Volume 67 · 185
Public Law 83–144
To authorize the exchange of lauds acquired by the United States for Prince William Forest, Park, Prince William County, Virginia, for the purpose of consolidating Federal holdings therein, and for other purposes.
Approved July 23, 1953
Statutory text
AN ACT
To authorize the exchange of lauds acquired by the United States for Prince William Forest, Park, Prince William County, Virginia, for the purpose of consolidating Federal holdings therein, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That the Secretary of the Interior, for the purposes of consolidating Federal holdings of lands acquired for the Prince William Forest Park, Prince William County, Virginia, is hereby empowered, in his discretion, to obtain for the United States land and interests in lands held in private ownership within the established watersheds and boundaries of said park by accepting from the owners of such privately owned land complete relinquishment thereof, and the Secretary may grant to such owners in exchange therefor, in each instance, federally owned lands of approximately equal value, now a part of the Prince William Forest Park, that he considers are not essential for the administration, control, and operation of the aforesaid park. Any land acquired by the United States pursuant to this authorization shall become a part of Prince William Forest Park upon the vesting of title thereto in the United States, and shall be subject to the laws applicable thereto.
Sec. 2.
The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and empowered
Easements.
to grant to any citizen, association, or corporation of the United States, in exchange for the relinquishment of existing easements for utility rights-of-way, perpetual easements across land in Federal ownership within the Prince William Forest Park, such easements to be used for rights-of-way for electric poles, lines, and underground pipes for the transmission and distribution of electric power and gas and for poles and lines for telephone and telegraph purposes to the extent of not more than seventy-five feet on each side of the center line of such electric, gas, telephone, and telegraph lines: Provided, That the said easements shall be conveyed by the United States subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary of the Interior may deem advisable, but no part of the easements granted by him shall be used for any other than utility purposes, and in the event of any breach of this restriction, or in the event that the easements cease to be used for utility purposes, the entire interest herein authorized to be granted shall revert to the United States upon a finding to that effect by the Secretary of the Interior.
Approved July 23, 1953.