Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-102
§1285b Establishment of Boundaries for Certain Component Rivers in Alaska; Withdrawal of Minerals
Title 16 › CHAPTER 28 — WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS › § 1285b
Summary
For the Alaska rivers listed in paragraphs (38) through (50) of section 1274(a), the protected area along each river must average no more than 640 acres per mile total on both sides. That boundary cannot include land owned by the State or its local governments and cannot surround private land. For rivers called "wild" under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, the law also stops new mining claims on federal land that is the river bed or bank, or is within one-half mile of the bank.
Full Legal Text
Title 16, §1285b
Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary in section 1274 and 1280 of this title, with respect to components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System in Alaska designated by paragraphs (38) through (50) of section 1274(a) of this title —
(1)the boundary of each such river shall include an average of not more than six hundred and forty acres per mile on both sides of the river. Such boundary shall not include any lands owned by the State or a political subdivision of the State nor shall such boundary extend around any private lands adjoining the river in such manner as to surround or effectively surround such private lands; and
(2)the withdrawal made by paragraph (iii) of section 1280(a) of this title shall apply to the minerals in Federal lands which constitute the bed or bank or are situated within one-half mile of the bank of any river designated a wild river by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, referred to in par. (2), is Pub. L. 96–487, Dec. 2, 1980, 94 Stat. 2371. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 3101 of this title and Tables.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
16 U.S.C. § 1285b
Title 16, Conservation
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102