§ 410ii–3 — Acquisition Of Properties

(a) The Secretary is authorized to acquire lands, waters, and interests therein within the boundaries of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park (hereinafter referred to as the “park”) and the archeological protection sites as identified in section 410ii–1 of this title by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. Property owned by the State of New Mexico or any political subdivision thereof, may be acquired by exchange or donation only. Property held in trust for the benefit of any Indian tribe or for the benefit of any individual member thereof may be acquired only with the consent of such owner or beneficial owner as the case may be. (b) donation the beneficial interest in any lands designated by section 410ii–1 of this title and held in trust by the United States for the respective tribes, to the Secretary, subject to such terms and conditions as the tribal authority deems necessary and which the Secretary deems are consistent with the purposes of this subchapter. (1) The Secretary shall attempt to acquire private lands or interests therein by exchange prior to acquiring lands by any other method authorized pursuant to this section. (2) The Secretary shall seek to use a combination of land acquisition authority under this section and cooperative agreements (pursuant to section 410ii–4 of this title) to accomplish the purposes of archeological resource protection at those sites described in section 410ii–1(b) of this title that remain in private ownership. (1) For purposes of completing an exchange pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), the Secretary shall designate a pool of at least three times the private acreage described in subsections (a) and (b), comprised of Federal property interests of a similar resource character to property to be exchanged. Federal property shall, whenever possible, be designated in blocks of at least one section in size, but in no event shall the blocks designated be less than one-quarter of a section in size. (2) The Secretary may include within the pool any Federal property under his jurisdiction except units of the National Park System, National Forest System, or the National Wildlife Refuge System that are nominated by the owner of the private property to be exchanged. Exchanges shall be on the basis of equal value, and either party to the exchange may pay or accept cash in order to equalize the value of the property exchange, except that if the parties agree to an exchange and the Secretary determines it is in the public interest, such exchange may be made for other than equal values. (e) All Federal lands, waters, and interests therein excluded from the boundaries of Chaco Canyon National Monument by this subchapter may be exchanged for non-Federal property to be acquired pursuant to this subchapter. Any lands so excluded shall be managed by the Secretary under the provisions of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 [43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.]. Transfer of administration of such lands to the Bureau of Land Management shall not be considered a withdrawal as that term is defined in section 103(j) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 [43 U.S.C. 1702(j)].