Page 87 TITLE 22—FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE § 277f

acted sections 277d–41 and 277d–42 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short

Title note set out under section 277d–34 of this title and

Tables.

§ 277e. Disposal of lands; issuance of licenses for

use of lands; compensation for injured property

The Secretary of State is authorized to lease

any land heretofore or hereafter acquired under

any Act, Executive order, or treaty in connection with projects, in whole or in part, constructed or administered by the Secretary of

State through the said American Commissioner,

or to dispose of such lands when no longer needed, subject to applicable regulations under the

Federal Property and Administrative Services

Act of 1949, as amended [40 U.S.C. 471 et seq.], by

sale at public auction, after thirty days’ advertisement, at a price not less than that which

may be fixed by three disinterested appraisers,

to be designated by the Secretary of State, or by

private sale, or otherwise, at not less than such

appraised value: Provided, That any of such land

as shall have been donated to the United States

and which is no longer needed may be reconveyed, without cost, to the grantor or his heirs:

Provided, further, That the lease or disposal of

any land pursuant hereto may, in the discretion

of the Secretary of State, be subject to reservations in favor of the United States for rights-ofway for irrigation, drainage, river work, and

other purposes, and any such disposal may be

conditioned upon and made subject to inclusion

of such lands in any existing irrigation district

in the vicinity of such lands, the proceeds of any

such lease or sale to be covered into the Treasury of the United States: And provided further,

That in the discretion of the Secretary of State,

and subject to such conditions as he may deem

appropriate, conveyances of any other of such

lands not needed by the United States may be

made to the State to which they lie adjacent or

to any similarly situated county, city, or other

governmental subdivision of such State, without

cost, for use for public purposes.

The Secretary of State is further authorized to

issue revokable licenses for public or private use

for irrigation or other structures or uses not inconsistent with the use of such lands made, or to

be made, by the United States, across any lands

retained by the United States, and to execute all

necessary leases, title instruments, and conveyances, in order to carry out the provisions of

this section.

Whenever the construction of any project or

works undertaken or administered by the Secretary of State through the International

Boundary and Water Commission, United States

and Mexico, results in the interference with or

necessitates the alteration or restoration of constructed and existing irrigation or water-supply

structures, sanitary or sewage disposal works,

or other structures, or physical property belonging to any municipal or private corporation,

company, association, or individual, the Secretary of State may cause the restoration or reconstruction of such works, structures, or physical property or the construction of others in

lieu thereof or he may compensate the owners

thereof to the extent of the reasonable value

thereof as the same may be agreed upon by the

American Commissioner with such owner.

The Secretary of State acting through such officers as he may designate, is further authorized

to consider, adjust, and pay from funds appropriated for the project, the construction of

which resulted in damages, any claim for damages accruing after March 31, 1937, caused to

owners of lands or other private property of any

kind by reason of the operations of the United

States, its officers or employees, in the survey,

construction, operation, or maintenance of any

project constructed or administered through the

American Commissioner, International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and

Mexico, if such claim for damages does not exceed $1,000 and has been filed with the American

Commissioner within one year after the damage

is alleged to have occurred, and when in the

opinion of the American Commissioner such

claim is substantiated by a report of a board appointed by the said Commissioner.

(Aug. 27, 1935, ch. 763, 49 Stat. 906; June 19, 1939,

ch. 212, 53 Stat. 841; Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 654, §2(15),

65 Stat. 707; Pub. L. 85–201, Aug. 28, 1957, 71 Stat.

475.)

REFERENCES IN TEXT

The Federal Property and Administrative Services

Act of 1949, as amended, referred to in text, is act June

30, 1949, ch. 288, 63 Stat. 377, as amended. Provisions of

that Act relating to disposal of Government property

are classified to chapter 10 (§471 et seq.) of Title 40,

Public Buildings, Property, and Works. For complete

classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title

note set out under section 471 of Title 40 and Tables.

AMENDMENTS

1957—Pub. L. 85–201 struck out ‘‘to citizens of the

United States’’ after ‘‘is authorized to lease’’ and ‘‘to

American citizens’’ after ‘‘or to dispose of such lands’’

in first sentence of first paragraph, before first proviso.

1951—Act Oct. 31, 1951, inserted reference to applicable regulations of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended, in text before

first proviso of first paragraph.

1939—Act June 19, 1939, inserted last paragraph.

§ 277f. Valley Gravity Canal and Storage Project

The Secretary of State, with the approval of

the President, shall designate the features of the

Valley Gravity Canal and Storage Project which

he deems international in character, and shall

direct such changes in the general project plan

as he deems advisable with respect to such features; and the features so designated shall be

built, after consultation with the Bureau of Reclamation as to general design, by the American

section of the International Boundary Commission, United States and Mexico, and shall be operated and maintained by said Commission insofar as their operation and maintenance in such

manner is, in the opinion of the Secretary of

State, necessary because of their international

character. The construction, operation, and

maintenance of such project shall be pursuant

to the Federal reclamation laws, except as hereinbefore provided and except that—

(1) In addition to the nonreimbursable allocation to flood control or navigation which

may be made by the Secretary of the Interior

under section 485h(b) of title 43, the President,