---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 505a"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "505a"
heading: "Interchange of lands between Department of Agriculture and military departments of Department of Defense; report to Congress"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/505a"
units:
  - "Chapter 2 — National Forests"
  - "Subchapter I — Establishment and Administration"
---

# §505a. Interchange of lands between Department of Agriculture and military departments of Department of Defense; report to Congress


The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture with respect to National Forest System lands and the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of a military department with respect to lands under the control of the military department which lie within or adjacent to the exterior boundaries of a [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of the National Forest System are authorized, subject to any applicable provisions of chapters [1](/usc/40/chstI/ch1.md) to [11](/usc/40/chstI/ch11.md) of title 40 and division C (except sections [3302](/usc/16/3302.md), 3307(e), [3501(b)](/usc/16/3501.md?p=b), [3509](/usc/16/3509.md), 3906, 4710, and [4711](/usc/16/4711.md)) of subtitle I of [title 41](/usc/41.md), to [interchange](/usc/16/521c.md?p=2) such lands, or any part thereof, without reimbursement or transfer of funds whenever they shall determine that such [interchange](/usc/16/521c.md?p=2) will facilitate land management and will provide maximum use thereof for authorized purposes: Provided, That no such [interchange](/usc/16/521c.md?p=2) of lands shall become effective until forty-five days (counting only days occurring during any regular or special session of the Congress) after the submission to the Congress by the respective [Secretaries](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of notice of intention to make the [interchange](/usc/16/521c.md?p=2).


## Source credit

(July 26, 1956, ch. 736, § 1, 70 Stat. 656; Pub. L. 100–409, § 7(a), (b), Aug. 20, 1988, 102 Stat. 1091.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

In text, “chapters 1 to 11 of title 40 and division C (except sections 3302, 3307(e), 3501(b), 3509, 3906, 4710, and 4711) of subtitle I of title 41” substituted for “the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended” on authority of Pub. L. 107–217, § 5(c), Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1303, which Act enacted Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works, and Pub. L. 111–350, § 6(c), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3854, which Act enacted Title 41, Public Contracts.

### Amendments

1988—Pub. L. 100–409 substituted “National Forest System lands” for “national forest lands” and “a unit of the National Forest System” for “a national forest”.