§ 745. Tribal property

(a) Procedure for transfer; compensation of agents or attorneys The Secretary shall, within six months after the publication of each final membership roll, notify the tribe of the period of time during which the tribe may study means of disposition of tribal property, real and personal, under supervision of the United States. Such period shall not be less than three months and not more than two years, including any authorized extension of the original periods. The Secretary is authorized to provide such reasonable assistance as may be requested by the tribe in the formulation of a plan for the disposition or future control and management of the property, including necessary consultations with representatives of Federal departments and agencies, officials of the State of Utah and political subdivisions thereof, and members of the tribe. During such period, the tribe may elect—

(1) to apply to the Secretary for the transfer to a corporation or other legal entity organized by the tribe in a form satisfactory to the Secretary of title to all or any part of the tribal property, and the Secretary is authorized to make such transfer: Provided, That the Secretary of the Interior shall not approve any form of organization that provides for the transfer of stock or an undivided share in corporate assets as compensation for services of agents or attorneys unless such transfer is based upon an appraisal of tribal assets that is satisfactory to the Secretary;

(2) to apply to the Secretary for the transfer to one or more trustees designated by the tribe of title to all or any part of the tribal property, real and personal, the title to be held by such trustee for management or liquidation purposes under terms and conditions prescribed by the tribe, and the Secretary is authorized to make such transfer if he approves the trustees and the terms and conditions of the trust;

(3) to apply to the Secretary for the sale of all or any part of the tribal property, and for the pro rata distribution among the members of the tribe of all or any part of the proceeds of sale or of any other tribal funds, and the Secretary is authorized and directed to sell such property upon such terms and conditions as he deems proper and to make such distribution among the members of the tribe after deducting, in his discretion, reasonable costs of sale and distribution; and

(4) to apply to the Secretary for a division of all or any part of the tribal land into parcels for members and for public purposes, together with a general plan for the subdivision showing the approximate size, location, and number of parcels, and the Secretary is authorized to issue patents for that purpose.

(b) Property not transferred in accordance with recognized procedure

Title to any tribal property that is not transferred in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall be transferred by the Secretary either to all members of the tribe as tenants in common or to one or more trustees designated by him for the liquidation and distribution of assets among the members of the tribe under such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe: Provided, That the trust agreement shall provide for the termination of the trust not more than three years from the date of such transfer unless the term of the trust is extended by order of a judge of a court of record designated in the trust agreement.

(c) Selection of trustees; approval by Secretary; election to retain property

When approving or disapproving the selection of trustees in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, and when designating trustees pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary shall give due regard to the laws of the State of Utah that relate to the selection of trustees: Provided further, That the trust agreement shall provide that at any time before the sale of tribal property by the trustees the tribe may notify the trustees that it elects to retain such property and to transfer title thereto to a corporation, other legal entity, or trustee in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of this section, and that the trustees shall transfer title to such property in accordance with the notice from the tribe if it is approved by the Secretary.

(d) Reservation of subsurface rights

Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the Secretary is directed to reserve subsurface rights in tribal property from any sale or division of such property, and to require any trustee or trustees to whom title to tribal property is transferred to retain title to the subsurface rights in such property for not less than 10 years.

(Sept. 1, 1954, ch. 1207, § 5, 68 Stat. 1100.)

Miscellaneous

Discontinuance of Irrigation Works; Transfer of Title

Act Sept. 1, 1954, ch. 1207, § 22, 68 Stat. 1104, provided that not later than two years after Sept. 1, 1954, the management and operation of irrigation works for Indian lands of the tribe by the Bureau of Indian Affairs was to be discontinued, and that, upon such discontinuance, the Secretary was to cancel the unpaid irrigation operation and maintenance assessments and reimbursable irrigation construction charges against such lands and transfer the title to such irrigation works to water users, water user’s associations organized for such purpose, or to corporations organized, or trustees designated, as provided in this section.