Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 96 Part 2.djvu/1203

 PUBLIC LAW 97-468—JAN. 14, 1983 regard to other lands being processed for patent to the State. The Secretary of the Interior shall give priority to the adjudication of Village Corporation claims as required in this section. Upon completion of the review and settlement process required by paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection, with respect to lands not subject to an agreement under such paragraph, the Secretary of the Interior shall adjudicate which lands subject to claims of valid existing rights filed by Village Corporations, if any, are public lands and shall complete such final administrative adjudication within two years after the date of enactment of this Act. (3) Pending settlement or final administrative adjudication of claims of valid existing rights filed by Village Corporations prior to the date of transfer or while subject to the license granted to the State pursuant to section 604(b)(l)(C) of this title, lands subject to such claims shall be managed in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding among the Federal Railroad Administration, the State, Eklutna, Incorporated, Cook Inlet Region, Incorporated (as that term is used in section 12 of the Act of January 2, 1976 (Public Law 94-204; 89 Stat. 1150)), and Toghotthele Corporation, executed by authorized officers or representatives of each of these entities. Duplicate originals of the Memorandum of Understanding shall be maintained and made available for public inspection and copying in the Office of the Secretary, at Washington, District of Columbia, and in the Office of the Governor of the State of Alaska, at Juneau, Alaska. (4) The following procedures and requirements are established to promote finality of administrative adjudication of claims of valid existing rights filed by Village Corporations, to clarify and simplify the title status of lands subject to such claims, and to avoid potential impairment of railroad operations resulting from joint or divided ownership in substantial segments of right-o^way: (A)(i) Prior to final administrative adjudication of Village Corporation claims of valid existing rights in land subject to the license granted under section 604(b)(l)(C) of this title, the Secretary of the Interior may, notwithstanding any other provision of law, accept relinquishment of so much of such claims as involved lands within the right-of-way through execution of an agreement with the appropriate Village Corporation effective on or after the date of transfer. Upon such relinquishment, the interest of the United States in the right-of-way shall be conveyed to the State pursuant to section 604(b)(l)(B) or (2) of this title. (ii) With respect to a claim described in clause (i) of this subparagraph that is not settled or relinquished prior to final administrative adjudication, the Congress finds that exclusive control over the right-of-way by the Alaska Railroad has been and continues to be necessary to afford sufficient protection for safe and economic operation of the railroad. Upon failure of the interested Village Corporation to relinquish so much of its claims as involve lands within the right-of-way prior to final adjudication of valid existing rights, the Secretary shall convey to the State pursuant to section 604(b)(l)(B) or (2) of this title all right, title and interest of the United States in and to the rightof-way free and clear of such Village Corporation's claim to and interest in lands within such right-of-way. (B) Where lands within the right-of-way, or any interest in such lands, have been conveyed from Federal ownership prior to

96 STAT. 2565

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