§187 Assignment or Subletting of Leases; Relinquishment of Rights Under Leases; Conditions in Leases for Protection of Diverse Interests in Operation of Mines, Wells, Etc.; State Laws Not Impaired

Summary

Leases under this law cannot be transferred or sublet without the Secretary of the Interior’s permission. A leaseholder may give up all rights in writing at any time if the Secretary accepts it, and then the leaseholder is freed from future duties. With the Secretary’s okay, a leaseholder may also surrender part of the leased area. Each lease must require careful and safe operation. The Secretary can set safety and waste‑prevention rules that must be followed, including limiting underground work to eight hours a day except in emergencies. No child under sixteen may work below ground. Workers must be free to buy where they choose, be paid at least twice a month in U.S. money, and have fair weighing of the coal they mine. The Secretary may add other rules to protect U.S. interests, prevent monopoly, ensure reasonable prices, and protect the public. Those lease rules must not conflict with state law.