Policy.

§ 2740.0–6 Policy. (a) To assure development of public lands in accordance with a development plan and compliance with an approved management plan, the authorized officer may require that public lands first be leased under the provisions of subpart 2912 of this title for a period of time prior to issuance of a patent, except for conveyances under subpart 2743 of this title. (b) Municipal corporations may not secure public lands under this act which are not within convenient access to the municipality and within the same State as the municipality. Other qualified governmental applicants may not secure public lands outside their political boundaries or other area of jurisdiction. (c) Where lands are conveyed under the act with a reservation of the mineral estate to the United States, the Bureau of Land Management shall not thereafter convey that mineral estate to the surface owner under the provisions of section 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1719). (d) Lease or conveyance of lands for purposes other than recreational or public purposes is not authorized by the act. Uses which can be more appropriately authorized under other existing authorities shall not be authorized under the act. Approval of leases or conveyances under the act shall not be made unless the public lands shall be used for an established or definitely proposed project. A commitment by lessee(s) or conveyee(s) to a plan of physical development, management and use of the lands shall be required before a lease or conveyance is approved. Use of public lands for nonrecreational or nonpublic purposes, whether by lease or conveyance, may be applied for under sections 203 and 302 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1713, 1732) or other applicable authorities. (e) The Bureau of Land Management shall not exercise the exchange authority of section 206 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716) for the purpose of acquiring lands for later conveyance under the act. (f) The Bureau of Land Management shall not use Federal funds to undertake determinations of the validity of mining claims on public lands for the sole purpose of clearing title so that the lands may be leased or conveyed under the act. [44 FR 43471, July 25, 1979, as amended at 50 FR 50300, Dec. 10, 1985; 57 FR 32732, July 23, 1992]