§450bb–4 — Title 16 Conservation | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior may accept or buy lands and buildings in Harpers Ferry that belong to the trustees of Storer College or were once part of the college site under the 1868 law. The government can pay up to what those buildings and land are worth now, but when buying property that someone else already bought, it can pay no more than what that owner paid plus any costs of improvements and never more than the current value. The Secretary may also buy up to seven acres of private land mixed in with the college property, and can trade bought parcels for other college-related land of about the same value. To get the original site of John Brown’s engine house and the old Federal arsenal, the Secretary may trade federally owned park lands near Cumberland, Maryland that are not needed for park use, as long as the exchanged lands are about equal in value.

Title 16, §450bb–4

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of the Interior may accept the conveyance of all right, title, and interest of the trustees of Storer College in and to the lands and improvements in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, granted to their predecessors for educational purposes pursuant to section 2 of the Act of December 15, 1868 (15 Stat. 266), upon payment to said trustees of not more than the current fair market value of the improvements located upon such lands. The Secretary may also purchase lands, interests therein, and improvements thereon, which lands were granted to the trustees of Storer College pursuant to such Act of 1868 and subsequently were alienated by the trustees: Provided, That he may pay not in excess of the amount paid therefor by the then owners plus the cost of existing improvements placed thereon by them, and, in no event may he pay more than the current fair market value. The Secretary may also purchase from the trustees of Storer College, at not more than their fair market value, other lands and interests in lands acquired by them or their predecessors as a part of the college site, together with any improvements thereon. In addition, up to seven acres of privately owned lands, interests therein, and improvements thereon, which are interspersed with the aforesaid college lands may be purchased by the Secretary. Lands and interests purchased under this subsection may be exchanged for other lands, and interests therein, of approximately equal value, which comprise the college and interspersed lands otherwise authorized herein for purchase.

(b)To facilitate the acquisition of the original site of the engine house known as John Brown’s “Fort” and the old Federal arsenal, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to exchange therefor federally owned park lands or interests in lands of approximately equal value in the vicinity of Cumberland, Maryland, which he finds are no longer required for park purposes.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 2 of the Act of December 15, 1868, referred to in subsec. (a), means act Dec. 15, 1868, ch. 2, § 2, 15 Stat. 266, which was not classified to the Code.

§450bb–4 Acceptance and purchase of lands and improvements; payment; exchange of lands

Summary

Title 16, §450bb–4

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Citations & Metadata