PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · May 24, 2010
Nevada Mining Townsite Conveyance Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to carry out an expedited program to examine and determine the validity of each unpatented mining claim (including each claim for which a patent application has been filed) within specified mining townsites (federally owned real property in the Gold Point and Ione townsites within Esmeralda and Nye Counties, Nevada, on which improvements were constructed based on the belief that: (1) the property had been or would be acquired from the federal government by the entity that operated the mine; or (2) the individual or entity that made the improvement had a valid claim for acquiring the property from the federal government).
Directs the Secretary of the Interior, after completing the validity review, to convey to the appropriate county, without consideration, all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to any such mining townsites (including improvements) which are not subject to valid mining claims. Requires the Secretary to reserve the mineral rights in each parcel of land subject to a valid mining claim, but convey, without consideration, the remaining U.S. right, title, and interest.
Requires the county receiving such a site, if one or more individuals (occupants, for instance) prove a valid interest under Nevada law, to reconvey the property to such individual or individuals.
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Withdraws the mining townsites from: (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials.
Requires withdrawal and conveyance to the owner of the surface rights of any mining claim determined valid which is abandoned, invalidated, or otherwise returned to the BLM.
People & committees
Rep. Heller, Dean [R-NV-2] · R–NV
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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