(a) The Mayor is authorized to acquire by purchase, condemnation, donation, or otherwise, any land or any interest in land located in Maryland or Virginia needed for construction and operation of the Potomac interceptor. Title to any such land or interest in land shall be taken in the name of the United States but shall be under the jurisdiction and control of the Mayor. For the purpose of acquiring any such land or any interest in land, the Mayor shall be deemed to be an officer of the government within the meaning and for the purposes of § 257 [revised; see now 40 U.S.C. § 3113] of Title 40, United States Code. The provisions of §§ 258a-258e and 258f [revised; see now 40 U.S.C. §§ 3114 to 3118] of Title 40, United States Code, shall be applicable to any condemnation proceedings instituted pursuant to authority of this subchapter.

(b) When any land under the jurisdiction of any department or agency of the United States may be needed for the construction or operation of the Potomac interceptor, the appropriate officer of such department or agency is authorized, upon request of the Mayor, to transfer to the Mayor jurisdiction over so much of such land, or of such interests therein, as the Mayor shall request.

(June 12, 1960, 74 Stat. 211, Pub. L. 86-515, § 5.)

1981 Ed., § 43-1624.

1973 Ed., § 43-1624.

This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.