Title 43 — Public LandsRelease 119-73not60
§151 Opening of Lands Restored to Entry After Withdrawals
Title 43 › Chapter 6— WITHDRAWAL FROM SETTLEMENT, LOCATION, SALE, OR ENTRY › § 151
Summary
The President may open public land that has been removed from national forests or released from withdrawals. He can allow early settlement, use a drawing (lottery), or other methods he thinks are fair. He may limit the opening so the land is available only for homestead entry by actual settlers or for desert‑land entry for up to 90 days; any land not entered in that time will then be handled under the regular public‑land laws.
Full Legal Text
Title 43, §151
Public Lands — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
When public lands are excluded from national forests or released from withdrawals the President may, whenever in his judgment it is proper or necessary, provide for the opening of the lands by settlement in advance of entry, by drawing, or by such other method as he may deem advisable in the interest of equal opportunity and good administration, and in doing so may provide that lands so opened shall be subject only to homestead entry by actual settlers only or to entry under the desert-land laws for a period not exceeding ninety days, the unentered lands to be thereafter subject to disposition under the public-land laws applicable thereto.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
43 U.S.C. § 151
Title 43 — Public Lands
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60