Title 43 — Public LandsRelease 119-73
§42 Distribution of maps and atlases, etc.
Title 43 › Chapter CHAPTER 2— - UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY › § 42
Summary
The USGS Director must sell or otherwise distribute the Survey’s topographic and geologic maps and atlases under prices and rules he sets with the Secretary of the Interior’s approval. Up to 500 free copies of each may be given to foreign or U.S. governments, literary or scientific groups, and schools or libraries the Director names and the Secretary approves. As of June 7, 1924, geological publications are no longer sent to libraries called special depositaries.
Full Legal Text
Title 43, §42
Public Lands — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
The Director of the United States Geological Survey is authorized and directed, on the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, to dispose of the topographic and geologic maps and atlases of the United States, made and published by the United States Geological Survey, at such prices and under such regulations as may from time to time be fixed by him and approved by the Secretary of the Interior; and a number of copies of each map or atlas, not exceeding five hundred, shall be distributed gratuitously among foreign governments and departments of our own Government to literary and scientific associations, and to such educational institutions or libraries as may be designated by the Director of the Survey and approved by the Secretary of the Interior. On and after June 7, 1924, the distribution of geological publications to libraries designated as special depositaries of such publications shall be discontinued.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification The first sentence is from Joint Res. Feb. 18, 1897; the second sentence is from act
June 7, 1924. Joint Res. Feb. 18, 1897 superseded a provision contained in act
June 11, 1896, ch. 420, 29 Stat. 436, authorizing the sale of topographical maps with text at cost and ten per centum added.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
“United States Geological Survey” substituted in text for “Geological Survey” pursuant to provision of title I of Pub. L. 102–154, set out as a note under section 31 of this title.
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
For
Transfer of Functions
of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Interior, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out under section 1451 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
43 U.S.C. § 42
Title 43 — Public Lands
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73