Title 30 — Mineral Lands and MiningRelease 119-73

§186 Reservation of easements or rights-of-way for working purposes; reservation of right to dispose of surface of lands; determination before offering of lease; easement periods

Title 30 › Chapter CHAPTER 3A— - LEASES AND PROSPECTING PERMITS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 186

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Leases, permits, or uses under this chapter must let the Secretary of the Interior give easements or rights-of-way, including tunnels, on fair terms for shared or separate use when needed to work lands, or to treat and ship products, or for public uses. He may also keep the surface rights the leaseholder does not need, must decide that before offering the lease, and can issue the reserved permits during the lease.

Full Legal Text

Title 30, §186

Mineral Lands and Mining — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Any permit, lease, occupation, or use permitted under this chapter shall reserve to the Secretary of the Interior the right to permit upon such terms as he may determine to be just, for joint or several use, such easements or rights-of-way, including easements in tunnels upon, through, or in the lands leased, occupied, or used as may be necessary or appropriate to the working of the same, or of other lands containing the deposits described in this chapter, and the treatment and shipment of the products thereof by or under authority of the Government, its lessees, or permittees, and for other public purposes. The Secretary of the Interior, in his discretion, in making any lease under this chapter, may reserve to the United States the right to lease, sell, or otherwise dispose of the surface of the lands embraced within such lease under existing law or laws hereafter enacted, insofar as said surface is not necessary for use of the lessee in extracting and removing the deposits therein. If such reservation is made it shall be so determined before the offering of such lease. The said Secretary, during the life of the lease, is authorized to issue such permits for easements herein provided to be reserved.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

30 U.S.C. § 186

Title 30 — Mineral Lands and Mining

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73