[105th Congress Public Law 195]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


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[DOCID: f:publ195.105]


[[Page 112 STAT. 629]]

Public Law 105-195
105th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 To validate certain conveyances in the City of Tulare, Tulare County, 
   California, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: July 16, 1998 -  [H.R. 
                                 960]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) It is in the Federal Government's interest to facilitate 
        local development of jobs in areas of high unemployment.
            (2) Railroad interests in rights-of-way prevent local 
        communities from obtaining clear title to property for 
        development unless the city also obtains the Federal 
        reversionary interest in those rights-of-way.
            (3) For development purposes, in order to secure needed 
        financing, the City of Tulare Redevelopment Agency requires 
        clear title to certain parcels of land within the city's 
        business corridor that are part of a railroad right-of-way.

SEC. 2. TULARE CONVEYANCE.

    (a) In General.--Subject <<NOTE: Southern Pacific Transportation 
Company.>> to subsections (c) and (d), all conveyances to the 
Redevelopment Agency of the City of Tulare, California, of lands 
described in subsection (b), heretofore or hereafter, made directly by 
the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, or its successors, are 
hereby validated to the extent that the conveyances would be legal or 
valid if all right, title, and interest of the United States, except 
minerals, were held by the Southern Pacific Transportation Company.

    (b) Lands Described.--The lands referred to in subsection (a) are 
the parcels shown on the map entitled ``Tulare Redevelopment Agency-
Railroad Parcels Proposed to be Acquired'', dated May 29, 1997, that 
formed part of a railroad right-of-way granted to the Southern Pacific 
Railroad Company, or its successors, agents, or assigns, by the Federal 
Government (including the right-of-way approved by an Act of Congress on 
July 27, 1866). The map referred to in this subsection shall be on file 
and available for public inspection in the offices of the Director of 
the Bureau of Land Management.
    (c) Preservation of Existing Rights of Access.--Nothing in this 
section shall impair any existing rights of access in favor of the 
public or any owner of adjacent lands over, under, or across the lands 
which are referred to in subsection (a).

[[Page 110 STAT. 630]]

    (d) Minerals.--The United States disclaims any and all right of 
surface entry to the mineral estate of lands described in subsection 
(b).

    Approved July 16, 1998.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 960:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 105-171 (Comm. on Resources).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 105-127 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
                                                        Vol. 143 (1997):
                                    July 8, considered and passed House.
                                                        Vol. 144 (1998):
                                    June 25, considered and passed 
                                        Senate.

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