Pub. L. 108-447, div. E, tit. III, sec. 342

Sec. 342. (a) Findings.—(1) In 1953, Public Land Order 899 (PLO 899) eliminated approximately 80 acres from the Tongass National Forest, for the Community of Elfin Cove, Alaska. From 1953 until 2001, the USDA Forest Service believed two small islets within the Elfin Cove Harbor (Lots 1 and 2 of U.S. Survey 13150, approximately 0.29 acres) were included as part of PLO 899. However, due to a Bureau of Land Management rule in effect when PLO 899 was issued, ownership of unsurveyed, unmapped islets remained with the original landowner, in this case the United States.(2) These two islets are needed by the Community of Elfin Cove to resolve public health and safety problems. (3) The two islets serve no national forest purposes, but the Forest Service has no authority to transfer ownership of them to the Community of Elfin Cove, without receiving fair market value for the land interests.(4) Neither the Bureau of Land Management nor the Forest Service intended to retain Federal ownership of these two islets, and they remained in ownership of the United States only through an inadvertent error.(5) Conveyance of these two islets from the United States to the Community of Elfin Cove, Alaska, without consideration, is in the public interest.(b) Based on the findings in subsection (a) and notwithstanding any other provision of law, Congress hereby authorizes and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to convey in fee simple without compensation, Lots 1 and 2 of U.S. Survey 13150, comprising approximately 0.29 acres, to the Community of Elfin Cove, Alaska.