A bill to amend title 28, United States Code, to exempt States from the statute of limitations applicable to quiet title actions against the United States.
PL 99-598 (H.R.2484), enacted 11/04/1986

PUBLIC LAW 99-598—NOV. 4, 1986 
100 STAT. 3351 
Public Law 99-598 
99th Congress 
An Act 
Defense and 
national 
security. 
To amend title 28, United States Code, relating to quiet title actions against the 
Nov. 4, 1986 
United States, with respect to actions brought by States. 
[H.R. 2484] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 2409a 
Claims. 
of title 28, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (n); 
(2) by redesignating subsections (c), (d), (e), and (f) as subsec-
tions (d), (e), (f), and (g), respectively; 
(3) by inserting after subsection Qa) the following new 
subsection: 
"(c) No preliminary injunction shall issue in any action brought 
under this section."; 
(4) in subsection (g), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by 
inserting ", except for an action brought by a State," after "this 
section"; and 
(5) by inserting after subsection (g), as so redesignated, the 
following: 
"(h) No civil action may be maintained under this section by a 
State with respect to defense facilities (including land) of the United 
States so long as the lands at issue are being used or required by the 
United States for national defense purposes as determined by the 
head of the Federal agency with jurisdiction over the lands involved, 
if it is determined that the State action was brought more than 
twelve years after the State knew or should have known of the 
claims of the United States. Upon cessation of such use or require-
ment, the State may dispute title to such lands pursuant to the 
provisions of this section. The decision of the head of the Federal 
agency is not subject to judicial review. 
"(i) Any civil action brought by a State under this section with 
respect to lands, other than tide or submerged lands, on which the 
United States or its lessee or right-of-way or easement grantee has 
made substantial improvements or substantial investments or on 
which the United States has conducted substantial activities pursu-
ant to a management plan such as range improvement, timber 
harvest, tree planting, mineral activities, farming, wildlife habitat 
improvement, or other similar activities, shall be barred unless the 
action is commenced within twelve years after the date the State 
received notice of the Federal claims to the lands. 
"(j) If a final determination in an action brought by a State under 
this section involving submerged or tide lands on which the United 
States or its lessee or right-of-way or easement grantee has made 
substantial improvements or substantial investments is adverse to 
the United States and it is determined that the State's action was 
brought more than twelve years after the State received notice of 
the Federal claim to the lands, the State shall take title to the lands 
subject to any existing lease, easement, or right-of-way. Any com-
100 STAT. 3352 
PUBLIC LAW 99-598—NOV. 4, 1986 
HI 
pensation due with respect to such lease, easement, or right-of-way 
shall be determined under existing law. 
"(k) Notice for the purposes of the accrual of an action brought by 
a State under this section shall be— 
"(1) by public communications with respect to the claimed 
"'^ 
lands which are sufficiently specific as to be reasonably cal-
culated to put the claimant on notice of the Federal claim to the 
jif 
lands, or 
^v 
"(2) by the use, occupancy, or improvement of the clsdmed 
lands which, in the circumstances, is open and notorious. 
"(1) For purposes of this section, the term 'tide or submerged 
lands' means 'lands beneath navigable waters' as defined in sec-
tion 2 of the Submerged Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1301). 
"(m) Not less than one hundred and eighty days before bringing 
any action under this section, a State shall notify the head of the 
Federal agency with jurisdiction over the lands in question of the 
State's intention to file suit, the basis therefor, and a description of 
the lands included in the suit.". 
.. 
Approved November 4, 1986. 
ki.j- 
J 
. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2484: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 99-924 (Comm. on the Judiciary). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 132 (1986): 
Sept. 30, considered and p£issed House. 
Oct. 16, considered and passed Senate. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 22 (1986): 
Nov. 4, Presidential statement.