Domestic ORE Act

This Act may be cited as the Domestic Opportunities for Resource Exploration Act or the Domestic ORE Act.

Not later than 15 days before commencing an exploration activity with a surface disturbance of not more than 25 acres of public lands, the operator of such exploration activity shall submit to the Secretary concerned a notice of such exploration activity.

A notice submitted under subsection (a) shall include such information the Secretary concerned may require, which may include information described in section 3809.301 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).

Not later than 15 days after the Secretary concerned receives a notice of an exploration activity submitted under subsection (a), the Secretary concerned shall—

(1) allow the exploration activity to proceed if—

(A) the surface disturbance of such exploration activity will not be more than 25 acres of public lands;

(B) the Secretary concerned determines that the notice includes the information required under subsection (b); and

(C) the operator provides financial assurance that the Secretary concerned determines is adequate; or

(2) notify the operator that information is missing from the notice and specify any information that is required to be included in the notice under subsection (b).

In this section:

The term casual use has the meaning given such term in section 3809.5 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act).

The term exploration activity —

(A) means creating a surface disturbance greater than casual use that includes sampling, drilling, or developing surface or underground workings to evaluate the type, extent, quantity, or quality of minerals present;

(B) includes constructing drill roads and drill pads, drilling, trenching, excavating test pits, and conducting geotechnical tests and geophysical surveys; and

(C) does not include an activity in which material is extracted for commercial use or sale.

The term mineral means any mineral of a kind that is locatable under the Act of May 10, 1872 (Chapter 152; 17 Stat. 91).

The term operator has the meaning given such term in section 3809.5 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act).

The term public land means land owned by the United States that is open to location under the Act of May 10, 1872 (Chapter 152; 17 Stat. 91).

The term Secretary concerned means—

(A) with respect to land administered by the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of the Interior; and

(B) with respect to National Forest System land, the Secretary of Agriculture.