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PUBLIC LAW 85-698-AUG. 21, 1958

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form the ministerial or priestly functions of a religious denomination having a bona fide organization within the United States, or is engaged solely as a missionary by a religious denomination or by an mterdenommational mission organization having a bona fide organization within the United States,". Approved August 20, 1958.

Public Law 85-698 August 21, 1958 [S. 2069]

Coal l e a s e s.

AN ACT To amend section 27 of the Mineral Leasing Act of February 25, 1920, as amended, in order to promote the development of coal on the public domain.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 27 of the Act of February 25, 1920, as amended (41 Stat. 448, 30 U.S.C. 184), is further amended by deleting from the first sentence thereof the words "coal or" and "for each of said minerals", and by inserting at the beginning of said section the following: "No person, association, or corporation, except as herein provided, shall take or hold coal leases or permits during the life of such lease in any one State exceeding an aggregate of ten thousand two hundred and forty acres: Provided, That a person, association or corporation may apply for coal leases or permits for acreage in addition to said ten thousand two hundred and forty acres, which application or applications shall be in multiples of forty acres, not exceeding a total of five thousand one hundred twenty additional acres in such State, and shall contain a statement that the granting of a lease for such additional lands is necessary for the person, association, or corporation to carry on business economically and is in the public interest. On the filing of said application, the coal deposits in such lands covered thereby shall be temporarily set aside and withdrawn from all forms of disposal under this Act. The Secretary of the Interior shall, after posting notice of the pending application in the local land office, conduct public hearings on said application or applications for additional acreage. After such public hearings, to such extent as he finds to be in the public interest and necessary for the applicant in order to cJlrry on business economically, the Secretary of the Interior may, under such regulations as he may prescribe, permit such person, association, or corporation to take or hold coal leases or permits for an additional aggregate acreage of not more than five thousand one hundred and twenty acres in such State. The Secretary may, in his own discretion or whenever sufficient public interest is manifested, reevaluate the lessee's or permittee's need for all or any part of the additional acreage. The Secretary may cancel the lease or leases and permit or permits covering all or any part of the additional acreage, if he finds that such cancellation is in the public interest or that the coal deposits in the additional acreage are no longer necessary for the lessee or permittee to carry on business economically or if the lessee or permittee has divested himself of all or any part of the original ten thousand two hundred and forty acres or no longer has facilities which in the Secretary's opinion enable him to exploit the deposits under lease or permit. No assignment, transfer, or sale of any part of the additional acreage may be made without the approval of the Secretary." Approved August 21, 1958.

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