Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73
§620a Restrictions on exports of unprocessed timber originating from Federal lands
Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 4— - PROTECTION OF TIMBER, AND DEPREDATIONS › § 620a
Summary
Unprocessed timber from federal lands west of the 100th meridian in the 48 contiguous States cannot be exported or sold/transferred for export unless it has been officially found to be surplus to the needs of U.S. timber manufacturers. The Secretary may name specific amounts, species, and grades as surplus. Those choices must be made by rules under section 553 of title 5, reviewed at least once every 3 years, announced in the Federal Register, and opened for public comment.
Full Legal Text
Title 16, §620a
Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)No person who acquires unprocessed timber originating from Federal lands west of the 100th meridian in the contiguous 48 States may export such timber from the United States, or sell, trade, exchange, or otherwise convey such timber to any other person for the purpose of exporting such timber from the United States, unless such timber has been determined under subsection (b) to be surplus to the needs of timber manufacturing facilities in the United States.
(b)(1)The prohibition contained in subsection (a) shall not apply to specific quantities of grades and species of unprocessed timber originating from Federal lands which the Secretary concerned determines to be surplus to domestic manufacturing needs.
(2)Any determination under paragraph (1) shall be made in regulations issued in accordance with section 553 of title 5. Any such determination shall be reviewed at least once in every 3-year period. The Secretary concerned shall publish notice of such review in the Federal Register, and shall give the public an opportunity to comment on such review.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
16 U.S.C. § 620a
Title 16 — Conservation
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73