Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§1851 Coal Depredations
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 91 — PUBLIC LANDS › § 1851
Summary
Stealing coal (anthracite, bituminous, lignite) from U.S. land brings fines, up to one-year jail. It doesn't affect other U.S. law rights.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1851
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever mines or removes coal of any character, whether anthracite, bituminous, or lignite, from beds or deposits in lands of, or reserved to the United States, with intent wrongfully to appropriate, sell, or dispose of the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. This section shall not interfere with any right or privilege conferred by existing laws of the United States.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 103a, 103b (July 3, 1926, ch. 780, §§ 1, 2, 44 Stat. 891). Section consolidates section 103a and 103b of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed. Words “deemed guilty of misdemeanor” were deleted as unnecessary in view of definitive section 1 of this title. (See also reviser’s note under section 212 of this title.) Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1996—Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000” in first par.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1851
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102