Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 99 Part 2.djvu/553

 PUBLIC LAW 99-200—DEC. 23, 1985

99 STAT. 1663

Public Law 99-200 99th Congress An Act To clear title to certain lands along the California-Nevada boundary.

Dec. 23, 1985 [H.R. 3085]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds that— (1) thousands of acres of public lands transferred by the United States to the State of California or to the State of Nevada on or before June 1, 1982, are now located within the other State according to the boundary between them established by the United States Supreme Court in the case of California against Nevada (447 U.S. 125 (1980)); (2) each State accepted such transfers as valid, and commencing over 125 years ago, conveyed substantially all of the land into private ownership; (3) the original title of each State and political subdivisions thereof and subsequent private parties has been treated as good and valid for all governmental and private purposes; (4) it is imperative that certainty of title to, and ownership of, these lands be established as soon as practicable in order to avoid any undue hardship on the States of California and Nevada and affected private parties; and (5) litigation is not an appropriate means of resolving the questions of title and ownership of the affected lands in that it would result in unprecedented and unnecessary burdens and expenses on the courts of the United States and the States of California and Nevada, as well as on private property owners. SEC. 2. TRANSFERS TO CALIFORNIA.

Grants and all other transfers of public land to the State of California by the United States by a statute, clear list, selection, patent, or any other means on or before June 1, 1982— (1) which are located in the State of Nevada according to the boundary between the States of California and Nevada, as defined in the case of California against Nevada (447 U.S. 125 (1980)); and (2) which have been patented or otherwise conveyed to a third party by the State of California, are not invalid because such land or portions of such land are located in the State of Nevada.

Grants.

SEC. 3. TRANSFERS TO NEVADA.

Grants and all other transfers of public land to the State of Nevada by the United States by a statute, clear list, selection, patent, or any other means on or before June 1, 1982— (1) which are located in the State of California according to the boundary between the States of California and Nevada, as

Grants.

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