16 Usc 516

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[CITE: 16USC516]

TITLE 16--CONSERVATION

CHAPTER 2--NATIONAL FORESTS

SUBCHAPTER I--ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

Sec. 516. Exchange of lands in the public interest; equal value;
cutting and removing timber; publication of contemplated
exchange

When the public interests will be benefited thereby, the Secretary
of Agriculture is hereby authorized, in his discretion, to accept on
behalf of the United States title to any lands within the exterior
boundaries of national forests which, in his opinion, are chiefly
valuable for the purposes of this Act, and in exchange therefor to
convey by deed not to exceed an equal value of such national forest land
in the same State, or he may authorize the grantor to cut and remove an
equal value of timber within such national forests in the same State,
the values in each case to be determined by him: Provided, That before
any such exchange is effected notice of the contemplated exchange
reciting the lands involved shall be published once each week for four
successive weeks in some newspaper of general circulation in the county
or counties in which may be situated the lands to be accepted, and in
some like newspaper published in any county in which may be situated any
lands or timber to be given in such exchange. Timber given in such
exchanges shall be cut and removed under the laws and regulations
relating to such national forests, and under the direction and
supervision and in accordance with the requirements of the Secretary of
Agriculture. Lands so accepted by the Secretary of Agriculture shall,
upon acceptance, become parts of the national forests within whose
exterior boundaries they are located, and be subjected to all provisions
of this Act.

(Mar. 1, 1911, ch. 186, Sec. 7, 36 Stat. 962; Mar. 3, 1925, ch. 473, 43
Stat. 1215; Pub. L. 94-588, Sec. 17(a)(4), Oct. 22, 1976, 90 Stat.
2961.)

References in Text

This Act, referred to in text, means act Mar. 1, 1911, ch. 186, 36
Stat. 961, as amended, popularly known as the Weeks Law, which is
classified to sections 480, 500, 513 to 519, 521, 552, and 563 of this
title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short
Title note set out under section 552 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

1976--Pub. L. 94-588 substituted ``When the public interests will be
benefited thereby, the Secretary of Agriculture is hereby authorized, in
his discretion, to accept on behalf of the United States title to any
lands within the exterior boundaries of national forests which, in his
opinion, are chiefly valuable for the purposes of this Act, and in
exchange therefor to convey by deed not to exceed an equal value of such
national forest land in the same State, or he may authorize the grantor
to cut and remove an equal value of timber within such national forests
in the same State, the values in each case to be determined by him:
Provided, That before'' for ``The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized
to purchase, in the name of the United States, such lands as have been
approved for purchase by the National Forest Reservation Commission at
the price or prices fixed by said commission. No deed or other
instrument of conveyance shall be accepted or approved by the Secretary
of Agriculture under this section until the legislature of the State in
which the land lies shall have consented to the acquisition of such land
by the United States for the purpose of preserving the navigability of
navigable streams. With the approval of the National Forest Reservation
Commission as provided by this section and section 515 of this title,
and when the public interests will be benefited thereby, the Secretary
of Agriculture is authorized, in his discretion, to accept on behalf of
the United States title to any lands within the exterior boundaries of
national forests acquired under said sections which, in his opinion, are
chiefly valuable for the purposes as therein stated, and in exchange
therefor to convey by deed not to exceed an equal value of such national
forest land in the same State, or he may authorize the grantor to cut
and remove an equal value of timber within such national forests in the
same State, the values in each case to be determined by him. Before''.
1925--Act Mar. 3, 1925, inserted provisions covering the exchange of
lands.