Title 43 — Public LandsRelease 119-73
§1733 Enforcement authority
Title 43 › Chapter CHAPTER 35— - FEDERAL LAND POLICY AND MANAGEMENT › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - ADMINISTRATION › § 1733
Summary
Gives the Secretary the power to make rules for managing, using, and protecting public lands and the property on them. If someone knowingly breaks those rules, they can be fined up to $1,000, jailed up to 12 months, or both. People charged can be tried and sentenced by a U.S. magistrate judge as allowed under 18 U.S.C. 3401. At the Secretary’s request, the Attorney General can ask a federal court to stop people from breaking those rules. The Secretary can hire or work with local law officers to enforce federal land rules, negotiate reasonable contract terms, and provide needed training. While carrying out those duties, the officers can carry firearms, serve warrants, make arrests, and search or seize evidence as federal law allows, and they get the same legal protections as federal officers. The Secretary can also use federal staff or authorize local officials to do this, reimburse state or local governments that help, and create a uniformed desert ranger force in the California Desert Conservation Area with the same powers. Nothing here limits other enforcement powers. Using, occupying, or developing public land against the Secretary’s rules or orders is illegal.
Full Legal Text
Title 43, §1733
Public Lands — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)The Secretary shall issue regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this Act with respect to the management, use, and protection of the public lands, including the property located thereon. Any person who knowingly and willfully violates any such regulation which is lawfully issued pursuant to this Act shall be fined no more than $1,000 or imprisoned no more than twelve months, or both. Any person charged with a violation of such regulation may be tried and sentenced by any United States magistrate judge designated for that purpose by the court by which he was appointed, in the same manner and subject to the same conditions and limitations as provided for in section 3401 of title 18.
(b)At the request of the Secretary, the Attorney General may institute a civil action in any United States district court for an injunction or other appropriate order to prevent any person from utilizing public lands in violation of regulations issued by the Secretary under this Act.
(c)(1)When the Secretary determines that assistance is necessary in enforcing Federal laws and regulations relating to the public lands or their resources he shall offer a contract to appropriate local officials having law enforcement authority within their respective jurisdictions with the view of achieving maximum feasible reliance upon local law enforcement officials in enforcing such laws and regulations. The Secretary shall negotiate on reasonable terms with such officials who have authority to enter into such contracts to enforce such Federal laws and regulations. In the performance of their duties under such contracts such officials and their agents are authorized to carry firearms; execute and serve any warrant or other process issued by a court or officer of competent jurisdiction; make arrests without warrant or process for a misdemeanor he has reasonable grounds to believe is being committed in his presence or view, or for a felony if he has reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing such felony; search without warrant or process any person, place, or conveyance according to any Federal law or rule of law; and seize without warrant or process any evidentiary item as provided by Federal law. The Secretary shall provide such law enforcement training as he deems necessary in order to carry out the contracted for responsibilities. While exercising the powers and authorities provided by such contract pursuant to this section, such law enforcement officials and their agents shall have all the immunities of Federal law enforcement officials.
(2)The Secretary may authorize Federal personnel or appropriate local officials to carry out his law enforcement responsibilities with respect to the public lands and their resources. Such designated personnel shall receive the training and have the responsibilities and authority provided for in paragraph (1) of this subsection.
(d)In connection with the administration and regulation of the use and occupancy of the public lands, the Secretary is authorized to cooperate with the regulatory and law enforcement officials of any State or political subdivision thereof in the enforcement of the laws or ordinances of such State or subdivision. Such cooperation may include reimbursement to a State or its subdivision for expenditures incurred by it in connection with activities which assist in the administration and regulation of use and occupancy of the public lands.
(e)Nothing in this section shall prevent the Secretary from promptly establishing a uniformed desert ranger force in the California Desert Conservation Area established pursuant to section 1781 of this title for the purpose of enforcing Federal laws and regulations relating to the public lands and resources managed by him in such area. The officers and members of such ranger force shall have the same responsibilities and authority as provided for in paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of this section.
(f)Nothing in this Act shall be construed as reducing or limiting the enforcement authority vested in the Secretary by any other statute.
(g)The use, occupancy, or development of any portion of the public lands contrary to any regulation of the Secretary or other responsible authority, or contrary to any order issued pursuant to any such regulation, is unlawful and prohibited.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This Act, referred to in subsecs. (a), (b), and (f), is Pub. L. 94–579, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2743, known as the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
“United States magistrate judge” substituted for “United States magistrate” in subsec. (a) pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101–650, set out as a note under section 631 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure. Modification of
Regulations
Relating to Mining Operations on Public Lands; Posting of Reclamation Bond for All Operations Involving Significant Surface Disturbance Pub. L. 99–500, § 101(h) [title I], Oct. 18, 1986, 100 Stat. 1783–242, 1783–243, and Pub. L. 99–591, § 101(h) [title I], Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3341–242, 3341–243, provided: “That
Regulations
pertaining to mining operations on public lands conducted under the Mining Law of 1872 (30 U.S.C. 22, et seq.) and section 302, 303, and 603 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1732, 1733, and 1782) shall be modified to include a requirement for the posting of reclamation bonds by operators for all operations which involve significant surface disturbance, (a) at the discretion of the authorized officer for operators who have a record of compliance with pertinent
Regulations
concerning mining on public lands, and (b) on a mandatory basis only for operators with a history of noncompliance with the aforesaid
Regulations
: Provided further, That surety bonds, third party surety bonds, or irrevocable letters of credit shall qualify as bond instruments: Provided further, That evidence of an equivalent bond posted with a State agency shall be accepted in lieu of a separate bond: Provided further, That the amount of such bonds shall be sufficient to cover the costs of reclamation as estimated by the Bureau of Land Management.”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
43 U.S.C. § 1733
Title 43 — Public Lands
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73