TITLE 25. INDIANS  
CHAPTER 8. RIGHTS-OF-WAY THROUGH INDIAN LANDS

§ 323.  Rights-of-way for all purposes across any Indian lands 

The Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, empowered to grant rights-of-way for all purposes, subject to such conditions as he may prescribe, over and across any lands now or hereafter held in trust by the United States for individual Indians or Indian tribes, communities, bands, or nations, or any lands now or hereafter owned, subject to restrictions against alienation, by individual Indians or Indian tribes, communities, bands, or nations, including the lands belonging to the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico, and any other lands heretofore or hereafter acquired, or set aside for the use and benefit of the Indians.

§ 324.  Consent of certain tribes; consent of individual Indians 

No grant of a right-of-way over and across any lands belonging to a tribe organized under the Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984) [25 USCS §§ 461 et seq.], as amended; the Act of May 1, 1936 (49 Stat. 1250); or the Act of June 26, 1936 (49 Stat. 1967) [25 USCS §§ 501 et seq.], shall be made without the consent of the proper tribal officials. Rights-of-way over and across lands of individual Indians may be granted without the consent of the individual Indian owners if (1) the land is owned by more than one person, and the owners or owner of a majority of the interests therein consent to the grant; (2) the whereabouts of the owner of the land or an interest therein are unknown, and the owners or owner of any interests therein whose whereabouts are known, or a majority thereof, consent to the grant; (3) the heirs or devisees of a deceased owner of the land or an interest therein have not been determined, and the Secretary of the Interior finds that the grant will cause no substantial injury to the land or any owner thereof; or (4) the owners of interests in the land are so numerous that the Secretary finds it would be impracticable to obtain their consent, and also finds that the grant will cause no substantial injury to the land or any owner thereof.

§ 325.  Payment and disposition of compensation 

No grant of a right-of-way shall be made without the payment of such compensation as the Secretary of the Interior shall determine to be just. The compensation received on behalf of the Indian owners shall be disposed of under rules and regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior.

§ 326.  Laws unaffected 

This Act [25 USCS §§ 323-328] shall not in any manner amend or repeal the provisions of the Federal Water Power Act of June 10, 1920 (41 Stat. 1063), as amended by the Act of August 26, 1935 (49 Stat. 838), nor shall any existing statutory authority empowering the Secretary of the Interior to grant rights-of-way over Indian lands be repealed hereby.

§ 327.  Application for grant by department or agency 

Rights-of-way for the use of the United States may be granted under this Act [25 USCS §§ 323-328] upon application by the department or agency having jurisdiction over the activity for which the right-of-way is to be used.

§ 328.  Rules and regulations 

The Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to prescribe any necessary regulations for the purpose of administering the provisions of this Act [25 USCS §§ 323-328].