---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 620a"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "620a"
heading: "Restrictions on exports of unprocessed timber originating from Federal lands"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/620a"
units:
  - "Chapter 4 — Protection of Timber, and Depredations"
---

# §620a. Restrictions on exports of unprocessed timber originating from Federal lands

- (a) **Prohibition on export of unprocessed timber originating from Federal lands—** No [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) who [acquires](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) [unprocessed timber](/usc/16/620e.md?p=9-A) originating from [Federal lands](/usc/16/620e.md?p=2) west of the 100th meridian in the contiguous 48 [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) may export such timber from the United States, or sell, trade, exchange, or otherwise convey such timber to any other [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) for the purpose of exporting such timber from the United States, unless such timber has been determined under [subsection (b)](#b) to be surplus to the needs of timber manufacturing facilities in the United States.
- (b) **Surpluses—**
  - (1) **Determinations by Secretary concerned—** The prohibition contained in [subsection (a)](#a) shall not apply to specific quantities of grades and species of [unprocessed timber](/usc/16/620e.md?p=9-A) originating from [Federal lands](/usc/16/620e.md?p=2) which the [Secretary concerned](/usc/16/620e.md?p=8) determines to be surplus to domestic manufacturing needs.
  - (2) **Procedures—** Any determination under [paragraph (1)](#b-1) shall be made in regulations issued in accordance with [section 553 of title 5](/usc/5/553.md). Any such determination shall be reviewed at least once in every 3-year period. The [Secretary concerned](/usc/16/620e.md?p=8) shall publish notice of such review in the Federal Register, and shall give the public an opportunity to comment on such review.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–382, title IV, § 489, Aug. 20, 1990, 104 Stat. 715.)