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Regulations at 49 CFR part 24 protect the interests of landowners and tenants when a Federal agency or recipient of Federal financial assistance tries to acquire land. These regulations establish procedures for determining market value and relocation benefits when condemnation is a possibility. They also allow a buyer to exempt an acquisition from these procedures by giving the landowner a written notice stating: (a) The amount the buyer believes to be the market value of the property, and (b) that the buyer will not acquire the property if negotiations fail to result in an amicable agreement. The regulations should be revised to provide direction once the buyer qualifies for this exemption to ensure that: (a) The purchase price is reasonable as a cost to the Government, (b) appraisers and review appraisers are qualified, (c) selection of review appraisers is not subject to State statutory or administrative preferences, (d) revenue from oil and gas leases is handled properly, and (e) Federal requirements mesh with State administrative and legal constraints. The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is developing 3 Service Manual chapters as a first step in providing direction for 11 financial assistance programs and subprograms administered by FWS's Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program. After publication of the manual chapters, we will initiate a rulemaking process to propose that the policies in the 3 chapters be applied to all FWS financial assistance programs that acquire land. This process will ensure Service-wide consistency in acquiring land with Federal financial assistance.