From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 3, 2005]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 3, 2005 and June 19, 2006]
[CITE: 16USC551]

 
                         TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
 
      CHAPTER 3--FORESTS; FOREST SERVICE; REFORESTATION; MANAGEMENT
 
                    SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS
 
Sec. 551. Protection of national forests; rules and regulations

    The Secretary of Agriculture shall make provisions for the 
protection against destruction by fire and depredations upon the public 
forests and national forests which may have been set aside or which may 
be hereafter set aside under the provisions of section 471 \1\ of this 
title, and which may be continued; and he may make such rules and 
regulations and establish such service as will insure the objects of 
such reservations, namely, to regulate their occupancy and use and to 
preserve the forests thereon from destruction; and any violation of the 
provisions of this section, sections 473 to 478 and 479 to 482 of this 
title or such rules and regulations shall be punished by a fine of not 
more than $500 or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. 
Any person charged with the violation of such rules and regulations may 
be tried and sentenced by any United States magistrate judge specially 
designated for that purpose by the court by which he was appointed, in 
the same manner and subject to the same conditions as provided for in 
section 3401(b) to (e) of title 18.
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    \1\ See References in Text note below.
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(June 4, 1897, ch. 2, Sec. 1, 30 Stat. 35; Feb. 1, 1905, ch. 288, 
Sec. 1, 33 Stat. 628; Pub. L. 87-869, Sec. 6, Oct. 23, 1962, 76 Stat. 
1157; Pub. L. 88-537, Aug. 31, 1964, 78 Stat. 745; Pub. L. 90-578, title 
IV, Sec. 402(b)(2), Oct. 17, 1968, 82 Stat. 1118; Pub. L. 101-650, title 
III, Sec. 321, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5117.)

                                 Repeals

        Section repealed by Pub. L. 94-579, title VII, Sec. 706(a), Oct. 
    21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2793, effective on and after Oct. 21, 1976, 
    insofar as applicable to the issuance of rights-of-way over, upon, 
    under, and through the public lands and lands in the National Forest 
    System.

                       References in Text

    Section 471 of this title, referred to in text, was in the original 
a reference to act Mar. 3, 1891, 26 Stat. 1103, and was repealed by Pub. 
L. 94-579, title VII, Sec. 704(a), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2792.

                          Codification

    ``National forests'' substituted in text for ``forest reservations'' 
on authority of act Mar. 4, 1907, ch. 2907, 34 Stat. 1269, which 
provided that forest reserves shall hereafter be known as national 
forests.


                               Amendments

    1964--Pub. L. 88-537 provided that persons charged with violation of 
such rules and regulations may be tried and sentenced by any United 
States commissioner specially designated for that purpose by the court 
by which he was appointed, in the same manner as in section 3401(b) to 
(e) of title 18.
    1962--Pub. L. 87-869 substituted ``by a fine of not more than $500 
or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both'' for ``as is 
provided for in section 104 of title 18''.

                         Change of Name

    ``United States magistrate judge'' substituted for ``United States 
magistrate'' in text pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101-650, set out 
as a note under section 631 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial 
Procedure. Previously, ``United States magistrate'' substituted for 
``United States commissioner'' pursuant to Pub. L. 90-578. See chapter 
43 (Sec. 631 et seq.) of Title 28.


                      Short Title of 1990 Amendment

    Pub. L. 101-286, Sec. 1, May 9, 1990, 104 Stat. 171, provided that: 
``This Act [enacting sections 551b and 551c of this title, amending 
sections 18i and 558c of this title and section 1737 of Title 43, Public 
Lands, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and 
section 551b of this title] may be cited as the `Wildfire Disaster 
Recovery Act of 1989'.''


                            Savings Provision

    Repeal by Pub. L. 94-579, title VII, Sec. 706(a), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 
Stat. 2793, insofar as applicable to the issuance of rights-of-way, not 
to be construed as terminating any valid lease, permit, patent, etc., 
existing on Oct. 21, 1976, see note set out under section 1701 of Title 
43, Public Lands.

                          Transfer of Functions

    Enforcement functions of Secretary or other official in Department 
of Agriculture, insofar as they involve lands and programs under 
jurisdiction of that Department, related to compliance with provisions 
of sections 473, 474 to 482, and 551 of this title with respect to pre-
construction, construction, and initial operation of transportation 
system for Canadian and Alaskan natural gas transferred to Federal 
Inspector, Office of Federal Inspector for Alaska Natural Gas 
Transportation System, until first anniversary of date of initial 
operation of Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, see Reorg. Plan 
No. 1 of 1979, Secs. 102(f), 203(a), 44 F.R. 33663, 33666, 93 Stat. 
1373, 1376, effective July 1, 1979, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, 
Government Organization and Employees. Office of Federal Inspector for 
the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System abolished and functions and 
authority vested in Inspector transferred to Secretary of Energy by 
section 3012(b) of Pub. L. 102-486, set out as an Abolition of Office of 
Federal Inspector note under section 719e of Title 15, Commerce and 
Trade. Functions and authority vested in Secretary of Energy 
subsequently transferred to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas 
Transportation Projects by section 720d(f) of Title 15.
    Act Feb. 1, 1905, transferred certain functions with regard to 
administration of public forests from Secretary of the Interior to 
Secretary of Agriculture.


                National Commission on Wildfire Disasters

    Pub. L. 101-286, title I, May 9, 1990, 104 Stat. 171, established a 
National Commission on Wildfire Disasters to study the effects of 
disastrous wildfires, resulting from natural or other causes, and to 
make recommendations concerning steps necessary for smooth and timely 
transition from loss of natural resources due to such fires, directed 
the Commission to make findings and develop recommendations for 
consideration by the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior with 
respect to future management of National Forest System lands, national 
parks, Bureau of Land Management public lands, and community 
redevelopment activities and programs, directed the Commission to submit 
to the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior, not later than Dec. 
1, 1991, a report containing its findings and recommendations, directed 
the Secretaries to submit the report to specific committees of Congress, 
and provided for the Commission to cease 90 days after submission of the 
report.


                         Existing Rights-of-Way

    Provisions of section 706(a) of Pub. L. 94-579, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 
Stat. 2793, except as pertaining to rights-of-way, not to be construed 
as affecting the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture under this 
section, see note set out under section 1701 of Title 43, Public Lands.