---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 577c"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "577c"
heading: "Acquisition of additional lands in northern Minnesota"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/577c"
units:
  - "Chapter 3 — Forests; Forest Service; Reforestation; Management"
  - "Subchapter I — General Provisions"
---

# §577c. Acquisition of additional lands in northern Minnesota


To protect and administer more effectively the publicly owned lands within certain parts of the [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) described in [section 577 of this title](/usc/16/577.md), and to accomplish certain public purposes explicit and implicit in sections [577a](/usc/16/577a.md) and [577b](/usc/16/577b.md) of this title, the [Secretary](/usc/16/580p.md?p=3) of Agriculture is authorized and directed to [acquire](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) any lands or interest in lands, and appurtenances thereto, situated within the [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) described in [section 577d of this title](/usc/16/577d.md), where in his opinion development or exploitation, or the potentialities for development or exploitation, impair or threaten to impair the unique qualities and natural features of the remaining [wilderness](/usc/16/3102.md?p=13) canoe country.


## Source credit

(June 22, 1948, ch. 593, § 1, 62 Stat. 568; Pub. L. 87–351, Oct. 4, 1961, 75 Stat. 772.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1961—Pub. L. 87–351 removed the restriction on condemnation of contiguous tracts of land in one ownership, not exceeding five hundred acres in the aggregate, if the lands were encumbered with structures of a permanent type suitable for human occupancy and if the owners thereof filed written objections before expiration of the time for answering the petition in the proceedings.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title

The act of June 22, 1948, ch. 593, 62 Stat. 568, as amended, which is classified to sections 577c, 577d, and 577e to 577h of this title, is popularly known as the “Thye-Blatnik Act”.