§ 485a. — Definitions.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 43USC485a]
TITLE 43--PUBLIC LANDS
CHAPTER 12--RECLAMATION AND IRRIGATION OF LANDS BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
SUBCHAPTER X--PAYMENT OF CONSTRUCTION CHARGES
Sec. 485a. Definitions
As used in this subchapter--
(a) The term ``Federal reclamation laws'' shall mean the Act of June
17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388), and all Acts amendatory thereof supplementary
thereto.
(b) The term ``Secretary'' shall mean the Secretary of the Interior.
(c) The term ``project'' shall mean any reclamation or irrigation
project, including incidental features thereof, authorized by the
Federal reclamation laws, or constructed by the United States pursuant
to said laws, or in connection with which there is a repayment contract
executed by the United States, pursuant to said laws, or any project
constructed or operated and maintained by the Secretary through the
Bureau of Reclamation for the reclamation of arid lands or other
purposes.
(d) The term ``construction charges'' shall mean the amounts of
principal obligations payable to the United States under water-right
applications, repayment contracts, orders of the Secretary, or other
forms of obligation entered into pursuant to the Federal reclamation
laws, excepting amounts payable for water rental or power charges,
operation and maintenance and other yearly service charges, and
excepting also any other operation and maintenance, interest, or other
charges which are not covered into the principal sums of the
construction accounts of the Bureau of Reclamation.
(e) The term ``repayment contract'' shall mean any contract
providing for payment of construction charges to the United States.
(f) The term ``project contract unit'' shall mean a project or any
substantial area of a project which is covered or is proposed to be
covered by a repayment contract. On any project where two or more
repayment contracts in part cover the same area and in part different
areas, the area covered by each such repayment contract shall be a
separate project contract unit. On any project where there are either
two or more repayment contracts on a single project contract unit or two
or more project contract units, the repayment contracts or project
contract units may be merged by agreements in form satisfactory to the
Secretary.
(g) The term ``organization'' shall mean any conservancy district,
irrigation district, water users' association, or other organization,
which is organized under State law and which has capacity to enter into
contracts with the United States pursuant to the Federal reclamation
laws.
(h) The term ``division of a project'' shall mean any part of a
project designated as a division by order of the Secretary or any phase
or feature of project operations given a separate designation as a
division by order of the Secretary for the purposes of orderly and
efficient administration.
(i) The term ``development unit'' shall mean a part of a project
which, for purposes of orderly engineering or reclamation development,
is designated as a development unit by order of the Secretary.
(j) The term ``irrigation block'' shall mean an area of arid or
semiarid lands in a project in which, in the judgment of the Secretary,
the irrigable lands should be reclaimed and put under irrigation at
substantially the same time, and which is designated as an irrigation
block by order of the Secretary.
(Aug. 4, 1939, ch. 418, Sec. 2, 53 Stat. 1187; Pub. L. 85-611, Sec. 3,
Aug. 8, 1958, 72 Stat. 543.)
References in Text
This subchapter, referred to in text, was in the original ``this
Act'', meaning act Aug. 4, 1939, ch. 418, 53 Stat. 1187, as amended,
known as the Reclamation Project Act of 1939, which enacted this
subchapter, sections 375a, 380a, and 387 to 389 of this title and
section 16d of Title 41, Public Contracts, and enacted provision set out
as a note under section 485j of this title. For complete classification
of this Act to the Code, see section 485k of this title and Tables.
Act of June 17, 1902, referred to in subsec. (a), is popularly known
as the Reclamation Act, which is classified generally to this chapter.
For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title
note set out under section 371 of this title and Tables.
Amendments
1958--Subsecs. (h) to (k). Pub. L. 85-611 repealed subsec. (h) which
defined ``annual returns'' and ``normal returns'', and redesignated
subsecs. (i) to (k) as (h) to (j), respectively.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 421b, 504, 620c of this
title.
