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U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 410e. Acquisition of additional lands; reservation of oil, gas, and mineral rights; reservation of royalty rights
In order to consolidate the Federal ownership of lands within the
boundary set forth in deed numbered 19035 executed December 28,
1944, by the trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund of the State
of Florida, and accepted by the Secretary of the Interior on March
14, 1947, for Everglades National Park purposes, the said Secretary
is authorized, within the aforesaid boundary and with any funds
made available for that purpose, to procure lands or interests
therein by purchase or otherwise, subject, however, to the right of
retention by owners of lands, interests in lands, interests in oil,
gas, and mineral rights, or royalties, their heirs, executors,
administrators, successors, or assigns (hereinafter referred to as
"owners"), at their election, of the following:
(1) The reservation until October 9, 1958, of all oil, gas, and
mineral rights or interests, including the right to lease,
explore for, produce, store, and remove oil, gas, and other
minerals from such lands: Provided, That if on or before said
date, oil, gas, or other minerals are being produced in
commercial quantities anywhere within the boundary set forth in
aforesaid deed numbered 19035, then in that event the time of the
reservation as set forth in this subsection shall automatically
extend for all owners, regardless of whether such production is
from land in which such owners have an interest, for so long as
oil, gas, or other minerals are produced in commercial quantities
anywhere within said boundary. To exercise this reservation, the
owners, their lessees, agents, employees, and assigns shall have
such right of ingress and egress to and from such lands as may be
necessary; and
(2) After the termination of the reserved rights of owners as
set forth in subsection (1) of this section, a further
reservation of the right to customary royalties, applying at the
time of production, in any oil, gas, or other minerals which may
be produced from such lands at any time before January 1, 1985,
should production ever be authorized by the Federal Government or
its assigns.
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