Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 54 Part 1.djvu/1155

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76TH CONG. , 3D SESS.-CH. 861 -OOT. 14 , 1940 the construction of the project, should be made available to the Depart- ment of the Interior by the Work Projects Administration or other Federal agencies, to the extent found necessary by the Secretary to make up the difference between the estimated cost of project construc- tion and (i) the part thereof to be met by expenditure of moneys appropriated pursuant to section 12 (1), together with (ii) such serv- ices, materials, money, easements, and other property as non-Federal agencies or parties have agreed to contribute and the Secretary has found acceptable under section 2. "(b) No actual construction of the physical features of a project, which meets the requirements of subsection (a) shall be undertaken unless and until (1) rights-of-way and other interests in land deemed by the Secretary to be necessary for the construction and operation of the major features of the project works have been secured, with titles or easements and at prices satisfactory to the Secretary; and (2) the Secretary has found (i) that water rights adequate for the purposes of the project have been acquired with titles and at prices satisfactory to him, or have been initiated and can be perfected in conformity with State law and any applicable interstate agreements and in a manner satisfactory to him; and (ii) that such water rights can be utilized for the purposes of the project in conformity with State law and any applicable interstate agreements and in a manner satisfactory to him. "SEC. 4. (a) No water for irrigation may be delivered from the works of any project constructed under the authority of this Act until after the repayment contract or contracts required by this section have been executed. Where practicable in the judgment of the Secretary, the repayment contract shall be with a water users' organization or organizations satisfactory in form and powers to the Secretary; and otherwise the repayment contract shall be with the individual land- owners. The contract or contracts shall contain such provisions as the Secretary deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act and to protect the interests of the United States. "(b) The term 'reimbursable construction costs' as used in this Act means that part of the costs of investigating, constructing, and operating and maintaining the project, which are allocated by the Secretary to irrigation, and which are met by expenditures of moneys therefor appropriated under the authority of section 12 (1), plus such amounts as the President, under section 2 (1), may determine to be reimbursable: Provided, That administrative expenses incurred in the District of Columbia in connection with the investigation, construc- tion, or operation and maintenance of a project shall not be included in the reimbursable construction costs nor shall they be charged to the water users in any way. "(c) The repayment contract or contracts for a project shall, in their aggregate, provide for repayment to the United States of the total amount of the reimbursable construction costs of the project allocated to irrigation. Each such contract shall provide, among other things, that- "(1) The Secretary shall fix a development period for each project of not to exceed ten years from and including the first calendar year in which water is delivered for the lands in said project; and during the development period water shall be delivered to the lands in the project involved at a charge per acre-foot, or other charge, to be fixed by the Secretary each year and to be paid in advance of delivery of water. Such charges shall be fixed with a view of returning such amounts as in the Secretary's judgment are justified by the rate of project development, including as a minimum the return over the full development period of that part of the cost of operating and maintaining the project, during said period, allocated by the Secre- Contribution by non-Federal agencies. Rights-of-way to be secured before con- struction. Acquisition of water rights, etc. Repayment con- tracts. " Reimbursable con- struction costs." Pbrorso. Admlinistrative ex- penses. Provisions of repay- ment contract. Development pe- riod. Water charges. 193470°-41-PT. --- 71 54 STAT.]