---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 521b"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "521b"
heading: "Report of Secretary of Agriculture prior to purchase or exchange of land; contents; waiting period"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/521b"
units:
  - "Chapter 2 — National Forests"
  - "Subchapter I — Establishment and Administration"
---

# §521b. Report of Secretary of Agriculture prior to purchase or exchange of land; contents; waiting period


For purposes of providing information that will aid the Congress in its oversight responsibilities and improve the accountability of expenditures for the [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) of forest land, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture may not hereafter enter into any land purchase or exchange relating to the National Forest System of $150,000 or more for the types of lands which have been heretofore approved by the National Forest Reservation [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) until after 30 days from the date upon which a detailed report of the facts concerning such proposed purchase or transfer is submitted to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate or such earlier time as may be approved by both such committees. Such report shall contain at least the following:

- (1) guidelines utilized by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) in determining that the land should be acquired;
- (2) the location and size of the land;
- (3) the purchase price of the land and the criteria used by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) in determining such price;
- (4) the [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) from whom the land is being acquired; and
- (5) any adjustment made by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of relative value pursuant to [section 1716(f)(2)(B)(ii) of title 43](/usc/43/1716.md?p=f-2-B-ii).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–588, § 17(b), Oct. 22, 1976, 90 Stat. 2962; Pub. L. 100–409, § 6, Aug. 20, 1988, 102 Stat. 1090; Pub. L. 103–437, § 6(r), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4587.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The National Forest Reservation Commission, referred to in text, was abolished and the functions thereof were transferred to the Secretary of Agriculture by section 17(a)(1) of Pub. L. 94–588, Oct. 22, 1976, 90 Stat. 2961.

### Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–437 in introductory provisions substituted “Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate” for “Agriculture and Forestry of the Senate”.

1988—Pub. L. 100–409 substituted “$150,000” for “$25,000” in introductory provisions and added par. (5).