Western Lands Distribution Act of 1979

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Western Lands Distribution Act of 1979 - Title I: Short Title; Findings and Declaration of Policy; Definitions - States that the practice of retaining Federal ownership to territory within the borders of States located west of the one-hundredth meridian as a condition precedent to their admission into the Union, has impinged on the sovereignty of such States in derogation of the tenth amendment to the Constitution. Declares that the United States shall hold all federally owned, unreserved, and unappropriated lands located within such States in trust for such States and shall transfer ownership and administration of such lands to such States when they have adopted legislation which provides a uniformity of State and Federal law relating to land administration, conservation and use. Excludes from transfer, in implementing such policy: (1) all Federal lands within national parks, forest, monuments and wildlife and migratory bird sanctuaries established prior to October 16, 1978; (2) lands within military reservations; (3) lands essential to the operation of and access to reclamation projects, United States highways, shipyards, docks, defense establishments, and other Federal buildings…