Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 106 Part 5.djvu/596

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106 STAT. 4234 PUBLIC LAW 102-562—OCT. 28, 1992 Public Law 102-562 102d Congress An Act Oct. 28, 1992 To authorize and direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain lands in [S. 1439] Livingston Parish, Louisiana, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, TITLE I—LAND CONVEYANCE SEC. 101. FINDINGS. The Congress finds and declares that— (1) there is a history of adverse claims and title confusion relating to certain lands in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, arising from private land claims predating the Louisiana Purchase; (2) numerous parties have in good faith placed valuable improvements upon such lands in the belief that they owned such lands; and (3) the public interest will be best served by clarifying the uncertainty of title by conveying the interest of the United States in such lands to those affected parties. SEC. 102. CONVEYANCE OF LANDS. (a) IN GENERAL. —Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and subject to the reservation in subsection (b), the United States hereby grants all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to certain lands in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, as described in section 103, to those parties who, as of the date of enactment of this Act, would be recognized as holders of a right, title, or interest to any portion of such lands under the laws of the State of Louisiana, but for the interest of the United States in such lands. (b) RESERVATION OF MINERAL RIGHTS.— The United States hereby excepts and reserves from the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, all minerals underlying such lands, along with the right to prospect for, mine, and remove the minerals under applicable law and such regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe. SEC. 103. DESCRIPTION OF LANDS TO BE CONVEYED. The lands to be conveyed pursuant to this title are those lands located in section 37, township 5 south, range 4 east, St. Helena Meridian, in Livingston Parish, Louisiana.