Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 54 Part 1.djvu/1118

 PUBLIC LAWS-CH. 793-OCT. 9,1940 Procurement of evi- dence of title. Basis of opinion as to title. Provisions of desig- nated laws not af- fected. Easements, etc., for military or naval pur- poses. Waiver of require- ment for opinion. Jurisdiction over lands. Acceptance. or to expend money as security for an ultimate award in advance of final judgment in any proceedings to determine just compensation; nor shall this Act be construed to preclude any acquiring agency from expending money for the erection of any preliminary and temporary structure upon any land. "The head or other authorized officer of any department, inde- pendent establishment, or agency, shall procure any evidence of title which the Attorney General may deem necessary, and the expenses of procurement, except where otherwise authorized by law or provided by contract, may be paid out of the appropriations for the acquisition of land or out of the appropriations made for the contingencies of the acquiring department, independent establishment, or agency. "The Attorney General may, in his discretion, base any opinion as to title required either by this Act or any other law upon either or both of the following: Certificates of title of title companies or such evidence of title as he may deem satisfactory. "The foregoing provisions of this section shall not be construed to affect in any manner any existing provisions of law which are applica- ble to the acquisition of lands or interests in land by the Tennessee Valley Authority; and nothing in this section shall be construed to affect in any manner any authority which the Secretary of War, the Chief of Engineers, or the Secretary of the Interior have under the provisions of law in force on the date this section as amended takes effect with respect to the approval by them of title to land or interests in land acquired by the War Department or the Department of the Interior, as the case may be. Nor shall the foregoing provisions of this section, or the provisions of any other law, be construed to require any opinion of the Attorney General in connection with the acquisi- tion or improvement of easements and rights-of-way for military or naval purposes; or for the acquisition or improvement of easements and rights-of-way by the Department of Agriculture for forest and other conservation purposes where the cost of any such easement of right-of-way acquired under a single instrument of conveyance and the cost of any improvement thereon does not exceed $2,500; and the Attorney General may, in his discretion, waive the requirement for his opinion in connection with the acquisition or improvement of ease- ments and rights-of-way for other purposes when, in his opinion, such waiver will not jeopardize the interests of the United States. "Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the obtaining of exclusive jurisdiction in the United States over lands or interests therein which have been or shall hereafter be acquired by it shall not be required; but the head or other authorized officer of any depart- ment or independent establishment or agency of the Government may, in such cases and at such times as he may deem desirable, accept or secure from the State in which any lands or interests therein under his immediate jurisdiction, custody, or control are situated, consent to or cession of such jurisdiction, exclusive or partial, not theretofore obtained, over any such lands or interests as he may deem desirable and indicate acceptance of such jurisdiction on behalf of the United States by filing a notice of such acceptance with the Gov- ernor of such State or in such other manner as may be prescribed by the laws of the State where such lands are situated. Unless and until the United States has accepted jurisdiction over lands hereafter to be acquired as aforesaid, it shall be conclusively presumed that no such jurisdiction has been accepted." Approved, October 9, 1940. 1084 [54 STAT.

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