§1715 Acquisitions of public lands and access over non-Federal lands to National Forest System units

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior can get land or land rights for public lands, and the Secretary of Agriculture can get access across non‑Federal land to reach National Forest units. They may buy, trade, accept donations, or use eminent domain. For public lands, eminent domain may be used only to gain access and only as a narrow corridor as needed. This does not change what the Secretary of Agriculture may do about eminent domain inside National Forest boundaries. Any land they acquire must fit the department’s mission and land‑use plans. When the government accepts title to land obtained under this law or section 1716, the land becomes public land and follows public‑land laws; if it lies inside a grazing district under section 315, it joins that district. Land acquired inside National Forest boundaries can be transferred to the Secretary of Agriculture and become National Forest System land. Land taken in exchange for lands that were revested under the Act of June 9, 1916 (39 Stat. 218) or reconveyed under the Act of February 26, 1919 (40 Stat. 1179) must be treated the same as those original revested or reconveyed lands.