§315j Appropriation of Moneys Received; Application of Public-land Laws to Indian Ceded Lands; Application for Mineral Title to Lands

Summary

When Congress provides the money, at the end of the fiscal year the Treasury Secretary must send 33 1/3% of the grazing fees from each grazing district on Indian lands being offered under public-land laws to the state where the land is. The state must use that money as its legislature decides for public schools and public roads in the county or counties that contain those grazing lands. The other 66 2/3% must be held for the Indians until the lands are finally dealt with under the applicable laws, treaties, or agreements. The public-land laws keep applying to those ceded lands, but the Interior Secretary may allow applications for nonmineral title only if the land is suited for disposal under the law used and it won’t harm the public interest. No one may settle on or occupy the land until 90 days after an application is approved.