What are reserved and outstanding mineral rights and how do they affect National Forest management?
Mineral rights are privately-owned on about 19% of the Forest in tracts scattered across the Forest. Within this 19% total, 72% are minerals rights outstanding to third parties and 28% are mineral rights reserved by the grantor at the time the U.S. government acquired the land. The land acquired was, and remains, subject to these pre-existing private mineral rights. Thus, the Forest Plan is subject to these valid existing rights. The exercise of private mineral rights to explore and develop privately-owned minerals on the Forest is a private decision.
