Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 72 Part 1.djvu/1728

 1686

PUBLIC LAW 8 6 - 8 6 8 - S E P T. 2, 1958

[72

ST A T.

Public Law 85-868 AN ACT September 2, 1958 To provide for the exchange of lands between the United States and the Navajo [S.3754] Tribe, and for other purposes.

Indians. Navajo Tribe. Land exchange.

M i n e r a l activ» itles.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That (a) the Secretary of the Interior shall, in consideration of and as just compensation for the transfer made by section 2 of this Act as well as for the use and occupancy of the lands therein described under terms of the right-of-way granted March 22;, 1957, by the Secretary pursuant to the Act of February 5, 1948 (62 Stat. 17), transfer to the Navajo Tribe so much of the block of public lands (exclusive of the minerals therein, but inclusive of all range improvements constructed thereon) described in subsection (c) of this section, as shall constitute a reasonably compact area equal in acreage to the lands transferred to the United States under section 2, and the lands so transferred shall constitute a part of the Navajo Reservation and shall be held by the United States in trust for the Navajo Tribe and shall be subject to all laws and regulations applicable to that reservation. The owners of range improvements of a permanent nature placed, under the authority of a permit from or agreement with the United States, on lands transferred pursuant to this section shall be compensated for the reasonable value of such improvements, as determined by the Secretary out of appropriations §ivailable for the construction of the Glen Canyon unit, Colorado River storage project. To the extent that the Secretary is unable to transfer, from the lands described in subsection (c), lands equal in acreage to the lands transferred to the United States under section 2, because of the existence of valid rights in other parties than the United States (other than the rights described in subsection (d) of this section), he shall transfer to the Navajo Tribe such other available public lands (exclusive of the minerals therein but inclusive of all range improvements thereon) in reasonable proximity to the Navajo Reservation and to the lands described in subsection (c) as the tribe, with the concurrence of the Secretary, may select and as may be necessary to transfer to the tribe equal acreage in exchange for the lands transferred under section 2, and those lands so transferred shall be treated in the same manner as other lands transferred pursuant to this section. (b) Subject to valid, existing rights, in addition to other requirements under applicable laws and regulations, mineral activities affecting the land transferred pursuant to this section shall be subject to sfuch regulations, which may include, among others, a requirement for the posting of bond or other undertaking, as the Secretary may prescribe for protection of the interests of the Indians. Patents issued with respect to mining claims on the lands transferred pursuant to this section shall be limited to the minerals only, and for a period of ten year^ after the effective date of this Act, none of the lands described in subsection (c) of this section shall be open to location and entry under the general mining laws. (c) The olock of public lands (which lies to the north and west of the portion of the present Navajo Reservation in San J u a n County, Utan, and abuts the reservation's boundaries within the county) from which the transfer under this section is to be made, is described as follows:

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