§ 375. — Sale of land improved at expense of reclamation fund.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 43USC375]
TITLE 43--PUBLIC LANDS
CHAPTER 12--RECLAMATION AND IRRIGATION OF LANDS BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 375. Sale of land improved at expense of reclamation fund
Whenever in the opinion of the Secretary of the Interior any public
lands which have been withdrawn for or in connection with construction
or operation of reclamation projects under the provisions of the Act of
June 17, 1902, known as the Reclamation Act, and acts amendatory thereof
and supplementary thereto, which are not otherwise reserved and which
have been improved by and at the expense of the reclamation fund for
administration or other like purposes, are no longer needed for the
purposes for which they were withdrawn and improved, the Secretary of
the Interior may cause said lands, together with the improvements
thereon, to be appraised by three disinterested persons to be appointed
by him, and thereafter sell the same, for not less than the appraised
value, at public auction to the highest bidder, after giving public
notice of the time and place of sale by posting upon the land and by
publication for not less than thirty days in a newspaper of general
circulation in the vicinity of the land; not less than one-fifth the
purchase price shall be paid at the time of sale, and the remainder in
not more than four annual payments with interest at 6 per centum per
annum, payable annually, on deferred payments.
Upon payment of the purchase price the Secretary of the Interior is
authorized, by appropriate patent, to convey all the right, title, and
interest of the United States in and to said lands to the purchaser at
said sale, subject, however, to such reservations, limitations, or
conditions as said Secretary may deem proper: Provided, That not over
one hundred and sixty acres shall be sold to any one person, and if said
lands are irrigable under the project in which located they shall be
sold subject to compliance by the purchaser with all the terms,
conditions, and limitations of the reclamation law applicable to lands
of that character: Provided, That the accepted bidder must, prior to
issuance of patent, furnish satisfactory evidence that he or she is a
citizen of the United States.
The moneys derived from the sale of such lands shall be covered into
the reclamation fund and be placed to the credit of the project for
which such lands had been withdrawn.
(May 20, 1920, ch. 192, Secs. 1-3, 41 Stat. 605, 606.)
References in Text
Act of June 17, 1902, referred to in text, is act June 17, 1902, ch.
1093, 32 Stat. 388, as amended, popularly known as the Reclamation Act,
which is classified generally to this chapter. For complete
classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out
under section 371 of this title and Tables.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 375a of this title.
