Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 53 Part 2.djvu/712

 PUBLIC LAWS-CH. 418 -AUG. 4, 1939 other charges which are not covered into the principal sums of the construction accounts of the Bureau of Reclamation. "Repayment con (e) The term "repayment contract" shall mean any contract pro- ttviding for payment of construction charges to the United States. " Pject contract (f) Th term roect contract unit" shall mean a project or any substantial area of a project which is covered or is proposed to be covered by a repayment contract. On any project where two or more repayment contracts in part cover the same area and in part different areas, the area covered by each such repayment contract shall be a separate project contract unit. On any project where there are either two or more repayment contracts on a single project contract unit or two or more project contract units, the repayment contracts or project contract units may be merged by agreements " " in form satisfactory to the Secretary. (g) The term "organization" shall mean any conservancy district, irrigation district, water users' association, or other organization, which is organized under State law and which has capacity to enter into contracts with the United States pursuant to the Federal recla- mation laws. "Annual returns." (h) The term "annual returns" shall mean the amount of the annual gross crop returns per acre of the area in cultivation within the project contract unit involved; and the term "normal returns" for any year shall mean the weighted average of the annual returns of those ten years, of the thirteen-year period covering said year and the twelve years preceding it, in which the annual returns are the highest. ect.Dvsionofapro. (i) The term "division of a project" shall mean any part of a project designated as a division by order of the Secretary or any phase or feature of project operations given a separate designation as a division by order of the Secretary for the purposes of orderly and efficient administration. " Delpment The term "development unit" shall mean a part of a project unit." which, for purposes of orderly engineering or reclamation develop- ment, is designated as a development unit by order of the Secretary. " Irrigation block." (k) The term "irrigation block" shall mean an area of arid or semiarid lands in a project in which, in the judgment of the Secre- tary, the irrigable lands should be reclaimed and put under irri- gation at substantially the same timle, and which is designated as an irrigation block by order of the Secretary. Isting rpayent con SEC. 3. In connection with any repayment contract or other form tracts authorized, of obligation, existing on the date of this Act, to pay construction charges, providing for repayment on the basis of a definite period, the Secretary is hereby authorized, upon request by the water users involved or their duly authorized representatives for amendment under this section of said contract or other form of obligation, and if in the Secretary's judgment such amendment is both practicable Spread a of un- and in keeping with the general purpose of this Act, to amend charges in definite said contract or other form of obligation so as to provide that the annual installments, construction charges remaining unaccrued on the date of the amend- ment, or any later date agreed upon, shall be spread in definite annual installments on the basis of a longer definite period fixed in Liiation each case by the Secretary: Provided, That for any construction charges said longer period shall not exceed forty years, exclusive of 1931 and subsequent years to the extent of moratoria or deferments of construction charges due and payable for such years effected pur- suant to Acts of Congress, from the date when the first installment of said construction charges became due and payable under the orig- inal obligation to pay said construction charges and in no event shall the unexpired part of said longer period exceed double the number 1188 [53 STAT.

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