I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1347 

To provide for the conveyance of certain Federal lands in Yuma County, 

Arizona. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 21, 2013 

Mr. GRIJALVA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To provide for the conveyance of certain Federal lands in 

Yuma County, Arizona. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Meers Point Boundary 

5 Adjustment Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—The term ‘‘ad9 ministrative costs’’ refers to any costs necessary to 


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1 transfer the Federal Land from the United States to 

2 the Grantee, such as— 

3 (A) boundary surveys; 

4 (B) boundary marking; 

5 (C) title work; 

6 (D) closing costs; 

7 (E) recording fees; and 

8 (F) Level 1 contaminant reports. 

9 (2) FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘Federal 

10 Land’’ means the land that is owned by the United 

11 States and managed cooperatively by the Bureau of 

12 Reclamation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 

13 located within lots 34, 35, 37, and 38 in section 13 

14 of Township 5 South, Range 22 West; and identified 

15 in the survey as those portions of lots 34, 35, 37, 

16 and 38 that are within the boundary of the Imperial 

17 National Wildlife Refuge. 

18 (3) GRANTEE.—The term ‘‘Grantee’’ means the 

19 current landowner or landowners of those properties 

20 described in Quit Claim Deeds, dated July 1, 1992, 

21 and filed in Yuma County, Arizona at DKT 1816, 

22 page 740; DKT 1816, page 748; DKT 1816, page 

23 752; and State of Arizona, State Land Department 

24 Special Land Use Permit No. 23–113167–17, dated 

25 August 27, 2008, and identified in this Act as— 


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1 (A) lot 34, State of Arizona ‘‘lease lot’’; 

2 (B) lot 35; 

3 (C) lot 37; and 

4 (D) lot 38. 

5 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

6 the Secretary of the Interior. 

7 (5) SURVEY.—The term ‘‘Survey’’ means a sur8 vey of Meers Point that shall— 

9 (A) be conducted by the Secretary, acting 

10 through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 

11 (B) cover those portions of lots 34, 35, 37, 

12 and 38 that are currently within the boundary 

13 of the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge; and 

14 (C) determine the exact acreage and legal 

15 description of the Federal Land to be conveyed 

16 under this Act. 

17 SEC. 3. CONVEYANCE OF FEDERAL LAND TO GRANTEES. 

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—After completion of the survey, 

19 the Secretary shall convey to each Grantee by quitclaim 

20 deed all right, title, and interest of the United States in 

21 and to that Federal Land within each Grantee’s lot. 

22 (b) CONSIDERATION.— 

23 (1) PAYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—As 

24 consideration for the conveyance of the Federal 

25 Land under this section, each Grantee shall pay to 


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1 the Secretary a percentage of the total administra2 tive costs incurred by the United States in an 

3 amount that equals the proportion of the acreage 

4 conveyed to each Grantee to the total acreage con5 veyed under subsection (a) to all Grantees. Such 

6 consideration shall be paid by a Grantee to the Sec7 retary on or before the date of the conveyance. 

8 (2) WAIVER FOR STATE.—Payment is hereby 

9 waived for any conveyance of Federal Land under 

10 this Act to the State of Arizona. 

11 (c) RELEASE FROM LIABILITY.—Effective on the 

12 date of conveyance of Federal Land to a Grantee under 

13 this section, the United States shall— 

14 (1) not be liable for damages arising out of any 

15 act, omission, or occurrence relating to the Federal 

16 Land conveyed; and 

17 (2) shall be liable for damages caused by acts 

18 of negligence committed by the United States before 

19 the date of conveyance, consistent with chapter 171 

20 of title 28, United States Code. 

21 (d) GRANTEE DISCRETION.—The conveyance of Fed22 eral Land in accordance with this Act shall be subject to 

23 a Grantee’s compliance with the provisions of this section. 


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1 SEC. 4. DISPOSITION AND USE OF PROCEEDS. 

2 Any amounts paid to the Secretary under section 3, 

3 shall remain available to the Secretary, without further 

4 appropriation until expended, for visitor services and re5 source protection at Imperial National Wildlife Refuge. 

Æ 


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