Washington : Government Printing Office
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| Public Law 89-190 | Lummi Indian diking project lands. |
| Public Law 89-190 | 25 U. S. C. 386a. |
| Sec. 2 | Outstanding charges, cancellation. |
| Sec. 2 | Transfer of funds. |
| Sec. 2 | Operation and maintenance assessments. |
| Sec. 3 | Conveyance. |
| Sec. 3 | 822 |
| Sec. 4 | Hunting and fishing rights. |
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Indian trust or restricted lands within the limits of the Lummi Indian diking project as established by the Act of March 18, 1926 (44 Stat. 211), may be included in, and may be assessed for operation and maintenance, betterment, and construction by, any diking and drainage district that may be formed under the diking and drainage laws of the State of Washington: Provided, That such Indian lands shall be assessed on the same basis that all other lands within the district are assessed. Such assessment may be collected in accordance with the laws of the State of Washington, except that no Indian trust or restricted lands shall be sold for the collection of an assessment without the consent of the Secretary of the Interior. If the Secretary refuses to consent to such sale, he shall pay the assessment out of any appropriation or fund available therefor. Any portion of such payment which the Secretary determines to be within the ability of the Indian owner to pay shall become a lien against the land, subject to the provisions of the Act of July 1, 1932 (47 Stat. 564).
(a) The Secretary of the Interior shall cancel all outstanding charges for construction, operation, and maintenance, including any interest or penalties, outstanding on the date this section becomes effective.
(b) All assessments against each tract of land within the project which on the date of this Act is in a trust or restricted status and which have heretofore been collected for construction, operation, and maintenance, including interest and penalties, and deposited in the Treasury shall be transferred on the books of the Treasury into an account that shall be available to the Secretary of the Interior to pay any assessments hereafter made against each such tract pursuant to this Act.
(c) The provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall become effective on the date of approval of the organization by the Whatcom County commissioners of the new diking and drainage district.
(d) Operation and maintenance assessments shall continue to be made but their collection shall be suspended for not to exceed two years until the new diking and drainage district is formed. If the new
district is formed within such two-year period such assessments shall be canceled. If the new district is not formed within such period the assessments shall be collected with interest and penalties thereafter accruing.
At such time as the diking drainage district covering the Indian trust and restricted lands within the Lummi diking project shall be established under the laws of Washington and shall be in operation, the Government shall thereupon be relieved of any further responsibility of whatever nature in connection with the operation and maintenance, betterment, or construction of any dikes, structures, drains, or any appurtenant works existing on the Lummi diking project, including any responsibility for damages that may result from the failure of any dikes, drains, structures, or appurtenant works heretofore or hereafter constructed. Any equipment and funds standing to the credit of the Lummi diking project on the books of the Secretary of the Interior at such time shall be paid and turned over to such diking and drainage district if the owners of nonrestricted lands in the new district contribute an amount equal to the value of such equipment and funds. Any right, title, or interest of the United States in and to any of the dikes or other structures erected as part of the Lummi diking project, and the lands on which they are located, shall be deemed to be conveyed to the county of Whatcom, State of Washington, for the use and benefit of such diking and drainage district on the date the district is organized. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is directed to make available to such diking and drainage district or to the county of Whatcom any information, data, or documents which may assist in its organization or operation.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect the Lummi Indians' hunting or fishing rights.
Approved, September 17, 1965.
