373 



If the village had on the 



1970 census enumeration It shall be entitled to a 

 date a Native population patent to an area of public 

 between — lands equal to — 



25 and 99 69,120 acres. 



100 and 199 92,160 acres. 



200 and 399 115,200 acres. 



400 and 599 138,240 acres. 



600 or more 161,280 acres. 



The lands patented shall be those selected by the 

 Village Corporation pursuant to section 1611(a) of 

 this title. In addition, the Secretary shall issue to 

 the Village Corporation a patent to the surface estate 

 in the lands selected pursuant to section 1611(b) of 

 this title. 



(b) Native villages listed in section 1615 and qualified 

 for land benefits; patents for surface estates; 

 issuance; acreage. 



Immediately after selection by any Village Cor- 

 poration for a Native village listed in section 1615 

 of this title which the Secretary finds is qualified 

 for land benefits under this chapter, the Secretary 

 shall issue to the Village Corporation a patent to 

 the surface estate to 23,040 acres. The lands patented 

 shall be the lands within the township or townships 

 that enclose the Native village, and any additional 

 lands selected by the Village Corporation from the 

 surrounding townships withdrawn for the Native 

 village by section 1615(a) of this title. 



(c) Patent requirements; order of conveyance; ad- 

 visory and appellate functions of Regional Cor- 

 porations on sales, leases or other transactions 

 prior to final commitment. 



Each patent issued pursuant to subsections (a) 

 and (b) of this section shall be subject to the re- 

 quirements of this subsection. Upon receipt of a 

 patent or patents : 



(1) the Village Corporation shall first cwivey 

 to any Native or non-Native occupant, without 

 consideration, title to the surface estate in the 

 tract occupied as a primary place of residence, or 

 as a primary place of business, or as a subsistence 

 campsite, or as headquarters for reindeer 

 husbandry; 



(2 ) the Village Corporation shall then convey to 

 the occupant, either without consideration or 

 upon payment of an amount not in excess of fair 

 market value, determined as of the date of initial 

 occupancy and without regard to any improve- 

 ments thereon, title to the surface estate in any 

 tract occupied by a nonprofit organization; 



(3) the Village Corporation shall then convey 

 to any Municipal Corporation in the Native village 

 or to the State in trust for any Municipal Cor- 

 poration established in the Native village in the 

 future, title to the remaining surface estate of the 

 Improved land on which the Native village is 

 located and as much additional land as is neces- 

 sary for community expansion, and appropriate 

 rights-of-way for public use, and other foreseeable 

 community needs: Provided, That the amoimt of 

 lands to be transferred to the Municipal Corpora- 

 tion or in trust shall be no less than 1,280 acres; 



(4) the Village Corporation shall convey to the 

 Federal Government, Statfe or to the appropriate 

 Municipal Corporation, title to the surface estate 



for existing airport sites, airway beacons, and 

 other navigation aids, together with such addi- 

 tional acreage and/or easements as are necessary 

 to provide related services and to insure safe ap- 

 proaches to airport runways; and 



(5) for a period of ten years after December 18, 

 1971, the Regional Corporation shall be afforded 

 the opportunity to review and render advice to the 

 Village Corporations on all land sales, leases or 

 other transactions prior to any final commitment. 



(d) Rule of approximation with respect to acreage 

 limitations. 



The Secretary may apply the rule of approxima- 

 tion with respect to the acreage limitations con- 

 tained in this section. 



(e) .Surface and/or subsurface estates to Regional 

 Corporations. 



Immediately after selection by a Regional Cor- 

 poration, the Secretary shall convey to the Regional 

 Corporation title to the surface and/or the subsur- 

 face estates, as is appropriate, in the lands selected. 



(f) Patents to Village Corporations for surface es- 

 tates and to Regional Corporations for subsurface 

 estates; excepted lands; mineral rights, consent 

 of Village Corporations. 



When the Secretary issues a patent to a Village 

 Corporation for the surface estate in lands pursuant 

 to subsections (a) and (b) of this section, he shall 

 issue to the Regional Corporation for the region in 

 which the lands are located a patent to the subsur- 

 face estate in such lands, except lands located in 

 the National Wildlife Refuge System and lands with- 

 drawn or reserved for national defense purposes, in- 

 cluding Naval Petroleum Reserve Numbered 4, for 

 which in lieu rights are provided for in section 1611 

 (a) (1) of this title: Provided, That the right to ex- 

 plore, develop, or remove minerals from the sub- 

 surface estate in the lands within the boundaries of 

 any Native village shall be subject to the consent of 

 the Village Corporation. 



(g) Valid existing rights preserved; saving provi- 

 sions in patents; patentee rights; administra- 

 tion; proportionate rights of patentee. 



All conveyances made pursuant to this chapter 

 shall be subject to valid existing rights. Where, prior 

 to patent of any land or minerals under this chapter, 

 a lease, contract, permit, right-of-way, or easement 

 (including a lease issued under section 6(g) of the 

 Alaska Statehood Act) has been issued for the sur- 

 face or minerals covered under such patent, the 

 patent shall contain provisions making it subject to 

 the lease, contract, permit, right-of-way, or ease- 

 ment, and the right of the lessee, contractee, per- 

 mittee, or grantee to the complete enjoyment of all 

 rights, privileges, and benefits thereby granted to 

 him. Upon issuance of the patent, the patentee shall 

 succeed and become entitled to any and all interests 

 of the State or the United States as lessor, con- 

 tractor, permitter, or grantor, in any such leases, 

 contracts, permits, rights-of-way. or easements cov- 

 ering the estate patented, and a lease issued under 

 section 6(g) of the Alaska Statehood Act shall be 

 treated for all purposes as though the patent had 

 been issued to the State. The administration of such 



