72
STAT.]
PUBLIC LAW 86-797-AUG. 28, 1958
963
Public Law 85-797 ^ ^^"^ To authorize the acquisition and disposition of certain private lands and the establishment of the size of farm units on the Seedskadee reclamation project, Wyoming, and for other purposes.
August 28, 1958 [S. 3448]
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, for the pur- lamatfo^n |fSfecf.°" pose of assisting in the permanent settlement of farm families, pro- Acquisition of tecting project land, facilitating project development, and other beneficial purposes the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to acquire in the name of the United States such lands or interests in lands on the Seedskadee reclamation project, Wyoming, authorized by the Act of April 11, 1956 (70 Stat. 105), as he deems appropriate gjol. ^^^ ^^°" to accomplish the purposes above enumerated. Such lands which cannot practically be acquired by exchange of public lands of equal value outside the irrigable area to be served may be acquired by purchase, at prices satisfactory to the Secretary without reference to increment on account of the construction of the project, or by donation. SEC. 2. The Secretary is further authorized to administer the ofllifdsf ^'*'^^^ public and acquired lands on the Seedskadee reclamation project, to sell, exchange, lease, or otherwise dispose of such lands and any improvements thereon, to establish townsites and to dedicate portions of said lands for public purposes, to the extent, in the manner, and on terms that in his judgment are in keeping with sound project development: Provided, That all the lands included in any farm units and made available for settlement, irrespective of whether said farm units are composed of public lands, acquired lands, or both, shall be sold at prices per acre established by the Secretary that in his judgment will, as nearly as practicable, equitably provide for the return in a reasonable period of years of the costs of acquisition and disposition of all settlement lands on the project. Assessment and SEC. 3. Beginning at such date or dates and subject to such pro- taxation. visions and limitations as may be fixed or provided by regulations issued by the Secretary under the authority of this Act, any public lands and any lands acquired under this Act shall be, after disposition thereof by the United States by contract of sale and during the time such contract shall remain in effect, (i) subject to the laws of the State of Wyoming relating to the organization, government, and regulation of conservancy and other similar districts, and (ii) subject to legal assessment or taxation by such district and by said State or political subdivisions thereof, and to liens for such assessments and taxes and to all proceedings for the enforcement thereof, in the same manner and to the same extent as privately owned lands: Provided, however, That the United States does not assume any obligation for amounts so assessed or taxed: And provided further, That any proceedings to enforce said assessments or taxes shall be subject to any title then remaining in the United States, to any prior lien reserved to the United States for unpaid installments under land sale contracts made under this Act, and to any obligation for any other charges, accrued or unaccrued, for special improvements, construction, or operation and maintenance costs of said project. SEC. 4. No water shall be furnished from, through, or by means of irrigation water. project works to lands which are held in private ownership by any one owner in excess of the equivalent of one hundred and sixty acres of class 1 lands unless the owner thereof shall have executed a valid recordable contract with respect to the excess in like manner as is provided in the third sentence of section 46 of the Act of May 25, 1926 (44 Stat. 636, 649). I n computing "the equivalent of one hundred ^^ "^^ ^ " e. and sixty acres of class 1 lands" under this section, each acre of class
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