§706 Liabilities of Occupants; Trespass; Limitations

Summary

If someone gets land transferred under section 701, they still must pay for any use of the land without permission that happened before the transfer. Getting the transfer does not erase past debts to the United States. If an eligible person applied for land that is part of a mining claim, the United States will not try to collect trespass charges for living on or using that claim for the time before the Secretary of the Interior finally decides the claim is invalid or the claimant gives it up, unless the claim was made when the land was withdrawn or not open to location. That protection only covers people who filed transfer applications under section 701 by June 30, 1971. The rule does not create any new trespass liability that would not have existed otherwise.