§ 1780e. Land ownership adjustments

(a) Authorization

(1) In general

The Secretary of Agriculture may sell the Settlement Area Land, Water System Land, and Los Alamos Townsite Land, on such terms and conditions as are agreed upon and described in the Settlement Agreement and the Los Alamos Agreement, including reservations for administrative access and other access as shown on Appendix B of the Settlement Agreement.

(2) Effect of claims and cause of action

Consideration for any land authorized for sale by the Secretary of Agriculture shall not be offset or reduced by any claim or cause of action by any party to whom the land is conveyed.

(b) Consideration

The consideration to be paid for the Federal land authorized for sale in subsection (a) shall be—

(1) for the Settlement Area Land and Water System Land, the consideration agreed upon in the Settlement Agreement; and

(2) for the Los Alamos Townsite Land, the current market value based on an appraisal approved by the Forest Service as being in conformity with the latest edition of the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions.

(1) In general

All monies received by the Secretary of Agriculture from the sale of National Forest System land as authorized by this subchapter, including receipts from the Northern Tier Land, shall be deposited into the fund established in the Treasury of the United States pursuant to the Sisk Act and shall be available, without further appropriation, authorization, or administrative apportionment for the purchase of land by the Secretary of Agriculture for National Forest System purposes in the State of New Mexico, and for associated administrative costs.

(2) Use of funds

Funds deposited in a Sisk Act fund pursuant to this subchapter shall not be subject to transfer or reprogramming for wildlands fire management or any other emergency purposes, or used to reimburse any other account.

(3) Acquisitions of land

In expending funds to exercise its rights under the Settlement Agreement and the Los Alamos Agreement with respect to the acquisition of the Settlement Area Land, the County’s acquisitions of the Water System Land, and the Northern Tier Land (if the Pueblo exercises an option to purchase the Northern Tier Land as provided in section 1708j (b)(2)(A) of this title, ^[1] the Pueblo shall use only funds in the Settlement Fund and shall not augment those funds from any other source.

(d) Valid existing rights and reservations

(1) In general

The Settlement Area Land acquired by the Pueblo shall be subject to all valid existing rights on September 27, 2006, including rights of administrative access.

(2) Water rights

No water rights shall be conveyed by the United States.

(3) Special use authorization

(A) In general

Nothing in this subchapter shall affect the validity of any special use authorization issued by the Forest Service within the Settlement Area Land, except that such authorizations shall not be renewed upon expiration.

(B) Reasonable access

For access to valid occupancies within the Settlement Area Land, the Pueblo and the Secretary of the Interior shall afford rights of reasonable access commensurate with that provided by the Secretary of Agriculture on or before September 27, 2006.

(4) Water System Land and Los Alamos Townsite Land

The Water System Land and Los Alamos Townsite Land acquired by the County shall be subject to—

(A) all valid existing rights; and

(B) the rights reserved by the United States under the Los Alamos Agreement.

(5) Private landowners

(A) In general

Upon acquisition by the Pueblo of the Settlement Area Land, the Secretary of the Interior, acting on behalf of the Pueblo and the United States, shall execute easements in accordance with any right reserved by the United States for the benefit of private landowners owning property that requires the use of Forest Development Road 416 (as in existence on September 27, 2006) and other roads that may be necessary to provide legal access into the property of the landowners, as the property is used on September 27, 2006.

(B) Maintenance of roads

Neither the Pueblo nor the United States shall be required to maintain roads for the benefit of private landowners.

Easements shall be granted, without consideration, to private landowners only upon application of such landowners to the Secretary.

(e) Forest development roads

(1) United States right to use

Subject to any right-of-way to use, cross, and recross a road, the United States shall reserve and have free and unrestricted rights to use, operate, maintain, and reconstruct (at the same level of development, as in existence on the date of the Settlement Agreement), those sections of Forest Development Roads 57, 442, 416, 416v, 445 and 445ca referenced in Appendix B of the Settlement Agreement for any and all public and administrative access and other Federal governmental purposes, including access by Federal employees, their agents, contractors, and assigns (including those holding Forest Service permits).

(2) Certain roads

Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the United States—

(A) may improve Forest Development Road 416v beyond the existing condition of that road to a high clearance standard road (level 2); and

(B) shall have unrestricted administrative access and non-motorized public trail access to the portion of Forest Development Road 442 depicted in Appendix B to the Settlement Agreement.

(f) Private mining operations

(1) COPAR Pumice Mine

The United States and the Pueblo shall allow the COPAR Pumice Mine to continue to operate as provided in the Contract For The Sale Of Mineral Materials dated May 4, 1994, and for COPAR to use portions of Forest Development Roads 57, 442, 416, and other designated roads within the area described in the contract, for the period of the contract and thereafter for a period necessary to reclaim the site.

(2) Continuing jurisdiction

(A) Administration

Continuing jurisdiction of the United States over the contract for the sale of mineral materials shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior.

(B) Expiration of contract

Upon expiration of the contract described in subparagraph (A), jurisdiction over reclamation shall be assumed by the Secretary of the Interior.

(3) Effect on existing rights

Nothing in this subchapter limits or enhances the rights of COPAR under the Contract For The Sale Of Mineral Materials dated May 4, 1994.

[1] So in original. Probably should be “title),”.

U.S. Code

§ 1780e. Land ownership adjustments