to carry out the obligations and responsibilities of the Secretary of the Interior under section 17(k)(1) (A) and (B) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C. 226), none of the funds provided in this Act shall be obligated for any aspect of the processing or issuance of permits or leases pertaining to exploration for or development of coal, oil, gas, oil shale, phosphate, potassium, sulfur, gilsonite, or geothermal resources on Federal lands within any Forest Service RARE II areas recommended for wilderness designation or allocated to further planning in Executive Communication 1504, Ninety-sixth Congress (House Document numbered 96–119); or within any lands designated by Congress as wilderness study areas or within Bureau of Land Management wilderness study areas: Provided, That nothing in this section shall prohibit the expenditure of funds for any aspect of the processing or issuance of permits pertaining to exploration for or development of the mineral re-sources described in this section, within any component of the National Wilderness Preservation System now in effect or herein-after enacted, any Forest Service RARE II areas recommended for wilderness designation or allocated to further planning, within any lands designated by Congress as wilderness study areas, or Bureau of Land Management wilderness study areas, under valid existing rights, or leases validly issued in accordance with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws or valid mineral rights in existence prior to October 1, 1982: Provided further, That funds provided in this Act may be used by the Secretary of Agriculture in any area of National Forest lands or the Secretary of the Interior to issue under their existing authority in any area of National Forest or public lands withdrawn pursuant to this Act such permits as may be necessary to conduct prospecting, seismic surveys, and core sampling conducted by helicopter or other means not requiring construction of roads or improvement of existing roads or ways, for the purpose of gathering information about the inventorying of energy, mineral, and other resource values of such area, if such activity is carried out in a manner compatible with the preservation of the wilderness environment: Provided further, That seismic activities involving the use of explosives shall not be permitted in designated wilderness areas: Provided further, That funds provided in this Act may be used by the Secretary of the Interior to augment recurring surveys of the mineral values of wilderness areas pursuant to section 4(d)(2) of the Wilderness Act and acquire information on other national forest and public land areas withdrawn pursuant to this Act, by conducting in conjunction with the Secretary of Energy, the National Laboratories, or other Federal agencies, as appropriate, such mineral inventories of areas withdrawn pursuant to this Act as the Secretary deems appropriate. These inventories shall be conducted in a manner compatible with the preservation of the wilderness environment through the use of methods including core sampling conducted by helicopter; geophysical techniques such as induced polarization, synthetic aperture radar, magnetic and gravity surveys; geochemical techniques including stream sediment reconnaissance and x-ray diffraction analysis; land satellites; or any other methods the Secretary deems appropriate. The Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to conduct inventories or segments 102 STAT. 1825of inventories, such as data analysis activities, by contract with private entities deemed by the Secretary to be qualified to engage in such activities whenever the Secretary has determined that such contract would decrease Federal expenditures and would produce comparable or superior results: Provided further, That in carrying out any such inventory or surveys, where National Forest System lands are involved, the Secretary of the Interior shall consult with the Secretary of Agriculture concerning any activities affecting surface resources.