25 U.S.C. § 1772 : US Code - Section 1772: Findings and policy

Search 25 U.S.C. § 1772 : US Code - Section 1772: Findings and policy

Congress finds and declares that -
(1) there is pending before the United States District Court
for the southern district of Florida a lawsuit by the Seminole
Tribe which involves certain lands within the State and there are
also claims by the tribe to other areas of Florida by virtue of
an 1839 Executive order of the President and by right of non-
extinguishment of aboriginal possession which has been asserted
but not filed in court;
(2) the pendency of this lawsuit and these claims may result in
economic hardships for residents of the State by clouding the
titles to lands in the State, including lands not now involved in
the lawsuit;
(3) the pendency of this lawsuit and these claims also have
clouded the easement rights of the South Florida Water Management
District in lands necessary for use as a water flowage and
storage area, which is part of a federally authorized project for
flood control and water management in central and southern
Florida, and which is being used to provide and regulate a water
supply for the residents of south Florida;
(4) the State, the district, and the tribe have executed
agreements for the purposes of resolving tribal land claims and
settling the lawsuit -
(A) which include conveyance of land and payment of
consideration to the tribe; and
(B) which require implementing legislation by the Congress of
the United States and the Legislature of the State of Florida;
(5) Congress shares with the parties to such agreements a
desire to settle these Indian claims in the State of Florida
without additional cost to the United States;
(6) there is considerable uncertainty as to the nature and
extent of the water rights of the tribe, and that continued
controversy over this should be settled by agreement; and
(7) the State, the district, and the tribe have entered into a
compact which, if approved by Congress and the Florida
Legislature, creates specifically defined water rights in lieu of
the undefined water rights claimed by the tribe.