[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 43, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 43CFR426.7]

[Page 608-609]
 
                    TITLE 43--PUBLIC LANDS: INTERIOR
 
      CHAPTER I--BUREAU OF RECLAMATION, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
 
PART 426--ACREAGE LIMITATION RULES AND REGULATIONS (Eff. 1-1-98)--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 426.7  Trusts.

    (a) Definitions for purposes of this section:
    Grantor revocable trust means a trust that holds irrigable land or 
irrigation land that may be revoked at the discretion of the grantor(s), 
or terminated by the terms of the trust, and revocation or termination 
results in title to the land held in trust reverting either directly or 
indirectly to the grantor(s).
    Irrevocable trust means a trust that holds irrigable land or 
irrigation land and does not allow any individual, including the grantor 
or beneficiaries, the discretion to decide when or under what conditions 
the trust terminates, and that upon termination the title to the land 
held in trust transfers either directly or indirectly to a person(s) or 
entity(ies) other than the grantor(s).
    Otherwise revocable trust means a trust that holds irrigable land or 
irrigation land and that may be revoked at the discretion of the 
grantor(s) or other parties, or terminated by the terms of the trust, 
and revocation or termination results in the title to the land held in 
trust transferring either directly or indirectly to a person(s) or 
entity(ies) other than the grantor(s).
    (b) Attribution of land held by a trust. The acreage limitation 
entitlements of a trust are only limited by the acreage limitation 
entitlements of the trustees, grantors, or beneficiaries to whom land 
held by the trust must be attributed as provided for in Sec. 426.4. The 
entitlements of the parties to whom trusted land is attributed are 
determined according to Secs. 426.5, 426.6, and 426.8, and other 
applicable provisions of Federal reclamation law and these regulations. 
Reclamation attributes nonexempt land held by a trust to the following 
parties:
    (1) For land held in an irrevocable trust, the land is attributed to 
the beneficiaries in proportion to their beneficial interest in the 
trust. However, this attribution is only made if the criteria listed in 
paragraphs (b)(1) (i) and (ii) of this section are met. If the trust 
fails to meet any portion of these criteria, Reclamation attributes the 
land held in the trust to the trustee.
    (i) The trust is in written form and approved by Reclamation; and
    (ii) The beneficiaries of the trust and the beneficiaries' 
respective interests are identified within the trust document.
    (2) For land held in a grantor revocable trust, the land is 
attributed to the grantor according to the grantor's acreage limitation 
status and the land's eligibility immediately prior to its transfer to 
the trust. However, this

[[Page 609]]

attribution is only made if the criteria listed in paragraphs (b)(2) 
(i), (ii), (iii), and (iv) of this section are met. If the trust fails 
to meet any portion of these criteria, the land held in trust will be 
ineligible to receive irrigation water until all of the criteria are 
met. The only exception is if the trust's and grantor's standard 
certification or reporting forms indicate that the land held by the 
trust has been attributed to the trust's grantor(s).
    (i) The trust meets the criteria specified in paragraph (b)(1) of 
this section;
    (ii) The grantor(s) of all land held by the trust is (are) 
identified within the trust document;
    (iii) The conditions under which the trust may be revoked or 
terminated are identified within the trust document; and
    (iv) The recipient(s) of the trust land upon revocation or 
termination is (are) identified within the trust document.
    (3) For land held in an otherwise revocable trust, the land is 
attributed to the beneficiaries in proportion to their beneficial 
interests in the trust. However, this attribution is only made if the 
trust meets the criteria specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section 
and the trust meets the additional criteria specified in paragraph 
(b)(2) of this section.
    (i) If Reclamation cannot determine who will hold the land in trust 
upon termination or revocation of the trust, or who is the grantor(s) of 
the land held in trust, then irrigation water will not be made available 
to the land held in trust until the trust satisfies the additional 
criteria listed in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.
    (ii) If the trust fails to meet the criteria listed in paragraph 
(b)(1) of this section, but does meet the additional criteria listed in 
paragraphs (b)(2) (ii) through (iv) of this section, then the land is 
attributed to the trustee.
    (c) Class beneficiaries. For purposes of identifying beneficiaries, 
a class of beneficiaries specified within the trust document will be 
acceptable, as long as the trust document is specific as to the 
beneficial interest to which each member of the class will be entitled 
and the members of the class are identifiable.
    (1) Attribution during any given water year will be provided only to 
class beneficiaries that are natural persons and established legal 
entities. For purposes of administering the acreage limitation 
provisions, attribution to unborn or deceased persons, or entities not 
yet established, will not be allowed.
    (2) If a trust includes a class of beneficiaries to which land 
subject to the acreage limitation provisions will be attributed, the 
trustee and each of the beneficiaries will be required to submit 
standard certification or reporting forms annually. The submittal of 
verification forms, as provided in Sec. 426.18(l), will not be 
applicable to such trusts.
    (d) Application of full-cost rate to land held by grantor revocable 
trusts. If a grantor revocable trust that meets the criteria specified 
in paragraph (b)(2) of this section is revised by the grantor in a 
manner that precludes attribution of the land held in trust to the 
grantor:
    (1) Before April 20, 1988, Reclamation will not assess full-cost 
rates for the land held by the revised trust for the period before it 
was revised; or
    (2) On or after April 20, 1988, Reclamation will charge the full-
cost rate for irrigation water delivered to any land held by the trust 
that exceeds the grantor's nonfull-cost entitlement, commencing December 
23, 1987, until the trust agreement is revised to make it an irrevocable 
trust or an otherwise revocable trust.