§2212. Pilot program for the acquisition of fractional interests

(a) Acquisition by Secretary

(1) In general

The Secretary may acquire, at the discretion of the Secretary and with the consent of the owner, and at fair market value, any fractional interest in trust or restricted lands.

(2) Authority of Secretary

(A) In general

The Secretary shall have the authority to acquire interests in trust or restricted lands under this section during the 3-year period beginning on the date of certification that is referred to in section 2206(g)(5) of this title.

(B) Required report

Prior to expiration of the authority provided for in subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall submit the report required under section 2217 of this title concerning whether the program to acquire fractional interests should be extended or altered to make resources available to Indian tribes and individual Indian landowners.

(3) Interests held in trust

Subject to section 2213 of this title, the Secretary shall immediately hold interests acquired under this chapter in trust for the recognized tribal government that exercises jurisdiction over the land involved.

(b) Requirements

In implementing subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary-

(1) shall promote the policies provided for in section 102 of the Indian Land Consolidation Act Amendments of 2000;

(2) may give priority to the acquisition of fractional interests representing 2 percent or less of a parcel of trust or restricted land, especially those interests that would have escheated to a tribe but for the Supreme Court's decision in Babbitt v. Youpee (117 S ¹ Ct. 727 (1997));

(3) to the extent practicable-

(A) shall consult with the tribal government that exercises jurisdiction over the land involved in determining which tracts to acquire on a reservation;

(B) shall coordinate the acquisition activities with the acquisition program of the tribal government that exercises jurisdiction over the land involved, including a tribal land consolidation plan approved pursuant to section 2203 of this title; and

(C) may enter into agreements (such agreements will not be subject to the provisions of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1974 [25 U.S.C. 450 et seq.]) with the tribal government that exercises jurisdiction over the land involved or a subordinate entity of the tribal government to carry out some or all of the Secretary's land acquisition program; and

(4) shall minimize the administrative costs associated with the land acquisition program.

(c) Sale of interest to Indian landowners

(1) Conveyance at request

(A) In general

At the request of any Indian who owns at least 5 percent of the undivided interest in a parcel of trust or restricted land, the Secretary shall convey an interest acquired under this section to the Indian landowner upon payment by the Indian landowner of the amount paid for the interest by the Secretary.

(B) Limitation

With respect to a conveyance under this subsection, the Secretary shall not approve an application to terminate the trust status or remove the restrictions of such an interest.

(2) Multiple owners

If more than one Indian owner requests an interest under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall convey the interest to the Indian owner who owns the largest percentage of the undivided interest in the parcel of trust or restricted land involved.

(3) Limitation

If an Indian tribe that has jurisdiction over a parcel of trust or restricted land owns 10 percent or more of the undivided interests in a parcel of such land, such interest may only be acquired under paragraph (1) with the consent of such Indian tribe.

(Pub. L. 97–459, title II, §213, as added Pub. L. 106–462, title I, §103(6), Nov. 7, 2000, 114 Stat. 1999 .)

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), was in the original "this Act", which was translated as reading "this title", meaning title II of Pub. L. 97–459, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Section 102 of the Indian Land Consolidation Act Amendments of 2000, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is section 102 of Pub. L. 106–462, which is set out as a note under section 2201 of this title.

The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1974, referred to in subsec. (b)(3)(C), probably means the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, Pub. L. 93–638, Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2203 , as amended, which is classified principally to subchapter II (§450 et seq.) of chapter 14 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 450 of this title and Tables.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 2213, 2214, 2215, 2217 of this title.

¹ So in original. Probably should be followed by a period.