II
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION S. 1349
To withdraw the National Forest System land in the Ruby Mountains subdis-
trict of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and the National Wildlife
Refuge System land in Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Elko and
White Pine Counties, Nevada, from operation under the mineral leasing
laws.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
APRIL8, 2025
Ms. C
ORTEZMASTO(for herself and Ms. ROSEN) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Nat-
ural Resources
A BILL
To withdraw the National Forest System land in the Ruby
Mountains subdistrict of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National
Forest and the National Wildlife Refuge System land
in Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Elko and White
Pine Counties, Nevada, from operation under the mineral
leasing laws.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ruby Mountains Pro-4
tection Act’’. 5
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•S 1349 IS
SEC. 2. WITHDRAWAL OF CERTAIN NATIONAL FOREST SYS-1
TEM LAND. 2
(a) W
ITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing rights, 3
the approximately 309,272 acres of Federal land and in-4
terests in the land located in the Ruby Mountains subdis-5
trict of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest within the 6
area depicted on the Forest Service map entitled ‘‘S. 258 7
Ruby Mountains Protective Act’’ and dated December 5, 8
2019, as ‘‘National Forest System Lands’’ are withdrawn 9
from all forms of operation under the mineral leasing laws. 10
(b) A
PPLICATION.—Any land or interest in land with-11
in the boundary of the Ruby Mountains subdistrict of the 12
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest that is acquired by the 13
United States after the date of enactment of this Act shall 14
be withdrawn in accordance with subsection (a). 15
(c) A
VAILABILITY OFMAP.—The map described in 16
subsection (a) shall be on file and available for public in-17
spection in the appropriate offices of the Forest Service. 18
SEC. 3. WITHDRAWAL OF CERTAIN NATIONAL WILDLIFE 19
REFUGE SYSTEM LAND. 20
(a) W
ITHDRAWAL.— 21
(1) I
N GENERAL.—Subject to valid existing 22
rights, the approximately 39,926.10 acres of Federal 23
land and interests in the land located in the Ruby 24
Lake National Wildlife Refuge and depicted on the 25
United States Fish and Wildlife Service map entitled 26
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•S 1349 IS
‘‘S. XXX Ruby Mountains Protection Act’’ and 1
dated February 23, 2021, as ‘‘Ruby Lake National 2
Wildlife Refuge’’ are withdrawn from all forms of 3
operation under the mineral leasing laws, subject to 4
paragraph (2). 5
(2) E
XCEPTION.—The withdrawal under para-6
graph (1) shall not apply to noncommercial refuge 7
management activities by the United States Fish 8
and Wildlife Service. 9
(b) A
PPLICATION.—Any land or interest in land with-10
in the boundary of the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Ref-11
uge that is acquired by the United States after the date 12
of enactment of this Act shall be withdrawn in accordance 13
with subsection (a). 14
(c) A
VAILABILITY OFMAP.—The map described in 15
subsection (a)(1) shall be on file and available for public 16
inspection in the appropriate offices of the United States 17
Fish and Wildlife Service. 18
Æ
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