§88 Disposition of Coal by United States

Summary

When the federal coal-land laws cover land claimed or owned under sections 86–89, the United States will handle the coal there under whatever coal laws are in force when the coal is disposed of. People who are legally allowed to buy coal or mining rights from the U.S. may go onto those lands to look for coal if the coal is still open for disposal. They must get the Secretary of the Interior’s approval and file a bond to cover any damage to crops or buildings caused by their prospecting. Someone who has already bought the coal or the right to mine it may reenter and use as much surface as needed to mine, but they must pay for damages or post a sufficient bond and may use a court to fix those damages. A landowner with a limited patent may take coal for household use until the U.S. disposes of the coal deposits. People can still apply to challenge a coal classification of such lands and ask for a patent without reservation, and those applications must be considered promptly.