---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 1285a"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "1285a"
heading: "Lease of Federal lands"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/1285a"
units:
  - "Chapter 28 — Wild and Scenic Rivers"
---

# §1285a. Lease of Federal lands

- (a) **Authority of Secretary; restrictive covenants—** Where appropriate in the discretion of the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1), he may lease federally owned land (or any interest therein) which is within the boundaries of any component of the National Wild and Scenic [Rivers](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) System and which has been acquired by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) under this chapter. Such lease shall be subject to such restrictive covenants as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
- (b) **Offer to prior owner—** Any land to be leased by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) under this section shall be offered first for such lease to the [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) who owned such land immediately before its [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) by the United States.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 90–542, § 14A, as added Pub. L. 95–625, title VII, § 764, Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3534.)