Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 26, 2024

Title 43 - Public Lands: Interior last revised: Nov 22, 2024
§ 2741.1 - Lands subject to disposition.

(a) The act is applicable to any public lands except (1) lands withdrawn or reserved for national forests, national parks and monuments, and national wildlife refuges, (2) Indian lands and lands set aside or held for use by or for the benefit of Indians, Aleuts and Eskimos, and (3) lands which have been acquired for specific purposes.

(b) Revested Oregon and California Railroad grant lands and reconveyed Coos Bay Wagon Road grant lands may only be leased to States and counties and to State and Federal instrumentalities and political subdivisions and to municipal corporations.

(c) Section 211 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 does not apply to public lands within the National Forest System, defined in the Act of August 17, 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1601), the National Park System, the National Wildlife Refuge System and the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

[44 FR 43472, July 25, 1979]
§ 2741.2 - Qualified applicants.

Applications for any recreational or public purpose may be filed by States, Federal and State instrumentalities and political subdivisions, including counties and municipalities, and nonprofit associations and nonprofit corporations that, by their articles of incorporation or other authority, are authorized to acquire land.

[44 FR 43472, July 25, 1979]
§ 2741.3 - Preapplication consultation.

(a) Potential applicants should contact the appropriate District Office of the Bureau of Land Management well in advance of the anticipated submission of an application. Early consultation is needed to familiarize a potential applicant with management responsibilities and terms and conditions which may be required in a lease or patent.

(b) Any information furnished by the applicant in connection with preapplication activity or use, which he/she requests not be disclosed, shall be protected to the extent consistent with the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).

(c) Dependent upon the magnitude and/or public interest associated with the proposed use, various investigations, studies, analyses, public meetings and negotiations may be required of the applicant prior to the submission of the application. Where a determination is made that studies and analyses are required, the authorized officer shall inform the potential applicant of these requirements.

(d) The potential applicant may be permitted to go upon the public lands to perform casual acts related to data collection necessary for development of an acceptable plan of development as required in § 2741.4(b) of this title. These casual acts include, but are not limited to:

(1) Vehicle use on existing roads;

(2) Sampling;

(3) Surveys required for siting of structures or other improvements; and

(4) Other activities which do not unduly disturb surface resources. If, however, the authorized officer determines that appreciable impacts to surface resources may occur, he/she may require the potential applicant to obtain a land use authorization permit with appropriate terms and conditions under the provision of part 2920 of this title.

[50 FR 50300, Dec. 10, 1985]
§ 2741.4 - Applications.

(a) Applications shall be submitted on forms approved by the Director, Bureau of Land Management.

(b) Each application shall be accompanied by three copies of a statement describing the proposed use of the land. The statement shall show that there is an established or definitely proposed project for such use of the land, present detailed plan and schedule for development of the project and a management plan which includes a description of how any revenues will be used. The provisions of § 1821.2 of this title apply to filings pursuant to this section.

(c) Each application shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable filing fee of $100. The filing fee shall be required for new applications as well as for applications for change of use or transfer of title filed under § 2741.6 of this title.

[44 FR 43472, July 25, 1979. Redesignated and amended at 50 FR 50300, Dec. 10, 1985]
§ 2741.5 - Guidelines for conveyances and leases under the act.

(a) Public lands shall be conveyed or leased under the act only for an established or definitely proposed project for which there is a reasonable timetable of development and satisfactory development and management plans.

(b) No public lands having national significance shall be conveyed pursuant to the act.

(c) No more public lands than are reasonably necessary for the proposed use shall be conveyed pursuant to the act.

(d) For proposals involving over 640 acres, public lands shall not be sold or leased pursuant to this act until:

(1) Comprehensive land use plans and zoning regulations for the area in which the lands are located have been adopted by the appropriate State or local authorities.

(2) The authorized officer has held at least one public meeting on the proposal.

(e) Applications shall not be approved unless and until it has been determined that disposal under the act would serve the national interest following the planning requirements of section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (43 U.S.C. 1712).

(f) Public lands may be determined to be suitable for lease or sale under the act by the authorized officer on his own motion as a result of demonstrated public needs for public lands for recreational or public purposes during the planning process described in section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act.

(g) Lands under the jurisdiction of another agency shall not be determined to be suitable for lease or sale without that agency's approval.

(h)(1) A notice of realty action which shall serve as a classification of public lands as suitable or unsuitable for conveyance or lease under the act shall be issued, published and sent to parties of interest by the authorized officer not less than 60 days prior to the proposed effective date of the classification action. Notices specifying public lands classified as suitable shall include: the use proposed; whether the lands are to be conveyed or leased; and the terms, covenants, conditions and reservations which shall be included in the conveyance or lease document. The notice shall provide at least 45 days from the date of issuance for submission of public comments.

(2) If the notice of realty action states that the lands are classified as suitable for conveyance or lease under the act, it shall segregate the public lands described in the notice from appropriation under any other public land law, including locations under the mining laws, except as provided in the notice or any amendments or revisions to the notice. If, after 18 months following the issuance of the notice, an application has not been filed for the purpose for which the public lands have been classified, the segregative effect of the classification shall automatically expire and the public lands classified in the notice shall return to their former status without further action by the authorized officer.

(3) The notice of realty action shall be published once in the Federal Register and once a week for 3 weeks thereafter in a newspaper of general circulation in the vicinity of the public lands covered by the notice.

(4) The notice published under § 1610.5-5 of this title, if designated in the notice, shall serve as the notice of realty action required by this section and shall segregate the public lands as stated in the notice. Any such notice given under § 1610.5-5 of this title shall be published and distributed under the provisions of this section.

(i) The Act shall not be used to provide sites for the disposal of permanent or long-term hazardous wastes.

[44 FR 43472, July 25, 1979. Redesignated at 51 FR 50300, Dec. 10, 1985, and amended at 50 FR 50301, Dec. 10, 1985; 51 FR 1795, Jan. 15, 1986; 57 FR 32733, July 23, 1992]
§ 2741.6 - Applications for transfer or change of use.

(a) Applications under the act for permission to add to or change the use specified in a patent or applications to transfer title to a third party shall be filed as prescribed in § 2741.4 of this title.

(b) Applications for transfer of title are subject to the acreage limitations as prescribed in § 2741.7(a) of this title.

(c) Prior to approval of an application filed under this section, the public lands may be reappraised in accordance with § 2741.8 of this title and the beneficiary required to make such payments as are found justified by the reappraisal.

[44 FR 43472, July 25, 1979. Redesignated at 51 FR 50300, Dec. 10, 1985, and amended at 50 FR 50301, Dec. 10, 1985]
§ 2741.7 - Acreage limitations and general conditions.

(a) Conveyances under the Act to any applicant in any one calendar year shall be limited as follows:

(1) Any State or State agency having jurisdiction over the State park system may acquire not more than 6,400 acres for recreational purposes and such additional acreage as may be needed for small roadside parks and rest sites of 10 acres or less each.

(2) Any State or agency or instrumentality of such State may acquire not more than 640 acres for each of its programs involving public purposes other than recreation.

(3) Any politicial subdivision of a State may acquire for recreational purposes not more than 6,400 acres, and for public purposes other than recreation an additional 640 acres. In addition, any political subdivision of a State may acquire such additional acreage as may be needed for roadside parks and rest sites of not more than 10 acres each.

(4) If a State or political subdivision has failed in any one calendar year to receive 6,400 acres (not counting public lands for small roadside parks and rest sites) and had an application on file on the last day of that year, the State, State park agency or political subdivision may receive additional public lands to the extent that the conveyances would not have exceeded the limitations for that year.

(5) Any nonprofit corporation or nonprofit association may acquire for recreational purposes not more than 640 acres and for public purposes other than recreation an additional 640 acres.

(6) Acreage limitations described in this section do not apply to conveyances made under section 211 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976.

(b) Conveyances within any State shall not exceed 25,600 acres for recreational purposes per calendar year, except that should any State park agency or political subdivision fail in one calendar year to receive 6,400 acres other than small roadside parks and rest sites, additional conveyances may be made thereafter to that State park agency or political subdivision pursuant to any application on file on the last day of said year to the extent that the conveyances would not have exceeded the limitations of said year.

(c) No patents shall be issued under the act unless and until the public lands are officially surveyed. This requirement does not apply to islands patented under the authority of section 211(a) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976.

[44 FR 43472, July 25, 1979. Redesignated at 51 FR 50300, Dec. 10, 1985, and amended at 50 FR 50301, Dec. 10, 1985; 65 FR 70112, Nov. 21, 2000]
§ 2741.8 - Price.

(a) Conveyances for recreational or historic-monument purposes to a State, county, or other State or Federal instrumentality or political subdivision shall be issued without monetary consideration.

(b) All other conveyances shall be made at prices established by the Secretary of the Interior through appraisal or otherwise, taking into consideration the purpose for which the land is to be used.

(c) Patents shall be issued only after payment of the full purchase price by a patent applicant.

[44 FR 43472, July 25, 1979. Redesignated at 50 FR 50300, Dec. 10, 1985]
§ 2741.9 - Patent provisions.

(a) All patents under the act shall provide that title shall revert upon a finding, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, that, without the approval of the authorized officer:

(1) The patentee or its approved successor attempts to transfer title to or control over the lands to another;

(2) The lands have been devoted to a use other than that for which the lands were conveyed;

(3) The lands have not been used for the purpose for which they were conveyed for a 5-year period; or

(4) The patentee has failed to follow the approved development plan or management plan.

(b) Patents shall also provide that the Secretary of the Interior may take action to revest title in the United States if the patentee directly or indirectly permits his agents, employees, contractors, or subcontractors (including without limitation lessees, sublessees, and permittees) to prohibit or restrict the use of any part of the patented lands or any of the facilities thereon by any person because of such person's race, creed, color, sex or national origin.

[44 FR 43472, July 25, 1979. Redesignated at 50 FR 50300, Dec. 10, 1985]
authority: 43 U.S.C. 869
cite as: 43 CFR 2741.5