§ 1335. Validation and maintenance of prior leases

(a) Requirements for validation

The provisions of this section shall apply to any mineral lease covering submerged lands of the outer Continental Shelf issued by any State (including any extension, renewal, or replacement thereof heretofore granted pursuant to such lease or under the laws of such State) if—

(1) such lease, or a true copy thereof, is filed with the Secretary by the lessee or his duly authorized agent within ninety days from August 7, 1953, or within such further period or periods as provided in section 1336 of this title or as may be fixed from time to time by the Secretary;

(2) such lease was issued prior to December 21, 1948, and would have been on June 5, 1950, in force and effect in accordance with its terms and provisions and the law of the State issuing it had the State had the authority to issue such lease;

(3) there is filed with the Secretary, within the period or periods specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection,

(A) a certificate issued by the State official or agency having jurisdiction over such lease stating that it would have been in force and effect as required by the provisions of paragraph (2) of this subsection, or

(B) in the absence of such certificate, evidence in the form of affidavits, receipts, canceled checks, or other documents that may be required by the Secretary, sufficient to prove that such lease would have been so in force and effect;

(4) except as otherwise provided in section 1336 of this title hereof, all rents, royalties, and other sums payable under such lease between June 5, 1950, and August 7, 1953, which have not been paid in accordance with the provisions thereof, or to the Secretary or to the Secretary of the Navy, are paid to the Secretary within the period or periods specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection, and all rents, royalties, and other sums payable under such lease after August 7, 1953, are paid to the Secretary, who shall deposit such payments in the Treasury in accordance with section 1338 of this title;

(5) the holder of such lease certifies that such lease shall continue to be subject to the overriding royalty obligations existing on August 7, 1953;

(6) such lease was not obtained by fraud or misrepresentation;

(7) such lease, if issued on or after June 23, 1947, was issued upon the basis of competitive bidding;

(8) such lease provides for a royalty to the lessor on oil and gas of not less than 121/2 per centum and on sulphur of not less than 5 per centum in amount or value of the production saved, removed, or sold from the lease, or, in any case in which the lease provides for a lesser royalty, the holder thereof consents in writing, filed with the Secretary, to the increase of the royalty to the minimum herein specified;

(9) the holder thereof pays to the Secretary within the period or periods specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection an amount equivalent to any severance, gross production, or occupation taxes imposed by the State issuing the lease on the production from the lease, less the State’s royalty interest in such production, between June 5, 1950, and August 7, 1953 and not heretofore paid to the State, and thereafter pays to the Secretary as an additional royalty on the production from the lease, less the United States’ royalty interest in such production, a sum of money equal to the amount of the severance, gross production, or occupation taxes which would have been payable on such production to the State issuing the lease under its laws as they existed on August 7, 1953;

(10) such lease will terminate within a period of not more than five years from August 7, 1953 in the absence of production or operations for drilling, or, in any case in which the lease provides for a longer period, the holder thereof consents in writing, filed with the Secretary, to the reduction of such period so that it will not exceed the maximum period herein specified; and

(11) the holder of such lease furnishes such surety bond, if any, as the Secretary may require and complies with such other reasonable requirements as the Secretary may deem necessary to protect the interests of the United States.

(b) Conduct of operations under lease; sulphur rights

Any person holding a mineral lease, which as determined by the Secretary meets the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, may continue to maintain such lease, and may conduct operations thereunder, in accordance with

(1) its provisions as to the area, the minerals covered, rentals and, subject to the provisions of paragraphs (8)–

(10) of subsection (a) of this section, as to royalties and as to the term thereof and of any extensions, renewals, or replacements authorized therein or heretofore authorized by the laws of the State issuing such lease, or, if oil or gas was not being produced in paying quantities from such lease on or before December 11, 1950, or if production in paying quantities has ceased since June 5, 1950, or if the primary term of such lease has expired since December 11, 1950, then for a term from August 7, 1953 equal to the term remaining unexpired on December 11, 1950, under the provisions of such lease or any extensions, renewals, or replacements authorized therein, or heretofore authorized by the laws of such State, and

(2) such regulations as the Secretary may under section 1334 of this title prescribe within ninety days after making his determination that such lease meets the requirements of subsection (a) of this section: Provided, however, That any rights to sulphur under any lease maintained under the provisions of this subsection shall not extend beyond the primary term of such lease or any extension thereof under the provisions of this subsection unless sulphur is being produced in paying quantities or drilling, well reworking, plant construction, or other operations for the production of sulphur, as approved by the Secretary, are being conducted on the area covered by such lease on the date of expiration of such primary term or extension: Provided further, That if sulphur is being produced in paying quantities on such date, then such rights shall continue to be maintained in accordance with such lease and the provisions of this subchapter: Provided further, That, if the primary term of a lease being maintained under this subsection has expired prior to August 7, 1953 and oil or gas is being produced in paying quantities on such date, then such rights to sulphur as the lessee may have under such lease shall continue for twenty-four months from August 7, 1953 and as long thereafter as sulphur is produced in paying quantities, or drilling, well working, plant construction, or other operations for the production of sulphur, as approved by the Secretary, are being conducted on the area covered by the lease.

The permission granted in subsection (b) of this section shall not be construed to be a waiver of such claims, if any, as the United States may have against the lessor or the lessee or any other person respecting sums payable or paid for or under the lease, or respecting activities conducted under the lease, prior to August 7, 1953.

(d) Judicial review of determination

Any person complaining of a negative determination by the Secretary of the Interior under this section may have such determination reviewed by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia by filing a petition for review within sixty days after receiving notice of such action by the Secretary.

(e) Lands beneath navigable waters

In the event any lease maintained under this section covers lands beneath navigable waters, as that term is used in the Submerged Lands Act [43 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.], as well as lands of the outer Continental Shelf, the provisions of this section shall apply to such lease only insofar as it covers lands of the outer Continental Shelf.

U.S. Code

§ 1335. Validation and maintenance of prior leases