TITLE IX--IMPLEMENTATION OF ALASKA NATIVE CLAIMS SETTLEMENT ACT AND AlASKA STATEHOOD ACT

§901. Submerged lands statute of limitations.
§902. Statute of limitations.
§903. Administrative provisions.
§904. Tax moratorium extension.
§905. Alaska Native allotments.
§906. State selections and conveyances.
§907. Alaska Land Bank.
§908. Protection of Native lands in contingency areas under timber sales.
§909. Use of protraction diagrams.
§910. National Environmental Policy Act.
§911. Technical amendment to Public Law 94-204.

SUBMERGED LANDS STATUTE OF LIMITATION

§901. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the ownership by a Native Corporation or Native Group of a parcel of submerged land conveyed to such Corporation or Group pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act or this Act, or a decision by the Secretary of the Interior that the water covering such parcel is not navigable, shall not be subject to judicial determination unless a civil action is filed in the United States District Court within five years after the date of execution of the interim conveyance if the interim conveyance was executed after the date of enactment of this Act, or within seven years after the date of enactment of this Act if the interim conveyance was executed on or before the date of enactment of this Act. If a parcel of submerged land was conveyed by a patent rather than an interim conveyance, the civil action described in the preceding sentence shall be filed within five years after the date of execution of the patent if the patent was executed after the date of enactment of this Act, or within seven years after the date of enactment of this Act if the patent was executed on or before the date of enactment of this Act. The civil action described in this subsection shall be a de novo determination of the ownership of the parcel which is the subject of the action.

(b) No agency or board of the Department of the Interior other than the Bureau of Land Management shall have authority to determine the navigability of water covering a parcel of submerged land selected by a Native Corporation or Native Group pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act unless a determination by the Bureau of Land Management that the water covering a parcel of submerged Land is not navigable was validly appealed to such agency or board prior to the date of enactment of this Act. The execution of an interim conveyance or patent Whichever is executed first) by the Bureau of Land Management conveying a parcel of submerged land to a Native Corporation or Native Group shall be the final agency action with respect to a decision by the Secretary of the Interior that the water covering such parcel is not navigable, unless such decision was validly appealed prior to the date of enactment of this Act to an agency or board of the Department of the Interior other than the Bureau of Land Management.

(c) If the court determines that a parcel of submerged land which is the subject of a civil action described in subsection (a) is owned by Native Corporation or Native Group to which it was conveyed pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act or this Act, each defendant Native Corporation and Native Group shall be awarded a money judgment against the plaintiffs in an amount equal to Its costs and attorney's fees, including costs and attorney's fees incurred on appeal.

(d) No Native Corporation or Native Group shall be determined to have been conveyed its acreage entitlement under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act until--

(1) the statutes of limitation set forth in subsection (a) have expired with respect to every parcel of submerged land conveyed to such Corporation or Group; and

(2) a final judgment or order not subject to an appeal has been obtained in every civil action filed pursuant to subsection (a).

(e)(1) Whenever a parcel of submerged land to be conveyed to a Native Corporation or Native Group is located outside the boundaries of a conservation system unit such Corporation or Group and the State of Alaska may mutually agree that such parcel may be selected by and conveyed to the State under the provisions of §6(b) of the Alaska Statehood Act.

(2) In any instance in which the State could have selected a parcel of submerged land pursuant to an agreement between the State and a Native Corporation or Native Group pursuant to paragraph (l) if such parcel had not previously been conveyed to such Corporation or Group, such Corporation or Group is authorized to reconvey such parcel to the Secretary, and the Secretary shall accept such reconveyance. If the surface estate and subsurface estate of such parcel are owned by different Native Corporations or Native Groups, every Corporation and Group with an interest in such parcel shall reconvey its entire interest in such parcel to the Secretary.

(3) In any agreement made between a Native Corporation or Native Group and the State of Alaska pursuant to paragraph (1), and in any reconveyance executed by a Native Corporation or Native Group pursuant to paragraph (2), each affected Corporation or Group shall disclaim its interest in the parcel which is the subject of the agreement or reconveyance. If such parcel underlies a lake having a surface area of fifty acres or greater or a stream having a width of three chains or greater, the Secretary shall determine the acreage contained in the parcel. If such parcel underlies a lake having a surface area of less than fifty acres or a stream having a width of less than three chains, the Secretary, the State, and the affected Native Corporation or Native Group shall determine the acreage contained in the parcel by mutual agreement. The affected Native Corporation or Native Group shall receive replacement lands in an amount equal to the acreage of the parcel as determined by the processes set forth in this paragraph.

(4) Upon receipt by the Secretary of an agreement executed pursuant to paragraph (l) or a reconveyance executed pursuant to paragraph (2), the parcel which is the subject of the agreement or reconveyance shall be deemed vacant, unappropriated, and unreserved public land available for selection by the State pursuant to §6 of the Alaska Statehood Act, and the State is authorized to file a land selection application for such parcel pursuant to §6(b) of the Alaska Statehood Act. The acreage within such parcel shall be charged against the State's land entitlement. If the water covering a parcel of submerged land selected by or conveyed to the State pursuant to this subsection is later determined (without regard to the statutes of limitation contained in this section) by a court of competent jurisdiction to be navigable and title to such parcel to be vested in the State pursuant to §6(m) of the Alaska Statehood Act, such selection or conveyance shall not diminish the State's land entitlement under §6(b) of the Alaska Statehood Act, nor shall such judicial determination of navigability affect the land entitlement of any Native Corporation or Native Group pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Land selections made by the State pursuant to this subsection shall not be subject to the size limitations of §6(g) of the Alaska Statehood Act or this Act. Notwithstanding the survey requirements of §6(g) of the Alaska Statehood Act and §13 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, no ground survey or monumentation shall be required on any parcel selected by and conveyed to the State or excluded from a conveyance to any Native Corporation or Native Group pursuant to this subsection.

(5) Any Native Corporation or Native Group which is entitled to receive conveyance of replacement acreage in lieu of acreage within a parcel of submerged land relinquished or reconveyed pursuant to this subsection shall receive conveyance of such replacement acreage from among existing selections made by such Corporation or Group pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act or this Act. If such selections are insufficient to fulfill the acreage entitlement of such Corporation or Group pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the provisions of §1410 shall apply to such Corporation or Group, but no land within the boundaries of a conservation system unit shall be withdrawn for such Corporation or Group pursuant to §1410 unless such land was withdrawn under §11(a) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Any replacement acreage conveyed to a Native Corporation or Native Group from lands withdrawn pursuant to §1410 shall be subject to the provisions of §§12, 14, 16, 17, and 22 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

(f) The procedures and statutes of limitation set forth in this section shall not apply to administrative or judicial determinations of the navigability of water covering a parcel of submerged land other than a parcel conveyed to a Native Corporation or Native Group pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act or this Act.

(g) As used in this section, the terms "navigable" and "navigability" mean navigable for the purpose of determining title to lands beneath navigable waters, as between the United States and the several States, pursuant to the Submerged Lands Act of 1953 (67 Stat. 29), and §6(m) of the Alaska Statehood Act.

(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any civil action contesting the legality or authority of the United States to legislate on the subject matter of this section shall be barred unless the complaint is filed within one year after the date of enactment of this Act. The purpose of this limitation on suits is to ensure that, after the expiration of a reasonable period of time, the right, title, and interest of Native Corporations and Native Groups in submerged lands conveyed to them under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and this Act will vest with certainty and finality and may be relied upon by such Corporations and Groups and all other persons in their relations among themselves and with the State and the United States.

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

§902. (a) Except for administrative determinations of navigability for purposes of determining ownership of submerged lands under the Submerged Lands Act, a decision of the Secretary under this title or the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act shall not be subject to Judicial review unless such action is initiated before a court of competent jurisdiction within two years after the day the Secretary's decision becomes final or the date of enactment of this Act, whichever is later: Provided, That the party seeking such review shall first exhaust any administrative appeal rights.

(b) Decisions made by a Village Corporation to reconvey land under §14(c) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act shall not be subject to judicial review unless such action is initiated before a court of competent jurisdiction within one year after the date of the filing by the Map of boundaries as provided for in regulations promulgated by the Secretary.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

§903. (a) LIMITATIONS CONCERNING EASEMENTS.--With respect to lands conveyed to Native Corporations or Native Groups the Secretary shall reserve only those easements which are described in §17(b)(1) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and shall be guided by the following principles:

(1) all easements should be designed so as to minimize their impact on Native life styles, and on subsistence uses; and

(2) each easement should be specifically located and described and should include only such areas as are necessary for the purpose or purposes for which the easement is reserved.

(b) ACQUISITION OF FUTURE EASEMENTS.--Whenever, after a conveyance has been made by this Act or under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the Secretary determines that an easement not reserved at the time of conveyance or by operation of subsection (a) of this section is required for any purpose specified in §17(b)(1) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, he is authorized to acquire such easement by purchase or otherwise. The acquisition of such an easement shall be deemed a public purpose for which the Secretary may exercise his exchange authority pursuant to §22(f) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

(c) STATUS OF CERTAIN LEASE OFFERS.--Offers for noncompetitive oil and gas leases under the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 which were filed but which did not result in the issuance of a lease on or before December 18, 1971, on lands selected by, and conveyed before, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act to, Native Corporations or to individual Natives under paragraph (5) or (6) of §14(h) as part of the entitlement to receive land under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act shall not constitute valid existing rights under §14(g) of such Act or under this Act.

(d) LIMITATION.--This Act is not intended to modify, repeal, or otherwise affect any provision of the Act of January 2, 1976 (89 Stat.1145), as amended or supplemented by Public Laws 94-456 and 95-178, and shall not be construed as imposing any additional restriction on the use or management of those lands described in §22(k) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

TAX MORATORIUM EXTENSION

§904. Subsection (d) of §21 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, as amended (43 U.S.C. 1601, 1620(d), is amended to read:

"(d)(1) Real property interests conveyed, pursuant to this Act, to a Native individual, Native Group, Village or Regional Corporation or corporation established pursuant to §14(h)(3) which are not developed or leased to third parties or which are used solely for the purpose of exploration shall be exempt from State and local real property taxes for a period of twenty years from the vesting of the pursuant to the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act or the date of issuance of an interim conveyance or patent, whichever is earlier, for those interests to such individual, group, or corporation: Provided, That municipal taxes, local real property taxes, or local assessments may be imposed upon any portion of such interest within the jurisdiction of any governmental unit under the laws of the State which is leased or developed for purposes other than exploration for so long as such portion is leased or being developed: Provided further, That easements, rights-of-way, leaseholds, and similar interests in such real property may be taxed in accordance with State or local law. All rents, royalties, profits, and other revenues or proceeds derived from such property interests shall be taxable to the same extent as such revenues or proceeds are taxable when received by a non-Native individual or corporation.

"(2) Any real property interest, not developed or leased to third parties, acquired by a Native individual, Native Group, Village or Regional Corporation, or corporation established pursuant to §14(h)(3) in exchange for real property interests which are exempt from taxation pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be deemed to be a property interest conveyed pursuant to this Act and shall be exempt from taxation as if conveyed pursuant to this Act, when such an exchange is made with the Federal Government, the State government, a municipal government, or another Native Corporation, or, if neither party to the exchange receives a cash value greater than 25 per centum of the value of the land exchanged, a private party. In the event that a Native Corporation simultaneously exchanges two or more tracts of land having different periods of tax exemption pursuant to subsection (d), the periods of tax exemption for the exchanged lands received by such Native Corporation shall be determined (A) by calculating the percentage that the acreage of each tract given up bears to the total acreage given up, and (B) by applying such percentages and the related periods of tax exemption to the acreage received in exchange.".

ALASKA NATIVE ALLOTMENTS

§905. (a)(1) Subject to valid existing rights, all Alaska Native allotment applications made pursuant to the Act of May 17, 1906 (34 Stat. 197, as amended) which were pending before the Department of Interior on or before December 18, 1971, and which describe either land that was unreserved on December 13, 1968, or land within the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska (then identified as Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4) are hereby approved on the one hundred and eightieth day following the effective date of this Act, except where provided otherwise by paragraph (3), (4), (5), or (6) of this subsection, or where the land description of the allotment must be adjusted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, in which cases approval pursuant to the terms of this subsection shall be effective at the time the adjustment becomes final. The Secretary shall cause allotments approved pursuant to this section to be surveyed and shall issue trust certificates therefor.

(2) All applications approved pursuant to this section shall be subject to the provisions of the Act of March 8, 1922 (43 U.S.C. 270-11).

(3) When on or before the one hundred and eightieth day following the effective date of this Act the Secretary determines by notice or decision that the land described in an allotment application may be valuable for minerals, excluding oil, gas, or coal, the allotment application shall be adjudicated pursuant to the provision of the Act of May 17, 1906, as amended, requiring that land allotted under said Act be nonmineral: Provided, That "nonmineral", as that term is used in such Act, is defined to include land valuable for-deposits of sand or gravel.

(4) Where an allotment application describes land within the boundaries of a unit of the National Park System established on or before the effective date of this Act and the described land was not withdrawn pursuant to §11(a)(1) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, or where an allotment application describes land which has been patented or deeded to the State of Alaska or which on or before December 18, 1971, was validly selected by or tentatively approved or confirmed to the State of Alaska pursuant to the Alaska Statehood Act and was not withdrawn pursuant to §11(a)(1)(A) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act from those lands made available for selection by §11(a)(2) of the Act by any Native Village certified as eligible pursuant to §11(b) of such Act paragraph (l) of this subsection and subsection (d) of this section shall not apply and the application shall be adjudicated pursuant to the requirements of the Act of May 17, 1906, as amended, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and other applicable law.

(5) Paragraph (1) of this subsection and subsection (d) shall not apply and the Native allotment application shall be adjudicated pursuant to the requirements of the Act of May 17, 1906, as amended, if on or before the one hundred and eightieth day following the effective date of this Act--

(A) A Native Corporation files a protest with the Secretary stating that the applicant is not entitled to the land described in the allotment application, and said land is withdrawn for selection by the Corporation pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act; or

(B) The State of Alaska files a protest with the Secretary stating that the land described in the allotment application is necessary for access to lands owned by the United States, the State of Alaska, or a political subdivision of the State of Alaska to resources located thereon, or to a public body of water regularly employed for transportation purposes, and the protest states with specificity the facts upon which the conclusions concerning access are based and that no reasonable alternatives for access exist; or

(C) A person or entity files a protest with the Secretary stating that the applicant is not entitled to the land described in the allotment application and that said land is the situs of improvements claimed by the person or entity.

(6) Paragraph (1) of this subsection and subsection (d) shall not apply to any application pending before the Department of the Interior on or before December 18, 1971, which was knowingly and voluntarily relinquished by the applicant thereafter.

(b) Where a conflict between two or more allotment applications exists due to overlapping land descriptions, the Secretary shall adjust the descriptions to eliminate conflicts, and in so doing, consistent with other existing rights, if any, may expand or alter the applied-for allotment boundaries or increase or decrease acreage in one or more of the allotment applications to achieve an adjustment which, to the extent practicable, is consistent with prior use of the allotted land and is beneficial to the affected parties: Provided, That the Secretary shall, to the extent feasible, implement an adjustment proposed by the affected parties: Provided further, That the Secretary's decision concerning adjustment of conflicting land descriptions shall be final and unreviewable in all cases in which the reduction, if any, of the affected allottee's claim is less than 30 percent of the acreage contained in the parcel originally described and the adjustment does not exclude from the allotment improvements claimed by the allottee: Provided further, That where an allotment application describes more than one hundred and sixty acres, the Secretary shall at any time prior to or during survey reduce the acreage to one hundred and sixty acres and shall attempt to accomplish said reduction in the manner least detrimental to the applicant.

(c) An allotment applicant may amend the land description contained in his or her application if said description designates land other than that which the applicant intended to claim at the time of application and if the description as amended describes the land originally intended to be claimed. If the allotment application is amended, this section shall operate to approve the application or to require its adjudication, as the case may be, with reference to the amended land description only: Provided, That the Secretary shall notify the State of Alaska and all interested parties, as shown by the records of the Department of the Interior, of the intended correction of the allotment's location, and any such party shall have until the one hundred and eightieth day following the effective date of this Act or sixty days following mailing of the notice, whichever is later, to file with the Department of the Interior a protest as provided in subsection (a)(5) of this section, which protest, if timely, shall be deemed filed within one hundred and eighty days of the effective date of this Act notwithstanding the actual date of filing: Provided further, That the Secretary may require that all allotment applications designating land in a specified area be amended, if at all, prior to a date certain, which date shall be calculated to allow for orderly adoption of a plan of survey for the specified area, and the Secretary shall mail notification of the final date for amendment to each affected allotment applicant, and shall provide such other notice as the Secretary deems appropriate, at least sixty days prior to said date: Provided further, That no allotment application may be amended for location following adoption of a final plan of survey which includes the location of the allotment as described in the application or its location as desired by amendment.

(d) Where the land described in an allotment application pending before the Department of the Interior on or before December 18, 1971 (or such an application as adjusted or amended pursuant to subsection (b) or (c) of this section), was on that date withdrawn, reserved, or classified for powersite or power-project purposes, notwithstanding such withdrawal, reservation, or classification the described land shall be deemed vacant, unappropriated, and unreserved within the meaning of the Act of May 17, 1906, as amended, and, as such, shall be subject to adjudication or approval pursuant to the terms of this section: Provided, however, That if the described land is included as part of a project licensed under part I of the Federal Power Act of June 10, 1920 (41 Stat. 24), as amended, or is presently utilized for purposes of generating or transmitting electrical power or for any other project authorized by Act of Congress, the foregoing provision shall not apply and the allotment application shall be adjudicated pursuant to the Act of May 17, 1906, as amended: Provided further, That where the allotment applicant commenced use of the land after Its withdrawal or classification for powersite purposes, the allotment shall be made subject to the right of reentry provided the United States by §24 of the Federal Power Act, as amended: Provided further, That any right of reentry reserved in a certificate of allotment pursuant to this section shall expire twenty years after the effective date of this Act if at that time the allotted land is not subject to a license or an application for a license under part I of the Federal Power Act, as amended, or actually utilized or being developed for a purpose authorized by that Act, as amended, or other Act of Congress.

(e) Prior to issuing a certificate for an allotment subject to this section, the Secretary shall identify and adjudicate any record entry or application for title made under an Act other than the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the Alaska Statehood Act, or the Act of May 17, 1906, as amended, which entry or application claims land also described in the allotment application, and shall determine whether such entry or application represents a valid existing right to which the allotment application is subject. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect rights, if any, acquired by actual use of the described land prior to its withdrawal or classification, or as affecting national forest lands.

STATE SELECTIONS AND CONVEYANCES

§906. (a) EXTENSION OF SELECTION PERIOD.--(1) In furtherance and confirmation of the State of Alaska's entitlement to certain national forest and other public lands in Alaska for community development and expansion purposes, §6(a) of the Alaska Statehood Act is amended by substituting "thirty-five years" for "twenty-five years".

(2) EXTENSION OF SELECTION PERIOD.--In furtherance and confirmation of the State of Alaska's entitlement to certain public lands in Alaska, §6(b) of the Alaska Statehood Act is amended by substituting "thirty-five years" for "twenty-five years".

(b) SCHOOL LANDS SETTLEMENT.-- (1) In full and final settlement of any and all claims by the State of Alaska arising under the Act of March 4, 1915 (38 Stat. 1214), as confirmed and transferred in §6(k) of the Alaska Statehood Act, the State is hereby granted seventy-five thousand acres which it shall be entitled to select until January 4, 1994, from vacant, unappropriated, and unreserved public lands. In exercising the selection rights granted herein, the State shall be deemed to have relinquished all claims to any right, title, or interest to any school lands which failed to vest under the above statutes at the time Alaska became a State (January 3, 1959), including lands unsurveyed on that date or surveyed lands which were within Federal reservations or withdrawals on that date.

(2) Except as provided herein, such selections shall be made in conformance with the provisions for selections under §6(b) of the Alaska Statehood Act. Selections made under this subsection shall be in units of whole sections as shown on the official survey plats of the Bureau of Land Management, including protraction diagrams, unless part of the section is unavailable or the land is otherwise surveyed, or unless the Secretary waives the whole section requirement.

(3) Lands selected and conveyed to the State under this subsection shall be subject to the provisions of subsections (1) and (k) of §6 of the Alaska Statehood Act.

(c) PRIOR TENTATIVE APPROVALS.--(1) All tentative approvals of State of Alaska land selections pursuant to the Alaska Statehood Act are hereby confirmed, subject only to valid existing rights and Native selection rights under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and the United States hereby confirms that all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to such lands is deemed to have vested in the State of Alaska as of the date of tentative approval; except that this subsection shall not apply to tentative approvals which, prior to the date of enactment of this Act, have been relinquished by the State, or have been finally revoked by the United States under authority other than authority under §§11(a)(2), 12(a), or 12(b) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

(2) Upon approval of a land survey by the Secretary, such lands shall be patented to the State of Alaska.

(3) If the State elects to receive patent to any of the lands which are the subject of this subsection on the basis of protraction surveys in lieu of field surveys, the Secretary shall issue patent to the State on that basis within six months after notice of such election. For townships having such adverse claims of record, patent on the basis of protraction surveys shall be issued as soon as practicable after such election.

(4) Future tentative approvals of State land selections, when issued shall have the same force and effect as those existing tentative approvals which are confirmed by this subsection and shall be processed for patent by the same administrative procedures as specified in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection.

(d) PRIOR STATE SELECTIONS.--(1) In furtherance of the State's entitlement to lands under §6(b) of the Alaska Statehood Act, the United States hereby conveys to the State of Alaska, subject only to valid existing rights and Native selection rights under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, all right, title and interest of the United States in and to all vacant, unappropriated, and unreserved lands, including lands subject to subsection (1) of this section, which are specified in the list entitled "Prior State of Alaska Selections to be Conveyed by Congress", dated July 24, 1978, submitted by the State of Alaska and on file in the Office of the Secretary except those Federal lands which are specified in a list dated October 19, 1979, submitted by the State of Alaska and on file with the Office of the Secretary. If any of those townships listed above contain lands within the boundaries of any conservation system unit, national conservation area, national recreation area, new national forest or forest addition, established, designated, or expanded by this Act, then only those lands within such townships which have been previously selected by the State of Alaska shall be conveyed pursuant to this subsection.

(2) In furtherance of the State's entitlement to lands under §6(a) of the Alaska Statehood Act, the United States hereby conveys to the State of Alaska, subject only to valid existing rights and Native rights under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, all right, title and interest of the United States in and to all valid land selections made from the national forests under authority of said §6(a) which have been approved by the Secretary of Agriculture prior to July 1, 1979.

(3) As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue tentative approvals to such State selections as required by the Alaska Statehood Act and pursuant to subsection (i) of this section. The sequence of issuance of such tentative approvals shall be on the basis of priorities determined by the State.

(4) Upon approval of a land survey by the Secretary, such lands shall be patented to the State of Alaska.

(5) If the State elects to receive patent to any of the lands which are the subject of this subsection on the basis of protraction surveys in lieu of field surveys, the Secretary shall issue patent to the State on that basis within six months after notice of such election for townships having no adverse claims on the public land records. For townships having such adverse claims of record, patent on the basis of protraction surveys shall be issued as soon as practicable after such election.

(6) Future valid State land selections shall be subject only to valid existing rights and Native selection rights under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

(e) FUTURE "TOP FILINGS".--Subject to valid existing rights and Native selection rights under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the State, at its option, may file future selection applications and amendments thereto, pursuant to §6(a) or (b) of the Alaska Statehood Act or subsection (b) of this section, for lands which are not, on the date of filing of such applications, available within the meaning of §6(a) or (b) of the Alaska Statehood Act, other than lands within any conservation system unit or the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska. Each such selection application, if otherwise valid, shall become an effective selection without further action by the State upon the date the lands included in such application become available within the meaning of subsection (a) or (b) of §6 regardless of whether such date occurs before or after expiration of the State's land selection rights. Selection applications heretofore filed by the State may be refiled so as to become subject to the provisions of this subsection; except that no such refiling shall prejudice any claim of validity which may be asserted regarding the original filing of such application. Nothing contained in this subsection shall be construed to prevent the United States from transferring a Federal reservation or appropriation from one Federal agency to another Federal agency for the use and benefit of the Federal Government.

(f) RIGHT TO OVERSELECT.--(1) The State of Alaska may select lands exceeding by not more than 25 per centum in total area the amount of State entitlement which has not been patented or tentatively approved under each grant or confirmation of lands to the State contained in the Alaska Statehood Act or other law. If its selections under a particular grant exceed such remaining entitlement, the State shall thereupon list all selections for that grant which have not been tentatively approved in desired priority order of conveyance, in blocks no larger than one township in size; except that the State may alter such priorities prior to receipt of tentative approval. Upon receipt by the State of subsequent tentative approvals, such excess selections shall be reduced by the Secretary pro rata by rejecting the lowest prioritized selection blocks necessary to maintain a maximum excess selection of 25 per centum of the entitlement which has not yet been tentatively approved or patented to the State under each grant.

(2) The State of Alaska may, by written notification to the Secretary, relinquish any selections of land filed under the Alaska Statehood Act or subsection (b) of this section prior to receipt by the State of tentative approval, except that lands conveyed pursuant to subsection (g) of this section may not be relinquished pursuant to this paragraph.

(3) §6(g) of the Alaska Statehood Act is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new sentence: "As to all selections made by the State after January 1, 1979, pursuant to §6(b) of this Act the Secretary of the Interior, in his discretion, may waive the minimum tract selection size where he determines that such a reduced selection size would be in the national interest and would result in a better land ownership pattern.".

(g) CONVEYANCE OF SPECIFIED LANDS.--In furtherance of the State's entitlement to lands under §6(b) of the Alaska Statehood Act, the United States hereby conveys to the State of Alaska all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to all vacant, unappropriated, and unreserved lands, including lands subject to subsection (e) of this section but which lie within those town,hips outside the boundaries of conservation system units, National Conservation Areas, National Recreation Areas, new national forests and forest additions, established, designated, or expanded by this Act, which are specified in the list entitled "State Selection Lands May 15, 1978" dated July 24, 1978, submitted by the State of Alaska and on file in the office of the Secretary of the Interior. The denomination of lands in such list which are not, on the date of enactment of this Act, available lands within the meaning of §6(b) of the Alaska Statehood Act and this Act shall be treated as a future selection application pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, to the extent such an application could have been filed under such subsection (e).

(h) LIMITATION OF CONVEYANCES OF SPECIFIED LANDS TENTATIVE APPROVALS; SURVEYS.--(1) Lands identified in subsection (g) are conveyed to the State subject to valid existing rights and Native selection rights under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. All right, title, and interest of the United States in and to such lands shall vest in the State of Alaska as of the date of enactment of this Act, subject to those reservations specified in subsection (1) of this section.

(2) As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue to the State tentative approvals to such lands as required by the Alaska Statehood Act and pursuant to subsection (i) of this section. The sequence of issuance of such tentative approvals shall be on the basis of priorities determined by the State.

(3) Upon approval of a land survey by the Secretary, those lands identified in subsection (g) shall be patented to the State of Alaska.

(4) If the State elects to receive patent to any of the lands which are identified in subsection (g) on the basis of protraction surveys in lieu of field surveys, the Secretary shall issue patent to the State on that basis within six months after notice of such election for townships having no adverse claims on the public land records. For townships having such adverse claims of record, patent on the basis of protraction surveys shall be issued as soon as practicable after such election.

(i) ADJUDICATION.--Nothing contained in this section shall relieve the Secretary of the duty to adjudicate conflicting claims regarding the lands specified in subsection (g) of this section, or otherwise selected under authority of the Alaska Statehood Act, subsection (b) of this section, or other law, prior to the issuance of tentative approval.

(j) CLARIFICATION OF LAND STATUS OUTSIDE UNITS.--As to lands outside the boundaries of a conservation system unit, National Recreation Areas, National Conservation Areas, new national forests and forest additions, the following withdrawals, classifications, or designations shall not, of themselves, remove the lands involved from the status of vacant, unappropriated, and unreserved lands for the purposes of subsection (d) or (g) of this section and future State selections pursuant to the Alaska Statehood Act or subsection (b) of this section:

(1) withdrawals for classification pursuant to §17(d)(1) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act; except that, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and the State of Alaska dated September 2, 1972 to the extent that Public Land Orders Numbered 5150, 5151 5181, 5182, 5184, 5187, 5190, 5194, and 5388 by their terms continue to prohibit State selections of certain lands, such lands shall remain unavailable for future State selection except as provided by subsection (e) of this Act;

(2) withdrawals pursuant to §11 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which are not finally conveyed pursuant to §12, §14, or §19 of such Act;

(3) classifications pursuant to the Classification and Multiple Use Act (78 Stat. 987);

(4) classifications or designations pursuant to the National Forest Management Act (90 Stat. 2949) as amended; and

(5) classifications, withdrawals exceeding 5,000 acres (except note withdrawals exceeding 5,000 acres which the Congress, by con-current resolution, approves within 180 days of the withdrawal or the effective date of this Act, whichever occurs later), or designations pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (90 Stat. 2743).

(k) INTERIM PROVISIONS.--Notwithstanding any other provision of Law, on lands selected by, or granted or conveyed to, the State of Alaska under §6 of the Alaska Statehood Act or this Act, but not yet tentatively approved to the State:

(1) The Secretary is authorized to make contracts and grant leases, licenses, permits, rights-of-way, or easements, and any tentative approval or patent shall be subject to such contract, lease, license, permit, right-of-way, or easement, except that (A) the authority granted the Secretary by this subsection is that authority the Secretary otherwise would have had under existing laws and regulations had the lands not been selected by the State, and (B) the State has concurred prior to such action by the Secretary.

(2) On and after the date of enactment of this Act, 90 per centum of any and all proceeds derived from contracts, leases, licenses, permits, rights-of-way, or easements or from trespasses originating after the date of selection by the State shall be held by the Secretary until such lands have been tentatively approved to the State. As such lands are tentatively approved, the Secretary shall pay to the State from such account the proceeds allocable to such lands which are derived from contracts, leases, licenses, permits, rights-of-way, easements, or trespasses. The proceeds derived from contracts, leases, licenses, permits, rights-of-way, easements or trespasses and deposited to the account pertaining to lands selected by the State but not tentatively approved due to rejection or relinquishment shall be paid as would have been required by law were it not for the provisions of this Act. In the event that the tentative approval does not cover all of the land embraced within any contract, lease, license permit, right-of-way, easement, or trespass, the State shall only be entitled to the proportionate amount of the proceeds derived from such contract, lease, license, permit, right-of-way, or easement, which results from multiplying the total of such proceeds by a fraction in which the numerator is the acreage of such contract, lease, license, permit, right-of-way, or easement which is included in the tentative approval and the denominator is the total acreage contained in such contract, lease, license, permit right-of-way, or easement; in the case of trespass, the State shall be entitled to the proportionate share of the proceeds in relation to the damages occurring on the respective lands.

(3) Nothing in this subsection shall relieve the State or the United States of any obligations under §9 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act or the fourth sentence of §6(h) of the Alaska Statehood Act.

(l) EXISTING RIGHTS.--(1) All conveyances to the State under §6 of the Alaska Statehood Act, this Act, or any other law, shall be subject to valid existing rights, to Native selection rights under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and to any right-of-way or easement reserved for or appropriated by the United States prior to selection of the underlying lands by the State of Alaska.

(2) Where, prior to a conveyance to the State, a right-of-way or easement has been reserved for or appropriated by the United States or a contract, lease, per nit, right-of-way, or easement has been issued for the lands, the conveyance shall contain provisions making it subject to the right-of-way or easement reserved or appropriated and to the contract, lease, license, permit, right-of-way, or easement issued or granted, and also subject to the right of the United States, contractee, lessee, licensee, permittee, or grantee to the complete enjoyment of all rights, privileges, and benefits previously granted, issued, reserved, or appropriated. Upon issuance of tentative approval, the State shall succeed and become entitled to any and all interests of the United States as contractor, lessor, licensor, permittor, or grantor, in any such contracts, leases, licenses, permits, rights-of-way, or easements, except those reserved to the United States in the tentative approval.

(3) The administration of rights-of-way or easements reserved to the United States in the tentative approval shall be in the United States, including the right to grant an interest in such right-of-way or easement in whole or in part.

(4) Where the lands tentatively approved do not include all of the land involved with any contract, lease, license, permit, right-of-way, or easement issued or granted, the administration of such contract, lease, license, permit, right-of-way, or easement shall remain in the United States unless the agency responsible for administration waives such administration.

(5) Nothing in this subsection shall relieve the State or the United States of any obligations under §9 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act or the fourth sentence of §6(h) of the Alaska Statehood Act.

(m) EXTINGUISHMENT OF CERTAIN TIME EXTENSIONS.--Any extensions of time periods granted to the State pursuant to §17(d)(2)(E) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act are hereby extinguished, and the time periods specified in subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall hereafter be applicable to State selections.

(n) EFFECT ON THIRD-PARTY RIGHTS.--(1) Nothing in this section shall alter the rights or obligations of any party with regard to §12 of the Act of January 2, 1976 (Public Law 94-204), §4 and §5 of the Act of October 4, 1976 (Public Law 94-456), or §3 of the Act of November 15, 1977 (Public Law 94-178).

(2) Any conveyance of land to or confirmation of prior selections of the State made by this Act or selections allowed under this Act shall be subject to the rights of Cook Inlet Region, Incorporated, to nominate lands outside of its region with such nominations to be superior to any selection made by the State after July 18, 1975 including any lands conveyed to the State pursuant to subsection (g) of this section, and to the duty of the Secretary, with consent of the State, to make certain lands within the Cook Inlet Region available to the Corporation, both in accordance with the provisions of §12(b) of the Act of January 2, 1976 (Public Law 94-204), as amended.

(3) Nothing in this title shall prejudice a claim of validate or invalidity regarding any third-party interest created by the State of Alaska prior to December 18, 1971, under authority of §6(g) of the Alaska Statehood Act or otherwise.

(4) Nothing in this Act shall affect any right of the United States or Alaska Natives to seek and receive damages against any party for trespass against, or other interference with, aboriginal interests if any, occurring prior to December 18, 1971.

(o) STATUS OF LANDS WITHIN UNITS.--(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, subject to valid existing rights any land withdrawn pursuant to §17(d)(1) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and within the boundaries of any conservation system unit, National Recreation Area, National Conservation Area new national forest or forest addition, shall be added to such unit and administered accordingly unless, before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this Act, such land has been validly selected by and conveyed to a Native Corporation, or unless before the date of the enactment of this Act, such land has been validly selected by, and after the date of enactment of this Act is conveyed to the State. At such time as the entitlement of any Native Corporation to land under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act is satisfied, any land within conservation system unit selected by such Native Corporation shall note to the extent that such land is in excess of its entitlement, become part of such unit and administered accordingly: Provided, That nothing in this subsection shall necessarily preclude the future conveyance to the State of those Federal lands which are specified in a list dated October 19, 1979, submitted by the State of Alaska and on file with the Office of the Secretary: Provided further, That nothing in this subsection shall affect any conveyance to the State pursuant to subsections (b), (c), (d), or (g) of this section.

(2) Until conveyed, all Federal lands within the boundaries of a conservation system unit, National Recreation Area, National Conservation Area, new national forest or forest addition, shall be administered in accordance with the laws applicable to such unit.

(p) PYK LINE.--The second proviso of §6(b) of the Alaska Statehood Act regarding Presidential approval of land selection north and west of the line described in §10 of such Act shall not apply to any conveyance of land to the State pursuant to subsections (c), (d), and (g) of this section but shall apply to future State selections.

ALASKA LAND BANK

§907. (a) ESTABLISHMENT: AGREEMENTS.--(1) In order to enhance the quantity and quality of Alaska's renewable resources and to facilitate the coordinated management and protection of Federal State, and Native and other private lands, there is hereby established the Alaska Land Bank Program. Any private landowner is authorized as provided in this section to enter into a written agreement with the Secretary if his lands adjoin, or his use of such lands would directly affect, Federal land, Federal and State land, or State land if the State is not participating in the program. Any private landowner described in subsection (c)(2) whose lands do not adjoin, or whose use of such lands would not directly affect either Federal or State lands also is entitled to enter into an agreement with the Secretary. Any private landowner whose lands adjoin, or whose use of such lands would directly affect, only State, or State and private lands, is authorized as provided in this section to enter into an agreement with the State of Alaska if the State is participating in the program. If the Secretary is the contracting party with the private landowner, he shall afford the State an opportunity to participate in negotiations and become a party to the agreement. An agreement may include all or part of the lands of any private landowner: Provided, That lands not owned by landowners described in subsection (c)(2) shall not be included in the agreement unless the Secretary, or the State, determines that the purposes of the program will be promoted by their inclusion.

(2) If a private landowner consents to the inclusion in an agreement of the stipulations provided in subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(4), (b)(5) and (b)(7), and if such owner does not insist on any additional terms which are unacceptable to the Secretary or the State, as appropriate the owner shall be entitled to enter into an agreement pursuant to this section. If an agreement is not executed within one hundred and twenty days of the date on which a private landowner communicates in writing his consent to the stipulations referred to in the preceding sentence, the appropriate Secretary or State agency head shall execute an agreement. Upon such execution, the private owner shall receive the benefits provided in subsection (c) hereof.

(3) No agreement under this section shall be construed as affecting any land, or any right or interest in land, of any owner not a party to such agreement.

(b) TERMS OF AGREEMENT.--Each agreement referred to in subsection (a) shall have an initial term of ten years, with provisions, if any, for renewal for additional periods of five years. Such agreement shall contain the following terms:

(1) The landowner shall not alienate, transfer, assign, mortgage, or pledge the lands subject to the agreement except as provided in §14(c) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, or permit development or improvement on such lands except as provided in the agreement. For the purposes of this section only, each agreement entered into with a landowner described in subsection (c)(2) shall constitute a restriction against alienation imposed by the United States upon the lands subject to the agreement.

(2) Lands subject to the agreement shall be managed by the Land owner in a manner compatible with the management plan, if management any, for the adjoining Federal or State lands, and with the requirements of this subsection. If lands subject to the agreement do not adjoin either Federal or State lands, they shall be managed in a manner compatible with the management plan, if any, of Federal or State lands which would be directly affected by the use of such private lands. If no such plan has been adopted, or if the use of such private lands would not directly affect either Federal or State lands, the owner shall manage such lands in accordance with the provisions in paragraph (1) of this subsection Except as provided in (3) of this subsection, nothing in this section or the management plan of any Federal or State agency shall be construed to require a private landowner to grant public access on or across his lands.

(3) If the surface landowner so consents, such lands may be made available for local or other recreational use: Provided, That the refusal of a private landowner to permit the uses referred to in this subsection shall not be grounds for the refusal of the Secretary or the Stats to enter into an agreement with the landowner under this section.

(4) Appropriate Federal and/or State agency heads shall have reasonable access to such privately owned land for purposes relating to the administration of the adjoining Federal or State lands, and to carry out their obligations under the agreement.

(5) Reasonable access to such land by officers of the State shall be permitted for purposes of conserving fish and wildlife.

(6) Those services or other consideration which the appropriate Secretary or the State shall provide to the owner pursuant to subsection (c)(1) shall be set forth.

(7) All or part of the lands subject to the agreement may be withdrawn from the Alaska land bank program not earlier than ninety days after the landowner--

(A) submits written notice thereof to the other parties which are signatory to the agreement; and

(B) pays all Federal, State and local property taxes and assessments which, during the particular term then in effect, would have been incurred except for the agreement together with interest on such taxes and assessments in an amount to be determined at the highest rate of interest charged with respect to delinquent property taxes by the Federal, State or local taxing authority, if any.

(8) The agreement may contain such additional terms, which are consistent with the provisions of this section, as seem desirable to the parties entering into the agreement: Provided, That the refusal of the landowner to agree to any additional terms shall not be grounds for the refusal of the Secretary or the State to enter into an agreement with the landowner under this section.

(c) BENEFITS TO PRIVATE LANDOWNERS.--(1) In addition to any requirement of applicable law, the appropriate Secretary is authorized to provide technical and other assistance with respect to fire control, trespass control, resource and land use planning, the management of fish and wildlife, and the protection, maintenance, and enhancement of any special values of the land subject to the agreement, all with or without reimbursement as agreed upon by the parties, so long as the landowner is in compliance with the agreement.

(2) The provision of §21(e) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act shall apply to all lands which are subject to an agreement made pursuant to this section so long as the parties to the agreement are in compliance therewith.

(d) AUTOMATIC PROTECTIONS FOR LANDS CONVEYED PURSUANT TO THE ALASKA NATIVE CLAIMS SETTLEMENT ACT.--

(1)(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of the law or doctrine of equity, all land and interests in land in Alaska conveyed by the Federal Government pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to a native individual or Native Corporation or subsequently reconveyed by a native Corporation pursuant to §39 of that Act to a Settlement Trust shall be exempt, so long as such land and interests are not developed or leased or sold to third parties from--

(i) adverse possession and similar claims based upon estoppel;

(ii) real property taxes by any governmental entity;

arising under--

(I) title 11 of the united States Code or any successor statute,

(II) other insolvency or moratorium laws, or

(III) other laws generally affecting creditors' rights;

(iv) judgements in any action at law or in equity to recover sums owed or penalties incurred by a Native Corporation or Settlement Trust or any employee, officer, director, or shareholder of such corporation or trust, unless this exemption is contractually waived prior to the commencement of such action; and

(v) involuntary distribution or conveyances related to the involuntary dissolution of a Native Corporation or Settlement Trust.

(B) Except as otherwise provided specifically provided, the exemptions described in subparagraph (A) shall apply to any claim or judgment existing on or arising after the date of the enactment of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act Amendments of 1987.

(2) Definitions.--(A) For purposes of this section, the term--

(i) "Developed" means a purposeful modification of land, or an interest in land, from its original state that effectuates a condition of gainful and productive present use without further substantial modification. Surveying, construction of roads, providing utilities, or other similar actions, which are normally considered to be component parts of the development process but do not create the condition described in the preceding sentence, shall not constitute a developed state within the meaning of this clause. In order to terminate the exemptions listed in paragraph (1), land, or an interest in land, must be developed for purposes other than exploration, and the exemptions will be terminated only with respect to the smallest practicable tract actually used in the developed state;

(ii) "Exploration" means the examination and investigation of undeveloped land to determine the existence of subsurface nonrenewable resources; and

(iii) "Leased" means subjected to a primary possession entered into for a gainful purpose with a determinable fee remaining in the hands of the grantor. With respect to a lease that conveys rights of exploration and development, the exemptions listed in paragraph (1) shall continue with respect to that portion of the leased tract that is used solely for the purposes of exploration.

(B) For purposes of this subsection--

(i) land shall not be considered developed solely as a result of--

(I) the construction, installation, or placement upon such land of any structure, fixture, device, or other improvement intended to enable, assist, or otherwise further subsistence uses or other customary or traditional uses of such land, or

(II) the receipt of fees related to hunting, fishing, and guiding activities conducted on such land;

(ii) land upon which timber resources are being harvested shall be considered developed only during the period of such harvest and only to the extent that such land is integrally related to the timber harvesting operation; and

(iii) land subdivided by a State or local platting authority on the basis of a subdivision plat submitted by the holder of the land or its agent, shall be considered developed on the date an approved subdivision plat is recorded by such holder or agent unless the subdivided property is a remainder parcel.

(3) Action by a Trustee.--(A) Except as provided in this paragraph and in §14(c)(3) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act no trustee, receiver, or custodian vested pursuant to applicable Federal or State law with a right, title, or interest of a Native individual or native Corporation shall--

(i) assign or lease to a third party,

(ii) commence development or use of, or

(iii) convey property to a third party, any right, title, or interests in any land, subject to the exemptions described in paragraph (1).

(B) The prohibitions of subparagraph (A) shall not apply--

(i) when the actions of such trustee, receiver, or custodian are for purposes of exploration or pursuant to a judgment in law or in equity (or arbitration award) arising out of any claim made pursuant to §7(i) or §14(c) of the Alaska native Claims Settlement Act; or

(ii) to any land, or interest in land, which has been--

(I) developed or leased prior to the vesting of the trustee, receiver, or custodian with the right, title, or interest of the Native Corporation; or

(II) expressly pledged as security for any loan or expressly committed to any commercial transaction in a valid agreement.

(4) Exclusions, Reattachment of Exemptions.--(A) The exemptions listed in paragraph (1) shall not apply to any land, or interest in land, which is--

(i) developed or leased or sold to a third party;

(ii) held by a native Corporation in which neither--

(I) the Settlement Common Stock of the corporation,

(II) the Settlement Common Stock of the corporation and other stock of the corporation held by holders of Settlement Common Stock, nor

(III) the Settlement Common Stock of the corporation and other stock of the corporation held by holders of Settlement Common Stock and by Natives and descendants of natives,

represents a majority of either the total equity of the corporation or the total voting power of the corporation for the purposes of electing directors; or

(iii) held by a Settlement Trust with respect to which any of the conditions set forth in §39 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act have been violated.

(B) The exemptions described in clauses (iii), (iv), and (v) of paragraph (1)(A) shall not apply to any land, or interest in land--

(i) to the extent that such land or interest is expressly pledged as a security for any loan or expressly committed to any commercial transaction in a valid agreement, and

(ii) to the extent necessary to enforce a judgment in any action at law or in equity (or any arbitration award) arising out of any claim made pursuant to §7(i) or §14(c) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

(C) If the exemptions listed in paragraph (1) are terminated with respect to land, or an interest in land, as a result of development (or a lease to a third party), and such land, or interest in land, subsequently reverts to an undeveloped state (or third-party lease is terminated), then the exemptions shall again apply to such land, or interest in land, in accordance with the provisions of this subsection.

(5) Tax Recapture Upon Subdivision Plat Recordation.--(A) Upon the recordation with an appropriate government authority of an approved subdivision plat submitted by, or on behalf of, a Native individual, Native Corporation, or Settlement Trust with respect to land described in paragraph (1), such individual, corporation, or trust shall pay in accordance with this paragraph all State and local property taxes on the smallest practicable tract integrally related to the subdivision project that would have been incurred by the individual, corporation, or trust on such land (excluding the value of subsurface resources and timber) in the absence of the exemption described in paragraph (1)(A)(ii) during the thirty months prior to the date of the recordation of the plat.

(B) State and local property taxes specified in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph (together with interest at the rate of 5 per centum per annum commencing on the date of recordation of the subdivision plat) shall be paid in equal semi-annual installments over a two-year period commencing on the date six months after the date of recordation of the subdivision plat.

(C) At least thirty days prior to final approval of a plat of the type described in subparagraph (A), the government entity with jurisdiction over the plat shall notify the submitting individual, corporation, or trust of the estimated tax liability that would be incurred as a result of the recordation of the plat at the time of final approval.

(6) Savings.--(A) No provision of this subsection shall be construed to impair, or otherwise affect, any valid contract or other obligation that was entered into prior to the date of the enactment of the Alaska native Claims Settlement Act Amendments of 1987.

(B) Enactment of this subsection shall not affect any real property tax claim in litigation on the date of enactment of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act Amendments of 1987.

(e) CONDEMNATION.--All lands subject to an agreement made pursuant to subsection (a) and all land, and interest in land, conveyed or subsequently reconveyed pursuant to the Alaska native Claims Settlement Act to a Native individual, Native Corporation, or Settlement Trust shall be subject to condemnation for public purposes in accordance with the provisions of this Act and other applicable law.

(f) EXISTING CONTRACTS.--Nothing in this section shall be construed as impairing, or otherwise affecting in any manner, any contract or other obligation which was entered into prior to the enactment of this Act or which (1) applies to any land which is subject to an agreement, and (2) was entered into before the agreement becomes effective.

(g) STATE JURISDICTION.--Except as expressly provided in subsection (d), no provision of this section shall be construed as affecting the civil or criminal jurisdiction of the state of Alaska.

PROTECTION OF NATIVE LANDS IN CONTINGENCY AREAS UNDER TIMBER SALES

§908. §15 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act is amended by inserting "(a)" after "§15." and by adding at the end of such section the following new subsection:

"(b) No land conveyed to a Native Corporation pursuant to this Act or by operation of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act which is within a contingency area designated in a timber sale contract let by the United States shall thereafter be subject to such contract or to entry or timbering by the contractor. Until a Native Corporation has received conveyances to all of the land to which it is entitled to receive under the appropriate section or subsection of this Act, for which the land was withdrawn or selected no land in such a contingency area that has been withdrawn and selected, or selected, by such Corporation under this Act shall be entered by the timber contractor and no timber shall be cut thereon, except by agreement with such Corporation. For purposes of this subsection, the term 'contingency area' means any area specified in a timber sale contract as an area from which the timber contractor may harvest timber if the volume of timber specified in the contract cannot be obtained from one or more areas definitely designated for timbering in the contract.".

USE OF PROTRACTION DIAGRAMS

§909. With the agreement of the party to whom a patent is to be issued under this title, or the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the Secretary, in his discretion, may base such patent on protraction diagrams in lieu of field surveys. Any person or corporation receiving a patent under this title or the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act on the basis of a protraction diagram shall receive any gain or bear any loss of acreage due to errors, if any, in such protraction diagram.

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT

§910. The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (83 Stat. 852) shall not be construed, in whole or in part, as requiring the preparation or submission of an environmental impact statement for withdrawals, conveyances, regulations, orders, easement determinations, or other actions which lead to the issuance of conveyances to Natives or Native Corporations, pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, or this Act. Nothing in this section shall be construed as affirming or denying the validity of any withdrawals by the Secretary under §14(h)(3) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

TECHNICAL AMENDMENT TO PUBLIC LAW 94-204

§911. §15(a) of the Act Of January 2, 1976 (Public Law 94-204, 89 Stat. 1154-1155), is amended--

(1) by striking out the description beginning with "Township 36 south, range 52 west;" and all that follows through "Township 41 south, range 53 west, sections 1, 2, 11, 12, 13 S. M., Alaska, notwithstanding;" and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

"Township 36 south, range 52 west, all;

"Township 37 south, range 51 west, all;

"Township 37 south, range 52 west, all;

"Township 37 south, range 53 west, sections 1 through 4, 9 through 16, 21 through 24, and the north half of sections 25 through 28;

"Township 38 south, range 51 west, sections 1 through 5, 9, 10, 12, 13, 18, 24, and 25;

"Township 38 south, range 52 west, sections 1 through 35;

"Township 38 south, range 53 west, sections 1, 12, 13, 24, 25, and 26;

"Township 39 south, range 51 west, sections 1, 6, 7, 16 through 21 28 through 33, and 36;

"Township 39 south, range 52 west, sections 1, 2, 11 through 15, and 22 through 24;

"Township 39 south, range 53 west, sections 33 through 36, and the south half of section 26;

"Township 40 south, range 51 west, sections 2 and 6; "Township 40 south, range 52 west, sections 6 through 10, 15 through 21, and 27 through 36;

"Township 40 south, range 53 west, sections 1 through 19, 21 through 28, and 34 through 36;

"Township 40 south, range 54 west, sections 1 through 34;

"Township 41 south, range 52 west, sections 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, and 18;

"Township 41 south, range 53 west, sections 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, and 16;

"Township 41 south, range 54 west, section 6, S. M., Alaska;"; and

(2) by striking out "The" in the undesignated paragraph immediately following such description and inserting in lieu thereof "Notwithstanding the".


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