PUBLIC LAW 96-484—NOV. 24, 1980
94 STAT. 2365
Public Law 96-484 96th Congress An Act To ratify a settlement agreement in a land dispute between the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and the Southern Railway Company, 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 Congress finds and declares that: (1) The Pamunkey Indian Tribe of King William County, Virginia (hereafter in this Act referred to as the "Tribe") and the Southern Railway Company, a public common carrier by railroad (hereafter in this Act referred to as the "Railroad"), seek to resolve a dispute concerning the title and use of certain lands located in King William County, Virginia, and used by the Railroad in its operations as a common carrier by railroad. (2) The claims of the Tribe are based in part on the doctrine of aboriginal title and in part on section 2116 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (25 U.S.C. 177). (3) The Tribe and the Railroad have executed a Settlement Agreement, dated November 21, 1979, to resolve the dispute referred to in paragraph (1). Such Settlement Agreement requires ratification by the Congress as a condition to its effectiveness, and provides generally that— (A) all claims of the Tribe or any of its members against the Railroad arising from the acquisition or use by the Railroad or any predecessor railroad of certain described lands for its operations as a common carrier by railroad are waived and surrendered; (B) the Railroad shall have a right to continued and perpetual use of certain described lands used by the Railroad as a railroad right-of-way; (C) the Railroad shall pay to the Tribe $100,000; (D) the Railroad shall make to the Tribe an annual payment based on a certain fair rental value amount, commencing November 21, 1989; and (E) all rights and title of the Railroad in certain described lands shall revert to the Tribe if and when the Railroad shall abandon and no longer use those lands. (4) The terms of the Settlement Agreement fairly resolve the dispute between the Tribe and the Railroad, and assure that the Railroad will be able to continue its present common carrier operations on the disputed lands.
Nov. 24, 1980 [H.R. 7212] Pamunkey Indian Tribe. Land dispute with Southern Railway Co.
Settlement Agreement, provisions.
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