§1747 — Title 43 Public Lands | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary may lend money to States and local governments to help with social and economic harm caused by mineral development on lands leased under the Mineral Leasing Act (Feb. 25, 1920). Loans can only be used for the same kinds of things that the States’ 50% share of mineral leasing revenue is meant to pay for. A State and its local governments cannot owe more in these loans in any year than the amount of section 35 mineral leasing revenue they are expected to get over the next ten years. After talking with Governors, the Secretary must divide the loans fairly and give first help to places hit the hardest. The Secretary sets loan terms and must create rules to run the program within three months after August 20, 1978. Interest equals the lowest rate paid on a State tax‑exempt bond issue of at least $1,000,000 in the prior calendar year. Loans are secured only by the State’s section 35 mineral revenues and do not use general taxation or property as security. Loans may count as the non‑Federal share for qualifying federally assisted projects. Borrowers must keep records the Secretary requires and allow audits by the Secretary and the Comptroller General. No one may be excluded or discriminated against because of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. All repayments, interest, fees, and related money must be deposited in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

Title 43, §1747

Public Lands — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(1)The Secretary is authorized to make loans to States and their political subdivisions in order to relieve social or economic impacts occasioned by the development of minerals leased in such States pursuant to the Act of February 25, 1920, as amended [30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.]. Such loans shall be confined to the uses specified for the 50 per centum of mineral leasing revenues to be received by such States and subdivisions pursuant to section 35 of such Act [30 U.S.C. 191].

(2)The total amount of loans outstanding pursuant to this section for any State and political subdivisions thereof in any year shall be not more than the anticipated mineral leasing revenues to be received by that State pursuant to section 35 of the Act of February 25, 1920, as amended [30 U.S.C. 191], for the ten years following.

(3)The Secretary, after consultation with the Governors of the affected States, shall allocate such loans among the States and their political subdivisions in a fair and equitable manner, giving priority to those States and subdivisions suffering the most severe impacts.

(4)Loans made pursuant to this section shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines necessary to assure the achievement of the purpose of this section. The Secretary shall promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section no later than three months after August 20, 1978.

(5)Loans made pursuant to this section shall bear interest equivalent to the lowest interest rate paid on an issue of at least $1,000,000 of tax exempt bonds of such State or any agency thereof within the preceding calendar year.

(6)Any loan made pursuant to this section shall be secured only by a pledge of the revenues received by the State or the political subdivision thereof pursuant to section 35 of the Act of February 25, 1920, as amended [30 U.S.C. 191], and shall not constitute an obligation upon the general property or taxing authority of such unit of government.

(7)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, loans made pursuant to this section may be used for the non-Federal share of the aggregate cost of any project or program otherwise funded by the Federal Government which requires a non-Federal share for such project or program and which provides planning or public facilities otherwise eligible for assistance under this section.

(8)Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude any forebearance 11 So in original. for the benefit of the borrower including loan restructuring, which may be determined by the Secretary as justified by the failure of anticipated mineral development or related revenues to materialize as expected when the loan was made pursuant to this section.

(9)Recipients of loans made pursuant to this section shall keep such records as the Secretary shall prescribe by regulation, including records which fully disclose the disposition of the proceeds of such assistance and such other records as the Secretary may require to facilitate an effective audit. The Secretary and the Comptroller General of the United States or their duly authorized representatives shall have access, for the purpose of audit, to such records.

(10)No person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under, any program or activity funded in whole or part with funds made available under this section.

(11)All amounts collected in connection with loans made pursuant to this section, including interest payments or repayments of principal on loans, fees, and other moneys, derived in connection with this section, shall be deposited in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Act of February 25, 1920, as amended, referred to in par. (1), is act Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, 41 Stat. 437, known as the Mineral Leasing Act, which is classified generally to chapter 3A (§ 181 et seq.) of Title 30, Mineral Lands and Mining. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 181 of Title 30 and Tables. Codification Section is comprised of subsec. (c) of section 317 of Pub. L. 94–579. Subsecs. (a) and (b) of section 317 of Pub. L. 94–579 are classified to section 191 of Title 30, Mineral Lands and Mining, and a note set out under that section; respectively.

Amendments

1978—Pars. (1) and (2). Pub. L. 95–352 redesignated par. (1) as pars. (1) and (2), in par. (1) struck out provisions establishing interest rate requirements, and in par. (2) struck out exception for Alaska and requirements for repayment. Former par. (2) redesignated (3). Pars. (3) to (11). Pub. L. 95–352 redesignated former pars. (2) and (3) as (3) and (4), respectively, and added pars. (5) to (11).

§1747 Loans to States and Political Subdivisions; Purposes; Amounts; Allocation; Terms and Conditions; Interest Rate; Security; Limitations; Forebearance for Benefit of Borrowers; Recordkeeping Requirements; Discrimination Prohibited; Deposit of Receipts