Title 30 — Mineral Lands and MiningRelease 119-73not60

§186 Reservation of Easements or Rights-of-way for Working Purposes; Reservation of Right to Dispose of Surface of Lands; Determination Before Offering of Lease; Easement Periods

Title 30 › Chapter 3A— LEASES AND PROSPECTING PERMITS › Subchapter I— GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 186

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Allows the Secretary of the Interior to permit, on terms the Secretary decides, shared or separate easements and rights-of-way (including tunnels) across lands that are leased, used, or occupied. These are for working the land, treating and shipping products, or other public uses. The Secretary can also keep the government’s right to lease, sell, or dispose of the surface if the lessee does not need it, but that must be decided before the lease is offered. During a lease, the Secretary may issue permits for those easements.

Full Legal Text

Title 30, §186

Mineral Lands and Mining — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Any permit, lease, occupation, or use permitted under this chapter shall reserve to the Secretary of the Interior the right to permit upon such terms as he may determine to be just, for joint or several use, such easements or rights-of-way, including easements in tunnels upon, through, or in the lands leased, occupied, or used as may be necessary or appropriate to the working of the same, or of other lands containing the deposits described in this chapter, and the treatment and shipment of the products thereof by or under authority of the Government, its lessees, or permittees, and for other public purposes. The Secretary of the Interior, in his discretion, in making any lease under this chapter, may reserve to the United States the right to lease, sell, or otherwise dispose of the surface of the lands embraced within such lease under existing law or laws hereafter enacted, insofar as said surface is not necessary for use of the lessee in extracting and removing the deposits therein. If such reservation is made it shall be so determined before the offering of such lease. The said Secretary, during the life of the lease, is authorized to issue such permits for easements herein provided to be reserved.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

30 U.S.C. § 186

Title 30 — Mineral Lands and Mining

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60