Volume 84
Public Law 91–310
To provide for the differentiation between private and public ownership of lands in the administration of the acreage limitation provisions of Federal reclamation law, and for other purposes.
Approved July 7, 1970
Statutory text
AN ACT
To provide for the differentiation between private and public ownership of lands in the administration of the acreage limitation provisions of Federal reclamation law, 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 provisions
Federal reclamation laws.
Acreage limitation provisions, clarification.
43 USC 371 and note.
of Federal reclamation laws (Act of June 17, 1902, 32 Stat. 388, and Acts amendatory thereof and supplemental thereto) which limit the acreage of irrigable land which may receive irrigation benefits from, through, or by means of Federal reclamation works, shall not Ire applicable to lands owned by States, political subdivisions, and agencies thereof, so long as such lands are farmed, primarily in the direct furtherance of a non-revenue-producing public function, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior; and to the extent that such lands continue to qualify for the exempted status afforded by this section they shall not be deemed to be excess lands for any purposes whatsoever under said reclamation laws.
Sec. 2.
Irrigable lands owned by States, political subdivisions, and
Land sales by recordable contracts.
agencies thereof which do not fall within the provisions of section 1 may receive water from a Federal reclamation project, division, or unit if a valid recordable contract for the sale of such lands within ten years of the date of said contract has been executed under terms and conditions satisfactory to the Secretary of the Interior but without limitation upon selling price.
The purchasers of lands sold under the provisions of this section, or the heirs and devisees of such purchasers, if otherwise eligible under reclamation law to receive project water for the lands purchased, shall not be disqualified for delivery of water by reason of the amount of the purchase price paid for said lands.
Sec. 3.
Lessees of irrigable lands owned by States, political subdivisions,
State leased lands.
and agencies thereof which are held to be subject to the acreage limitation provisions of Federal reclamation law and for which recordable contracts to sell have not been made may receive project water for a period not to exceed twenty-five years from the date of approval of this Act subject to the same acreage limitation provisions of Federal reclamation law as private landowners.
Approved July 7, 1970.