Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 96 Part 2.djvu/1173

 PUBLIC LAW 97-465—JAN. 12, 1983

96 STAT. 2535

Public Law 97-465 97th Congress An Act To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain National Forest System lands, and for other purposes.

Jan. 12, 1983 [S. 705]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That for purposes National Forest System, of this Act— land conveyance. (1) the term "person" includes any State or any political 16 USC 521c. subdivision or entity thereof; Definitions. (2) the term "interchange" means a land transfer in which the Secretary and another person exchange titles to lands or interests in lands of approximately equal value where the Secretary finds that such a value determination can be made without a formal appraisal and under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe; and (3) the term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States. SEC. 2. The Secretary is authorized, when the Secretary deter- 16 USC 521d. mines it to be in the public interest— (1) to sell, exchange, or interchange by quitclaim deed, all right, title, and interest, including the mineral estate, of the United States in and to National Forest System lands described in section 3; and (2) to accept as consideration for the lands sold, exchanged, or interchanged other lands, interests in lands, or cash payment, or any combination of such forms of consideration, which, in the case of conveyance by sale or exchange, is at least equal in value, including the mineral estate, or, in the case of conveyance by interchange, is of approximately equal value, including the mineral estate, to the lands being conveyed by the Secretary. The Secretary shall insert in any such quitclaim deed such terms, convenants, conditions, and reservations as the Secretary deems necessary to ensure protection of the public interest, including protection of the scenic, wildlife, and recreation values of the National Forest System and provision for appropriate public access to and use of lands within the System. The preceding sentence shall not be applicable to deeds issued by the Secretary to lands outside the boundary of units of the National Forest System. SEC. 3. The National Forest System lands which may be sold, 16 USC 521e. exchanged, or interchanged under this Act are those the sale or exchange of which is not practicable under any other authority of the Secretary, which have a value as determined by the Secretary of not more than $150,000, and which are— (1) parcels of forty acres or less which are interspersed with or adjacent to lands which have been transferred out of Federal ownership under the mining laws and which are determined by the Secretary, because of location or size, not to be subject to efficient administration;

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