The Secretary of the Interior may after due consideration as to the power value of the land, whether or not withdrawn therefor, (a) sell such land to the State, Territory, county, or other State, Territorial, or Federal instrumentality or political subdivision in which the lands are situated, or to a nearby municipal corporation in the same State or Territory, for the purpose for which the land has been classified, and conveyances of such land for historic-monument purposes or recreational purposes under this section shall be made without monetary consideration, while conveyances for any other purpose under this section shall be made at a price to be fixed by the Secretary of the Interior through appraisal or otherwise, after taking into consideration the purpose for which the lands are to be used, (b) lease such land to the State, Territory, county, or other State, Territorial, or Federal instrumentality or political subdivision in which the lands are situated, or to a nearby municipal corporation in the same State or Territory, for the purpose for which the land has been classified, at a reasonable annual rental, except that leases of such lands for recreational purposes shall be made without monetary consideration, for a period up to twenty-five years, and, at the discretion of the Secretary, with a privilege of renewal for a like period, (c) sell such land to a nonprofit corporation or nonprofit association, for the purpose for which the land has been classified, at a price to be fixed by the Secretary of the Interior through appraisal, after taking into consideration the purpose for which the lands are to be used, or (d) lease such land to a nonprofit corporation or nonprofit association at a reasonable annual rental, for a period up to twenty years, and, at the discretion of the Secretary, with a privilege of renewal for a like period. Each patent or lease so issued shall contain a reservation to the United States of all mineral deposits in the lands conveyed or leased and of the right to mine and remove the same, under applicable laws and regulations to be established by the Secretary. Each lease shall contain a provision for its termination upon a finding by the Secretary that the land has not been used by the lessee for the purpose specified in the lease for such period, not over five years, as may be specified in the lease, or that such land or any part thereof is being devoted to another use.
Prior Provisions
Provisions similar to those in this section were formerly contained in section 869 of this title. See 1954 Amendment note set out under that section. Those prior provisions did not require, as in this section, the Secretary of the Interior to take into account the possible power value of the lands, whether withdrawn therefor, or not, before authorizing any disposal of them under section 869 of this title; did not provide, as in this section, for the sale or lease of those lands to Federal instrumentalities, to Territories and to political subdivisions other than States, counties, and municipalities, and to nonprofit corporations and associations; and did not provide, as in this section, that conveyances of that land for historic-monument purposes should be made without monetary consideration. See section 869 of this title.
Amendments
1976—Pub. L. 94–579 in cl. (a) inserted reference to recreational purposes and in cl. (b) inserted reference to leases for recreational purposes.
1966—Pub. L. 89–457 authorized an increase in the period of a lease under cl. (b) from twenty to twenty-five years.
Savings Provision
Amendment by Pub. L. 94–579 not to be construed as terminating any valid lease, permit, patent, etc., existing on Oct. 21, 1976, see section 701 of Pub. L. 94–579, set out as a note under section 1701 of this title.
Period of Leases
Pub. L. 89–457, §2, June 20, 1966, 80 Stat. 210, provided that: "Upon application by a lessee holding a lease under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act [sections 869 to 869–4 of this title] the Secretary of the Interior may enter into a new lease for a term not to exceed twenty-five years from the date of the new lease."
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