4. Excerpts from Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act An Act to provide for the settlement of certain land claims of Alaska Natives, and for other purposes. (85 Stat. 688) Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the "Alaska Native Claims Settlement". (d) (1) Public Land Order Numbered 4582, 34 Federal Register 1025, as amended, is hereby revoked. For a period of ninety days after the date of enactment of this Act all unreserved public lands in Alaska are hereby withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining (except locations for metalliferous minerals) and the mineral leasing laws. During this period of time the Secretary shall review the public lands in Alaska and determine whether any portion of these lands should be withdrawn under authority provided for in existing law to insure that the public interest in these lands is properly protected. Any further withdrawal shall require an affirmative act by the Secretary under his existing authority, and the Secretary is authorized to classify or reclassify any lands so withdrawn and to open such lands to appropriation under the public land laws in accord with his classifications. Withdrawals pursuant to this paragraph shall not affect the authority of the Village Corporations, the Regional Corporations, and the State to make selections and obtain patents within the areas withdrawn pursuant to section 11. * (2)(A) The Secretary, acting under authority provided for in existing law, is directed to withdraw from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining and mineral leasing laws, and from selection under the Alaska Statehood Act, and from selection by Regional Corporations pursuant to section. 11, up to, but not to exceed, eighty million acres of unreserved public lands in the State of Alaska, including previously classified lands, which the Secretary deems are suitable for addition to or creation as units of the National Park, Forest, Wildlife Refuge, and Wild and Scenic Rivers Systems: Provided, That such withdrawals shall not affect the authority of the State and the Regional and Village Corporations to make selections and obtain patents within the areas withdrawn pursuant to section 11. (B) Lands withdrawn pursuant to paragraph (A) hereof must be withdrawn within nine months of the date of enactment of this Act. All unreserved public lands not withdrawn under paragraph (A) or subsection 17 (d) (1) shall be available for selection by the State and for appropriation under the public land laws. (C) Every six months, for a period of two years from the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall advise the Congress of the location, size and values of lands withdrawn pursuant to paragraph (A) and submit his recommendations with respect to such lands. Any lands withdrawn pursuant to paragraph (A) not recommended for addition to or creation as units of the National Park, Forest, Wildlife Refuge, and Wild and Scenic Rivers Systems at the end of the two years shall be available for selection by the State and the Regional Corporations, and for appropriation under the public land laws. (D) Areas recommended by the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (C) shall remain withdrawn from any appropriation under the public land laws until such time as the Congress acts on the Secretary's recommendations, but not to exceed five years from the recommendation dates. The withdrawal of areas not so recommended shall terminate at the end of the two year period. (E) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, initial identification of lands desired to be selected by the State pursuant to the Alaska Statehood Act and by the Regional Corporations pursuant to section 12 of this Act may be made within any area withdrawn pursuant to this subsection (d), but such lands shall not be tentatively approved or patented so long as the withdrawals of such areas remain in effect: Provided, That selection of lands by Village Corporations pursuant to section 12 of this Act shall not be affected by such withdrawals and such lands selected may be patented and such rights granted as authorized by this Act. In the event Congress enacts legislation setting aside any areas withdrawn under the provisions of this subsection which the Regional Corporations or the State desired to select, then other unreserved public lands shall be made available for alternative selection by the Regional Corporations and the State. Any time periods established by law for Regional Corporations or State selections are hereby extended to the extent that delays are caused by compliance with the provisions of this subsection (2). (3) Any lands withdrawn under this section shall be subject to administration by the Secretary under applicable laws and regulations, and his authority to make contracts and to grant leases, permits, rights-of-way, or easements shall not be impaired by the withdrawal. * * Approved December 18, 1971. * 5. Concession Policies of the National Park Service An Act relating to the establishment of concession policies in the areas administered by National Park Service and for other purposes. (79 Stat. 969) Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in furtherance of the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535), as amended (16 U.S.C. 1), which directs the Secretary of the Interior to administer national park system areas in accordance with the fundamental purposes of conserving their scenery, wildlife, natural and historic objects, and providing for their enjoyment in a manner that will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations, the Congress hereby finds that the preservation of park values requires that such public accommodations, facilities, and services as have to be provided within those areas should be provided only under carefully controlled safeguards against unregulated and indiscriminate use, so that the heavy visitation will not unduly impair these values and so that development of such facilities can best be limited to locations where the least damage to park values will be caused. It is the policy of the Congress that such development shall be limited to those that are necessary and appropriate for public use and enjoyment of the national park area in which they are located and that are consistent to the highest practicable degree with the preservation and conservation of the areas. SEC. 2. Subject to the findings and policy stated in section 1 of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall take such action as may be appropriate to encourage and enable private persons and corporations (hereinafter referred to as "concessioners") to provide and operate facilities and services which he deems desirable for the accommodation of visitors in areas administered by the National Park Service. SEC. 3. (a) Without limitation of the foregoing, the Secretary may include in contracts for the providing of facilities and services such terms and conditions as, in his judgment, are required to assure the concessioner of adequate protection against loss of investment in structures, fixtures, improvements, equipment, supplies, and other tangible property provided by him for the purposes of the contract (but not against loss of anticipated profits) resulting from discretionary acts, policies, or decisions of the Secretary occurring after the contract has become effective under which acts, policies, or decisions the concessioner's authority to conduct some or all of his authorized operations under the contract ceases or his structures, fixtures, and improvements, or any of them, are required to be transferred to another party or to be abandoned, removed, or demolished. Such terms and conditions may include an obligation of the United States to compensate the concessioner for loss of investment, as aforesaid. (b) The Secretary shall exercise his authority in a manner consistent with a reasonable opportunity for the concessioner to realize a profit on his operation as a whole commensurate with the capital invested and the obligations assumed. (c) The reasonableness of a concessioner's rates and charges to the public shall, unless otherwise provided in the contract, be judged primarily by comparison with those current for facilities and services of comparable character under similar conditions, with due consideration for length of season, provision for peakloads, average percentage of occupancy, accessibility, availability and costs of labor and materials, type of patronage, and other factors deemed significant by the Secretary. (d) Franchise fees, however stated, shall be determined upon consideration of the probable value to the concessioner of the privileges granted by the particular contract or permit involved. Such value is the opportunity for net profit in relation to both gross receipts and capítal invested. Consideration of revenue to the United States shall be subordinate to the objectives of protecting and preserving the areas and of providing adequate and appropriate services for visitors at reasonable rates. Appropriate provisions shall be made for reconsideration of franchise fees at least every five years unless the contract is for a lesser period of time. SEC. 4. The Secretary may authorize the operation of all accommodations, facilities, and services for visitors, or of all such accommodations, facilities, and services of generally similar character, in each area, or portion thereof, administered by the National Park Service by one responsible concessioner and may grant to such concessioner a preferential right to provide such new or additional accommodations, facilities, or services as the Secretary may consider necessary or desirable for the accommodation and convenience of the public. The Secretary may, in his discretion, grant extensions, renewals, or new contracts to present concessioners, other than the concessioner holding a preferential right, for operations substantially similar in character and extent to those authorized by their current contracts or permits. SEC. 5. The Secretary shall encourage continuity of operation and facilities and services by giving preference in the renewal of contracts or permits and in the negotiation of new contracts or permits to the concessioners who have performed their obligations under prior contracts or permits to the satisfaction of the Secretary. To this end, the Secretary, at any time in his discretion, may extend or renew a contract or permit, or may grant a new contract or permit to the same concessioner upon the termination or surrender before expiration of a prior contract or permit. Before doing so, however, and before granting extensions, renewals or new contracts pursuant to the last sentence of section 4 of this Act, the Secretary shall give reasonable public notice of his intention so to do and shall consider and evaluate all proposals received as a result thereof. SEC. 6. A concessioner who has heretofore acquired or constructed or who hereafter acquires or constructs, pursuant to a contract and with the approval of the Secretary, any structure, fixture, or improvement upon land owned by the United States within an area administered by the National Park Service shall have a possessory interest therein, which shall consist of all incidents of ownership except legal title, and except as hereinafter provided, which title shall be vested in the United States. Such possessory interest shall not be construed to include. or imply any authority, privilege, or right to operate or engage in any business or other activity, and the use or enjoyment of any structure, fixture, or improvement in which the concessioner has a possessory interest shall be wholly subject to the applicable provisions of the contract and of laws and regulations relating to the area. The said possessory interest shall not be extinguished by the expiration or other termination of the contract and may not be taken for public use without just compensation. The said possessory interest may be assigned, transferred, encumbered, or relinquished. Unless otherwise provided by agreement of the parties, just compensation shall be an amount equal to the sound value of such structure, fixture, or improvement at the time of taking by the United States determined upon the basis of reconstruction cost less depreciation evidenced by its condition and prospective serviceability in comparison with a new unit of like kind, but not to exceed fair market value. The provisions of this section shall not apply to concessioners whose current contracts do not include recognition of a possessory interest, unless in a particular case the Secretary determines that equitable considerations warrant recognition of such interest. SEC. 7. The provisions of section 321 of the Act of June 30, 1932 (47 Stat. 412; 40 U.S.C. 303 (b)), relating to the leasing of buildings and properties of the United States, shall not apply to privileges, leases, permits, and contracts granted by the Secretary of the Interior for the use of lands and improvements thereon, in areas administered by the National Park Service, for the purpose of providing accommodations, facilities, and services for visitors thereto, pursuant to the Act of August 25, 1916 |