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Title 43, Public LandsRelease 119-110

§1652 Authorizations for Construction

Title 43 › CHAPTER 34 — TRANS-ALASKA PIPELINE › § 1652

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Congress requires the trans‑Alaska oil pipeline to be built quickly and directs the Secretary of the Interior and other federal agencies to issue and enforce any rights‑of‑way, permits, leases, or other approvals needed to build, operate, and maintain the pipeline system (including roads and airstrips) as generally described in the Department of the Interior’s Final Environmental Impact Statement of March 20, 1972. The Secretary may change the pipeline route during construction to give better protection to the environment. Those authorizations must follow section 185 of title 30 (as changed by Pub. L. 93–153) except for subsections (h)(1), (k), (q), (w)(2), and (x). Agencies may add or waive procedural requirements they think are needed to meet the law’s goals. Work on the pipeline and the approvals for starting full operation do not need any more review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Court review is limited: claims that this part of the law is invalid must be filed within 60 days after November 16, 1973, and claims that an action violates the Constitution or exceeds the law’s authority must be filed within 60 days after the action. Such suits must be brought in a U.S. district court, which has exclusive jurisdiction, and courts may not issue injunctions against issuing authorizations except with a final judgment. Appeals from that district court go to the Supreme Court by petition for certiorari. The Secretary and other agencies may also change or amend any issued authorization when needed to protect the public interest.

Full Legal Text

Title 43, §1652

Public Lands, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Congressional declaration of purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to insure that, because of the extensive governmental studies already made of this project and the national interest in early delivery of North Slope oil to domestic markets, the trans-Alaska oil pipeline be constructed promptly without further administrative or judicial delay or impediment. To accomplish this purpose it is the intent of the Congress to exercise its constitutional powers to the fullest extent in the authorizations and directions herein made and in limiting judicial review of the actions taken pursuant thereto.
(b)Issuance, administration, and enforcement of rights-of-way, permits, leases, and other authorizations
The Congress hereby authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Interior and other appropriate Federal officers and agencies to issue and take all necessary action to administer and enforce rights-of-way, permits, leases, and other authorizations that are necessary for or related to the construction, operation, and maintenance of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline system, including roads and airstrips, as that system is generally described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement issued by the Department of the Interior on March 20, 1972. The route of the pipeline may be modified by the Secretary to provide during construction greater environmental protection.
(c)Applicability of statutes governing rights-of-way for pipelines through Federal lands; other statutory terms and conditions; waiver of procedural requirements; supersedure of administrative authorizations for construction
Rights-of-way, permits, leases, and other authorizations issued pursuant to this chapter by the Secretary shall be subject to the provisions of section 185 of title 30, as amended by Pub. L. 93–153 (except the provisions of subsections (h)(1), (k), (q), (w)(2), and (x)); all authorizations issued by the Secretary and other Federal officers and agencies pursuant to this chapter shall include the terms and conditions required, and may include the terms and conditions permitted, by the provisions of law that would otherwise be applicable if this chapter had not been enacted, and they may waive any procedural requirements of law or regulation which they deem desirable to waive in order to accomplish the purposes of this chapter. The direction contained in subsection (b) shall supersede the provisions of any law or regulation relating to an administrative determination as to whether the authorizations for construction of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline shall be issued.
(d)National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 bypassed; issuance of authorizations for construction and operation not to be subject to judicial review; time limits on charges of invalidity or unconstitutionality; jurisdiction; hearings; review
The actions taken pursuant to this chapter which relate to the construction and completion of the pipeline system, and to the applications filed in connection therewith necessary to the pipeline’s operation at full capacity, as described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement of the Department of the Interior, shall be taken without further action under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 [42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.]; and the actions of the Federal officers concerning the issuance of the necessary rights-of-way, permits, leases, and other authorizations for construction and initial operation at full capacity of said pipeline system shall not be subject to judicial review under any law except that claims alleging the invalidity of this section may be brought within sixty days following November 16, 1973, and claims alleging that an action will deny rights under the Constitution of the United States, or that the action is beyond the scope of authority conferred by this chapter, may be brought within sixty days following the date of such action. A claim shall be barred unless a complaint is filed within the time specified. Any such complaint shall be filed in a United States district court, and such court shall have exclusive jurisdiction to determine such proceeding in accordance with the procedures hereinafter provided, and no other court of the United States, of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, or of the District of Columbia, shall have jurisdiction of any such claim whether in a proceeding instituted prior to or on or after November 16, 1973. Such court shall not have jurisdiction to grant any injunctive relief against the issuance of any right-of-way, permit, lease, or other authorization pursuant to this section except in conjunction with a final judgment entered in a case involving a claim filed pursuant to this section. An interlocutory or final judgment, decree, or order of such district court may be reviewed only upon petition for a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court of the United States.
(e)Amendment or modification of rights-of-way, permits, leases, or other authorizations
The Secretary of the Interior and the other Federal officers and agencies are authorized at any time when necessary to protect the public interest, pursuant to the authority of this section and in accordance with its provisions, to amend or modify any right-of-way, permit, lease, or other authorization issued under this chapter.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, referred to in subsec. (d), is Pub. L. 91–190, Jan. 1, 1970, 83 Stat. 852, as amended, which is classified generally to chapter 55 (section 4321 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 4321 of Title 42 and Tables.

Amendments

1988—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 100–352 amended last sentence generally. Prior to amendment, last sentence read as follows: “Any review of an interlocutory or final judgment, decree, or order of such district court may be had only upon direct appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States.” 1984—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 98–620 struck out provision that any such proceeding had to be assigned for hearing at the earliest possible date, had to take precedence over all other matters pending on the docket of the district court at that time, and had to be expedited in every way by such court.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1988 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–352 effective ninety days after June 27, 1988, except that such amendment not to apply to cases pending in Supreme Court on such

Effective Date

or affect right to review or manner of reviewing judgment or decree of court which was entered before such

Effective Date

, see section 7 of Pub. L. 100–352, set out as a note under section 1254 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Effective Date

of 1984 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 98–620 not applicable to cases pending on Nov. 8, 1984, see section 403 of Pub. L. 98–620, set out as a note under section 1657 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

43 U.S.C. § 1652

Title 43, Public Lands

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110