714 Patents.
34 Stat. 1052.
Mining claims, possessory rights.
National Wildlife Refuge System lands. Land exchangeS(
Withdrawals, termination dates.
PUBLIC LAW 92-203-DEC. 18, 1971
[85 STAT.
(b) The Secretary is directed to promptly issue patents to all persons who have made a lawful entry on the public lands in compliance with the public land laws for the purpose of gaining title to homesteads, headquarters sites, trade and manufacturing sites, or small tract sites (43 U.S.C. 682), and who have fulfilled all requirements of the law prerequisite to obtaining a patent. Any person who has made a lawful entry prior to August 31, 1971, for any of the foregoing purposes shall be protected in his right of use and occupancy until all the requirements of law for a patent have been met even though the lands involved have been reserved or withdrawn in accordance with Public Land Order 4582, as amended, or the withdrawal provisions of this Act: Provided, That occupancy must have been maintained in accordance with the appropriate public land law: Provided further, That any person who entered on public lands in violation of Public Land Order 4582, as amended, shall gain no rights. (c) On any lands conveyed to Village and Regional Corporations, any person who prior to August 31, 1971, initiated a valid mining claim or location under the general mining laws and recorded notice of said location with the appropriate State or local office shall be protected in his possessory rights, if all requirements of the general mining laws are complied with, for a period of five years and may, if all requirements of the general mining laws are complied with, proceed to patent. (d) The provisions of Revised Statute 452 (43 U.S.C. 11) shall not apply to any land grants or other rights granted under this Act. (e) If land within the National Wildlife Refuge System is selected by a Village Corporation pursuant to the provisions of this Act, the secretary shall add to the Refuge System other public lands in the State to replace the lands selected by the Village Corporation. (f) The Secretary, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Agriculture are authorized to exchange any lands or interests therein in Alaska under their jurisdiction for lands or interests therein of the Village Corporations, Regional Corporations, individuals, or the State for the purpose of effecting land consolidations or to facilitate the management or development of the land. Exchanges shall be on the basis of equal value, and either party to the exchange may pay or accept cash in order to equalize the value of the properties exchanged. (g) If a patent is issued to any Village Corporation for land in the National Wildlife Refuge System, the patent shall reserve to the United States the right of first refusal if the land is ever sold by the Village Corporation. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, every patent issued by the Secretary pursuant to this Act—which covers lands lying within the boundaries of a National Wildlife Refuge on the date of enactment of this Act shall contain a provision that such lands remain subject to the laws and regulations governing use and development of such Refuge. (h)(1) All withdrawals made under this Act, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, shall terminate within four years of the date of enactment of this Act: Provided, That any lands selected by Village or Regional Corporations or by a Native group under section 12 shall remain withdrawn until conveyed pursuant to section 14. (2) The withdrawal of lands made by subsection 11(a)(2) and section 16 shall terminate three years from the date of enactment of this Act. (3) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any withdrawals made under section 17 of this Act. (4) The Secretary is authorized to terminate any withdrawal made by or pursuant to this Act whenever he determines that the withdrawal is no longer necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Act.
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