[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7458 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7458

  To codify notice requirements for mineral exploration activities on 
             certain public lands, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 10, 2026

 Ms. Hageman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
  Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on 
Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To codify notice requirements for mineral exploration activities on 
             certain public lands, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

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

SEC. 2. NOTICE FOR MINERAL EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES WITH LIMITED SURFACE 
              DISTURBANCE.

    (a) In General.--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.
    (b) Inclusions.--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).
    (c) Review.--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).
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Casual use.--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).
            (2) Exploration activity.--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.
            (3) Mineral.--The term ``mineral'' means any mineral of a 
        kind that is locatable under the Act of May 10, 1872 (Chapter 
        152; 17 Stat. 91).
            (4) Operator.--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).
            (5) Public land.--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).
            (6) Secretary concerned.--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.
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