FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

SEC. 202. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. (a) Findings.— Congress hereby finds and declares that— (1) within the State of Minnesota there are a number of small scattered islands and upland tracts that are in Federal ownership and under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management; (2) the public interest would be best served if these Federal islands and upland tracts continue to be managed for public recreation; preservation of open space; and for the protection of their fish, wildlife, and plants and their scientific, historic, cultural, geologic, and other resources and values; (3) many such islands and upland tracts are not suitable for inclusion in the National Park System, National Forest System, National Wildlife Refuge System, or other Federal conservation system or for efficient management by the Bureau of Land Management; (4) the State of Minnesota is prepared and willing to undertake to manage such islands and upland tracts for such purposes and subject to appropriate conditions, but existing mechanisms for enabling the State to undertake such management are cumbersome and inefficient as applied to such small, scattered islands and tracts; (5) elsewhere in Minnesota there are unpatented lands which for many years have been in the possession of parties other than the United States but the title to which is clouded because of 104 STAT. 1021claims arising under public land laws or otherwise involving possible Federal residual interests; (6) existing authorities for Federal resolution of such conflicts, and for removal of such clouds on title, are often not well suited for efficient, expeditious action that appropriately protects the interests of all parties, including the United States; and (7) legislation to facilitate appropriate management by the State of Minnesota of such islands and upland tracts and to facilitate resolution of such claims and removal of such clouds would be in the public interest. (b) Purposes.— This title is intended to provide for better management of public lands located in the State of Minnesota by— (1) transferring certain specified unclaimed islands and up-lands and certain other public lands to such State for purposes of public recreation, protection of fish, wildlife, and plants, and the protection of resources and values; and (2) authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to resolve claims to certain other public lands in Minnesota and to transfer such lands to claimants thereof on terms that recognize the equities of such claimants in such lands.