---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 539f"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "539f"
heading: "Nonprofit organization user of national forest lands"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/539f"
units:
  - "Chapter 2 — National Forests"
  - "Subchapter I — Establishment and Administration"
---

# §539f. Nonprofit organization user of national forest lands

- (a) **Permits for organization camps; waiver of charges; performance of services; loss of entitlement—** Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture is directed to waive annually without charge all or a portion of payment or rental fees required under terms of a permit for use of certain lands of the National Forest System as organization camps by local [units](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of the Boy Scouts of America or such other nonprofit organization when such local [units](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of the Boy Scouts of America or such nonprofit organization are willing to perform services, as the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) prescribes and determines will yield a valuable benefit to the public and to the program of the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of such lands. If the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) determines that a local [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of the Boy Scouts of America or such other nonprofit organization has not fully performed such services, such organization shall not be entitled in the subsequent year to waiver under the provisions of this section.
- (b) **“Other nonprofit organization” defined—** The term “other nonprofit organization” shall mean (1) a nonprofit organization holding an exemption under [section 501(c) of title 26](/usc/26/501.md?p=c); and (2) a nonprofit association or nonprofit corporation, which is not controlled or owned by profitmaking corporations or business enterprises, and which is engaged in public or semipublic activity to further public health, safety, or welfare.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 98–478, § 3, Oct. 16, 1984, 98 Stat. 2216; Pub. L. 99–514, § 2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1986—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–514 substituted “Internal Revenue Code of 1986” for “Internal Revenue Code of 1954”, which for purposes of codification was translated as “title 26” thus requiring no change in text.