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Show In-Lieu' lands claim argued with U.S. court Assistant Utah Attorney General Richard L. Dewsnup appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court Dec. 5 to argue why Utah should get title to 157,000 acres of mineral-rich "in lieu" lands granted at statehood. Mr. Dewsnup received a half-hour to argue Utah's position that the in-lieu selection process, when set up in 1894, took into account only acreage considerations. con-siderations. Utah was granted four sections out of every township upon statehood, proceeds from which sections were to go for school support. Because some federal lands were in reservations, were Indian lands or were otherwise not transferable, Utah was granted the right to select other sections of equal size. When certain lands became known to have added value due to suspected mineral deposits, Utah moved to select these lands and to group them together into manageable blocks. The federal government opposed this view, and in 1974 the state filed suit to clarify the issue. Mr. Dewsnup said the federal position is that the Taylor Grazing Act gave the federal government the right to approve of disposition of certain lands on basis of value. The state contends value is irrelevent; acreage being the only criterion for an alternate selection. Attorney General Dallin W. Jensen who has been associated with Mr. Dewsnup for years on the lands question. At issue in the complex case is the outcome of the lease payments $72 million plus interest made on two prototype oil shale extration leases in Uintah County. That money could go to Utah if the outcome of the appeal in the U.S. high court is favorable. |