Controversies over jurisdiction; agreements; payments; final settlement or adjudication; approval of notice concerning oil and gas operations in Gulf of Mexico

In the event of a controversy between the United States and a State as to whether or not lands are subject to the provisions of this subchapter, the Secretary is authorized, notwithstanding the provisions of section 1335(a) and (b) of this title and with the concurrence of the Attorney General of the United States, to negotiate and enter into agreements with the State, its political subdivision or grantee or a lessee thereof, respecting operations under existing mineral leases and payment and impounding of rents, royalties, and other sums payable thereunder, or with the State, its political subdivision or grantee, respecting the issuance or nonissuance of new mineral leases pending the settlement or adjudication of the controversy. The authorization contained in the preceding sentence of this section shall not be construed to be a limitation upon the authority conferred on the Secretary in other sections of this subchapter. Payments made pursuant to such agreement, or pursuant to any stipulation between the United States and a State, shall be considered as compliance with section 1335(a)(4) of this title. Upon the termination of such agreement or stipulation by reason of the final settlement or adjudication of such controversy, if the lands subject to any mineral lease are determined to be in whole or in part lands subject to the provisions of this subchapter, the lessee, if he has not already done so, shall comply with the requirements of section 1335(a) of this title, and thereupon the provisions of section 1335(b) of this title shall govern such lease. The notice concerning “Oil and Gas Operations in the Submerged Coastal Lands of the Gulf of Mexico” issued by the Secretary on December 11, 1950 (15 F.R. 8835), as amended by the notice dated January 26, 1951 (16 F.R. 953), and as supplemented by the notices dated February 2, 1951 (16 F.R. 1203), March 5, 1951 (16 F.R. 2195), April 23, 1951 (16 F.R. 3623), June 25, 1951 (16 F.R. 6404), August 22, 1951 (16 F.R. 8720), October 24, 1951 (16 F.R. 10998), December 21, 1951 (17 F.R. 43), March 25, 1952 (17 F.R. 2821), June 26, 1952 (17 F.R. 5833), and December 24, 1952 (18 F.R. 48), respectively, is approved and confirmed.