PUBLIC LAW 97-382—DEC. 22, 1982
96 STAT. 1939
between the parties to the agreement: Provided, That the Secretary shall not be required to prepare any study regarding environmental, socioeconomic, or cultural effects of the implementation of a Minerals Agreement apart from that which may be required under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)). (c) Not later than thirty days prior to formal approval or disapproval of any Minerals Agreement, the Secretary shall provide written findings forming the basis of his intent to approve or disapprove such agreement to the affected Indian tribe. Notwithstanding any other law, such findings and all projections, studies, data or other information possessed by the Department of the Interior regarding the terms and conditions of the Minerals Agreement, the financial return to the Indian parties thereto, or the extent, nature, value or disposition of the Indian mineral resources, or the production, products or proceeds thereof, shall be held by the Department of the Interior as privileged proprietary information of the affected Indian or Indian tribe. (d) The authority to disapprove agreements under this section Delegation of may only be delegated to the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for authority. Indian Affairs. The decision of the Secretary or, where authority is delegated, of the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs, to disapprove a Minerals Agreement shall be deemed a final agency action. The district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction to review the Secretary's disapproval action and shall determine the matter de novo. The burden is on the Secretary to sustain his action, (e) Where the Secretary has approved a Minerals Agreement in Liability. compliance with the provisions of this Act and any other applicable provision of law, the United States shall not be liable for losses sustained by a tribe or individual Indian under such agreement: Provided, That the Secretary shall continue to have a trust obligation to ensure that the rights of a tribe or individual Indian are protected in the event of a violation of the terms of any Minerals Agreement by any other party to such agreement: Provided further. That nothing in this Act shall absolve the United States from any responsibility to Indians, including those which derive from the trust relationship and from any treaties, Executive orders, or agreement between the United States and any Indian tribe. SEC. 5. (a) the Secretary shall review, within ninety days of Review. enactment of this Act, any existing Minerals Agreement, which does 25 USC 2104. not purport to be a lease, entered into by any Indian tribe and approved by the Secretary after January 1, 1975, but prior to enactment of this Act, to determine if such agreement complies with the purposes of this Act. Such review shall be limited to the terms of the agreement and shall not address questions of the parties' compliance therewith. The Secretary shall notify the affected tribe and other parties to the agreement of any modifications necessary to bring an agreement into compliance with the purposes of this Act. The tribe and other parties to such agreement shall within ninety days after notice make such modifications. If such modifications are not made within ninety days, the provisions of this Act may not be used as a defense in any proceeding challenging the validity of the agreement. (b) The review required by subsection (a) of this section may be performed prior to the promulgation of regulations required under section 8 of this Act and shall not be considered a Federal action
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