Title 43, Public LandsRelease 119-102
§931a Authority of Attorney General to Grant Easements and Rights-of-way to States, Etc.
Title 43 › CHAPTER 22 — RIGHTS-OF-WAY AND OTHER EASEMENTS IN PUBLIC LANDS › § 931a
Summary
The Attorney General can give a State, or its agencies or local governments, easements and rights‑of‑way across U.S. lands he controls when he thinks it helps the government. He can set the conditions for the use. These rights can allow public utilities to use them if state highway laws allow it. He may give the State partial, shared, or full control of those areas. If a State gives land in exchange, he can accept it for the United States and take whatever control over that land he finds needed.
Full Legal Text
Title 43, §931a
Public Lands, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
The Attorney General, whenever he deems it advantageous to the Government and upon such terms and conditions as he deems advisable, is authorized on behalf of the United States to grant to any State, or any agency or political subdivision thereof, easements in and rights-of-way over lands belonging to the United States which are under his supervision and control. Such grant may include the use of such easements or rights-of-way by public utilities to the extent authorized and under the conditions imposed by the laws of such State relating to use of public highways. Such partial, concurrent, or exclusive jurisdiction over the areas covered by such easements or rights-of-way, as the Attorney General deems necessary or desirable, is ceded to such State. The Attorney General is authorized to accept or secure on behalf of the United States from the State in which is situated any land conveyed in exchange for any such easement or right-of-way, such jurisdiction as he may deem necessary or desirable over the land so acquired.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
43 U.S.C. § 931a
Title 43, Public Lands
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102