--- kind: "section" citation: "43 U.S.C. § 1715" title: "43" title_heading: "Public Lands" number: "1715" heading: "Acquisitions of public lands and access over non-Federal lands to National Forest System units" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/43/1715" units: - "Chapter 35 — Federal Land Policy and Management" - "Subchapter II — Land Use Planning and Land Acquisition and Disposition" --- # §1715. Acquisitions of public lands and access over non-Federal lands to National Forest System units - (a) **Authorization and limitations on authority of Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture—** Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g), with respect to the [public lands](/usc/43/1702.md?p=e) and the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g) of Agriculture, with respect to the acquisition of access over non-Federal lands to units of the National Forest System, are authorized to acquire pursuant to this Act by purchase, exchange, donation, or eminent domain, lands or interests therein: Provided, That with respect to the [public lands](/usc/43/1702.md?p=e), the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g) may exercise the power of eminent domain only if necessary to secure access to [public lands](/usc/43/1702.md?p=e), and then only if the lands so acquired are confined to as narrow a corridor as is necessary to serve such purpose. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as expanding or limiting the authority of the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g) of Agriculture to acquire land by eminent domain within the boundaries of units of the National Forest System. - (b) **Conformity to departmental policies and land-use plan of acquisitions—** Acquisitions pursuant to this section shall be consistent with the mission of the [department](/usc/43/1702.md?p=m) involved and with applicable departmental land-use plans. - (c) **Status of lands and interests in lands upon acquisition by Secretary of the Interior; transfers to Secretary of Agriculture of lands and interests in lands acquired within National Forest System boundaries—** Except as provided in [subsection (e)](#e), lands and interests in lands acquired by the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g) pursuant to this section or [section 1716 of this title](/usc/43/1716.md) shall, upon acceptance of title, become [public lands](/usc/43/1702.md?p=e), and, for the administration of public land laws not repealed by this Act, shall remain [public lands](/usc/43/1702.md?p=e). If such acquired lands or interests in lands are located within the exterior boundaries of a grazing district established pursuant to [section 315 of this title](/usc/43/315.md), they shall become a part of that district. Lands and interests in lands acquired pursuant to this section which are within boundaries of the National Forest System may be transferred to the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g) of Agriculture and shall then become National Forest System lands and subject to all the laws, rules, and regulations applicable thereto. - (d) **Status of lands and interests in lands upon acquisition by Secretary of Agriculture—** Lands and interests in lands acquired by the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g) of Agriculture pursuant to this section shall, upon acceptance of title, become National Forest System lands subject to all the laws, rules, and regulations applicable thereto. - (e) **Status and administration of lands acquired in exchange for lands revested in or reconveyed to United States—** Lands acquired by the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g) pursuant to this section or [section 1716 of this title](/usc/43/1716.md) in exchange for lands which were revested in the United States pursuant to the provisions of the Act of June 9, 1916 (39 Stat. 218) or reconveyed to the United States pursuant to the provisions of the Act of February 26, 1919 (40 Stat. 1179), shall be considered for all purposes to have the same status as, and shall be administered in accordance with the same provisions of law applicable to, the revested or reconveyed lands exchanged for the lands acquired by the [Secretary](/usc/43/1702.md?p=g). ## Source credit (Pub. L. 94–579, title II, § 205, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2755; Pub. L. 99–632, § 5, Nov. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 3521.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### References in Text This Act, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (c), is Pub. L. 94–579, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2743, known as the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. Act of June 9, 1916, referred to in subsec. (e), is not classified to the Code. Act of February 26, 1919, referred to in subsec. (e), is act Feb. 26, 1919, ch. 47, 40 Stat. 1179, which is not classified to the Code. ### Amendments 1986—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–632, § 5(1), inserted exception relating to subsec. (e). Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 99–632, § 5(2), added subsec. (e).