42 U.S.C. § 4652 — Buildings, structures, and improvements

(a) Regardless of any other law, if the head of a Federal agency^* acquires any interest in real property in a State^*, the agency head must acquire at least an equal interest in every building, structure, or other improvement on that property if the agency head requires it to be removed or decides that the property's use will adversely affect it. (b)(1) To determine the just compensation for a building, structure, or other improvement that subsection (a) requires the agency to acquire, the improvement must be treated as part of the real property being acquired. This is true even if the tenant has the right or duty, in relation to the owner^* of another interest in the real property, to remove the improvement when the tenant's term ends. The tenant must be paid whichever is greater: the amount that the improvement's fair market value adds to the fair market value of the real property being acquired, or the improvement's fair market value for removal from the real property. (2) A payment under this subsection must not duplicate any payment otherwise authorized by law. No such payment may be made unless the owner of the land disclaims all interest in the tenant's improvements. In exchange for such a payment, the tenant must assign, transfer, and release to the United States all of the tenant's right, title, and interest in the improvements. This subsection must not be interpreted to take away the tenant's right to reject payment under this subsection and obtain payment for those property interests in accordance with applicable law other than this subsection.