§ 2663. Land acquisition authorities

(a) Acquisition of Land by Condemnation for Certain Military Purposes.—

(1) Subject to subsection (f), the Secretary of a military department may have proceedings brought in the name of the United States, in a court of proper jurisdiction, to acquire by condemnation any interest in land, including temporary use, needed for—

(A) the site, construction, or operation of fortifications, coast defenses, or military training camps;

(B) the construction and operation of plants for the production of nitrate and other compounds, and the manufacture of explosives or other munitions of war; or

(2) In time of war or when war is imminent, the United States may, immediately upon the filing of a petition for condemnation under paragraph (1), take and use the land to the extent of the interest sought to be acquired.

(b) Acquisition by Purchase in Lieu of Condemnation.— The Secretary of the military department concerned may contract for or buy any interest in land, including temporary use, needed for any purpose named in subsection (a), as soon as the owner fixes a price for it and the Secretary considers that price to be reasonable.

(1) The Secretary of a military department may acquire any interest in land that—

(A) the Secretary determines is needed in the interest of national defense; and

(B) does not cost more than $750,000, exclusive of administrative costs and the amounts of any deficiency judgments.

(2) The Secretary of a military department may acquire any interest in land that—

(A) the Secretary determines is needed solely to correct a deficiency that is life-threatening, health-threatening, or safety-threatening; and

(B) does not cost more than $1,500,000, exclusive of administrative costs and the amounts of any deficiency judgments.

(3) This subsection does not apply to the acquisition, as a part of the same project, of more than one parcel of land unless the parcels are noncontiguous, or, if contiguous, unless the total cost is not more than $750,000, in the case of an acquisition under paragraph (1), or $1,500,000, in the case of an acquisition under paragraph (2).

(4) Appropriations available to the Department of Defense for operation and maintenance or construction may be used for the acquisition of land or interests in land under this subsection.

(d) Acquisition of Interests in Land When Need Is Urgent.—

(1) The Secretary of a military department may acquire any interest in land in any case in which the Secretary determines that—

(A) the acquisition is needed in the interest of national defense;

(B) the acquisition is required to maintain the operational integrity of a military installation; and

(C) considerations of urgency do not permit the delay necessary to include the required acquisition in an annual Military Construction Authorization Act.

(2) Not later than 10 days after the date on which the Secretary of a military department determines to acquire an interest in land under the authority of this subsection, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives written notice containing a description of the property and interest to be acquired and the reasons for the acquisition.

(3) Appropriations available for military construction may be used for the purposes of this subsection.

(e) Survey Authority; Acquisition Methods.— Authority provided the Secretary of a military department by law to acquire an interest in real property (including a temporary interest) includes authority—

(1) to make surveys; and

(2) to acquire the interest in real property by gift, purchase, exchange of real property owned by the United States, or otherwise.

(f) Advance Notice of Use of Condemnation.—

(1) Before commencing any legal proceeding to acquire any interest in land under subsection (a), including acquisition for temporary use, by condemnation, eminent domain, or seizure, the Secretary of the military department concerned shall—

(A) pursue, to the maximum extent practicable, all other available options for the acquisition or use of the land, such as the purchase of an easement or the execution of a land exchange; and

(B) submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing—

(i) a description of the land to be acquired;

(ii) a certification that negotiations with the owner or owners of the land occurred, and that the Secretary tendered consideration in an amount equal to the fair market value of the land, as determined by the Secretary; and

(iii) an explanation of the other approaches considered for acquiring use of the land, the reasons for the acquisition of the land, and the reasons why alternative acquisition strategies are inadequate.

(2) The Secretary concerned may have proceedings brought in the name of the United States to acquire the land after the end of the 21-day period beginning on the date on which the report is received by the committees or, if over sooner, the end of the 14-day period beginning on the date on which a copy of the report is provided in an electronic medium pursuant to section 480 of this title.

(g) Exception to Advance Notice Requirement.— If the Secretary of a military department determines that the use of condemnation, eminent domain, or seizure to acquire an interest in land is required under subsection (a) to satisfy a requirement vital to national security, and that any delay would be detrimental to national security or the protection of health, safety, or the environment, the Secretary may have proceedings brought in the name of the United States to acquire the land in advance of submitting the report required by subsection (f)(1)(B). However, the Secretary shall submit the report not later than seven days after commencement of the legal proceedings with respect to the land.

(h) Land Acquisition Options in Advance of Military Construction Projects.—

(1) The Secretary of a military department may acquire an option on a parcel of real property before or after its acquisition is authorized by law, if the Secretary considers it suitable and likely to be needed for a military project of the military department under the jurisdiction of the Secretary.

(2) As consideration for an option acquired under paragraph (1), the Secretary may pay, from funds available to the military department under the jurisdiction of the Secretary for real property activities, an amount that is not more than 12 percent of the appraised fair market value of the property.

U.S. Code

§ 2663. Land acquisition authorities