---
kind: "range"
citation: "16 U.S.C. §§ 513–517"
title: "16"
from: "513"
to: "517"
count: 5
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/513..517"
---

# [§513. Repealed. Pub. L. 94–588, § 17(a)(1), (2), Oct. 22, 1976, 90 Stat. 2961 — repealed]



# [§514. Repealed. Pub. L. 94–588, § 17(a)(6), Oct. 22, 1976, 90 Stat. 2962 — repealed]



# §515. Examination, location, and purchase of forested, cut-over, or denuded lands; consent of State legislature to acquisition of land by the United States


The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture is hereby authorized and directed to examine, locate, and purchase such forested, cut-over, or denuded lands within the watersheds of navigable streams as in his judgment may be necessary to the regulation of the flow of navigable streams or for the production of timber. No deed or other instrument of conveyance of lands referred to herein shall be accepted or approved by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture under this Act until the legislature of the [State](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2) in which the land lies shall have consented to the [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) of such land by the United States for the purpose of preserving the navigability of navigable streams.


# §516. Exchange of lands in the public interest; equal value; cutting and removing timber; publication of contemplated exchange


When the public interests will be benefited thereby, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture is hereby authorized, in his discretion, to accept on behalf of the United States title to any lands within the exterior boundaries of [national forests](/usc/16/5207.md?p=3) which, in his opinion, are chiefly valuable for the purposes of this Act, and in exchange therefor to convey by deed not to exceed an equal value of such [national forest](/usc/16/5207.md?p=3) land in the same [State](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2), or he may authorize the grantor to cut and remove an equal value of timber within such [national forests](/usc/16/5207.md?p=3) in the same [State](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2), the values in each case to be determined by him: Provided, That before any such exchange is effected notice of the contemplated exchange reciting the lands involved shall be published once each week for four successive weeks in some newspaper of general circulation in the county or [counties](/usc/16/544.md?p=d) in which may be situated the lands to be accepted, and in some like newspaper published in any county in which may be situated any lands or timber to be given in such exchange. Timber given in such exchanges shall be cut and removed under the laws and regulations relating to such [national forests](/usc/16/5207.md?p=3), and under the direction and supervision and in accordance with the requirements of the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture. Lands so accepted by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture shall, upon acceptance, become parts of the [national forests](/usc/16/5207.md?p=3) within whose exterior boundaries they are located, and be subjected to all provisions of this Act.


# §517. Title to lands to be acquired


The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture may do all things necessary to secure the safe title in the United States to the lands to be acquired under this Act, but no payment shall be made for any such lands until the title shall be satisfactory to the Attorney General or his designee and shall be vested in the United States.