USC Chapter 22

USC Chapter 22
in effect

43 U.S.C. § 931 Navigable rivers as public highways

All navigable rivers, within the territory occupied by the public lands, shall remain and be deemed public highways; and, in all cases where the opposite banks of any streams not navigable belong to different persons, the stream and the bed thereof shall become common to both.

43 U.S.C. § 931a Authority of Attorney General to grant easements and rights-of-way to States, etc.

The Attorney General, whenever he deems it advantageous to the Government and upon such terms and conditions as he deems advisable, is authorized on behalf of the United States to grant to any State, or any agency or political subdivision thereof, easements in and rights-of-way over lands belonging to the United States which are under his supervision and control. Such grant may include the use of such easements or rights-of-way by public utilities to the extent authorized and under the conditions imposed by the laws of such State relating to use of public highways. Such partial, concurrent, or exclusive jurisdiction over the areas covered by such easements or rights-of-way, as the Attorney General deems necessary or desirable, is ceded to such State. The Attorney General is authorized to accept or secure on behalf of the United States from the State in which is situated any land conveyed in exchange for any such easement or right-of-way, such jurisdiction as he may deem necessary or desirable over the land so acquired.

43 U.S.C. § 931c Permits, leases, or easements; authorization to grant; payment; limitation

The head of any department or agency of the Government of the United States having jurisdiction over public lands and national forests, except national parks and monuments, of the United States is authorized to grant permits, leases, or easements, in return for the payment of a price representing the fair market value of such permit, lease, or easement, to be fixed by such head of such department or agency through appraisal, for a period not to exceed thirty years from the date of any such permit, lease, or easement to States, counties, cities, towns, townships, municipal corporations, or other public agencies for the purpose of constructing and maintaining on such lands public buildings or other public works. In the event such lands cease to be used for the purpose for which such permit, lease, or easement was granted, the same shall thereupon terminate.

43 U.S.C. § 931d Additional authority of department or agency head

The authority conferred by section 931c of this title shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of any authority heretofore conferred upon the head of any department or agency of the Government of the United States to grant permits, leases, easements, or rights-of-way.

43 U.S.C. § 934 Right of way through public lands granted to railroads

The right of way through the public lands of the United States is granted to any railroad company duly organized under the laws of any State or Territory, except the District of Columbia, or by the Congress of the United States, which shall have filed with the Secretary of the Interior a copy of its articles of incorporation, and due proofs of its organization under the same, to the extent of one hundred feet on each side of the central line of said road; also the right to take, from the public lands adjacent to the line of said road, material, earth, stone, and timber necessary for the construction of said railroad; also ground adjacent to such right of way for station buildings, depots, machine shops, side tracks, turnouts, and water stations, not to exceed in amount twenty acres for each station, to the extent of one station for each ten miles of its road.

43 U.S.C. § 935 Several roads through canyons

Any railroad company whose right of way, or whose track or roadbed upon such right of way, passes through any canyon, pass, or defile, shall not prevent any other railroad company from the use and occupancy of the said canyon, pass, or defile, for the purposes of its road, in common with the road first located, on the crossing of other railroads at grade. And the location of such right of way through any canyon, pass, or defile shall not cause the disuse of any wagon or other public highway located therein on March 3, 1875, nor prevent the location through the same of any such wagon road or highway where such road or highway may be necessary for the public accommodation; and where any change in the location of such wagon road is necessary to permit the passage of such railroad through any canyon, pass, or defile, said railroad company shall before entering upon the ground occupied by such wagon road, cause the same to be reconstructed at its own expense in the most favorable location, and in as perfect a manner as the original road: Provided, That such expenses shall be equitably divided between any number of railroad companies occupying and using the same canyon, pass, or defile.

43 U.S.C. § 936 Condemnation of private land

The legislature of the proper Territory may provide for the manner in which private lands and possessory claims on the public lands of the United States may be condemned; and where such provision shall not have been made, such condemnation may be made in accordance with section 3 of the act entitled “An Act to amend an Act entitled ‘An Act to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean, and to secure to the Government the use of the same for postal, military, and other purposes, approved July 1, 1862,’ ” approved July 2, 1864 [43 U.S.C. 942–3].

43 U.S.C. § 937 Filing profile of road; forfeiture of rights

Any railroad company desiring to secure the benefits of sections 934 to 939 of this title, shall, within twelve months after the location of any section of twenty miles of its road, if the same be upon surveyed lands, and, if upon unsurveyed lands, within twelve months after the survey thereof by the United States, file with the officer, as the Secretary of the Interior may designate, of the land office for the district where such land is located a profile of its road; and upon approval thereof by the Secretary of the Interior the same shall be noted upon the plats in said office; and thereafter all such lands over which such right of way shall pass shall be disposed of subject to such right of way: Provided, That if any section of said road shall not be completed within five years after the location of said section, the rights herein granted shall be forfeited as to any such uncompleted section of said road.

43 U.S.C. § 938 Lands excepted

Sections 934 to 939 of this title shall not apply to any lands within the limits of any military, park, or Indian reservation, or other lands especially reserved from sale, unless such right of way shall be provided for by treaty-stipulation or by Act of Congress passed prior to March 3, 1875.

43 U.S.C. § 939 Alteration, amendment, or repeal

Congress reserves the right at any time to alter, amend, or repeal sections 934 to 939 of this title, or any part thereof.

43 U.S.C. § 940 Forfeiture of rights where railroad not constructed in five years after location

Each and every grant of right of way and station grounds made prior to February 25, 1909, to any railroad corporation under sections 934 to 939 of this title, where such railroad had not been constructed and the period of five years next following the location of said road, or any section thereof, had on that date expired, is declared forfeited to the United States, to the extent of any portion of such located line then remaining unconstructed, and the United States resumes the full title to the lands covered thereby free and discharged from such easement, and the forfeiture declared shall, without need of further assurance or conveyance, inure to the benefit of any owner or owners of land conveyed by the United States prior to such date subject to any such grant of right of way or station grounds: Provided, That no right of way on which construction was progressing in good faith on February 25, 1909, shall be in any wise affected, validated, or invalidated, by the provisions of this section.

43 U.S.C. § 941 Railroad stations on rights of way granted

All railroad companies operating railroads through the Territories of the United States over a right of way obtained under any grant or Act of Congress giving to said railroad companies the right of way over the public lands of the United States shall be required to establish and maintain passenger stations and freight depots at or within one-fourth of a mile of the boundary limits of all town sites established prior to August 8, 1894, in said Territories on the line of said railroads by authority of the Interior Department.

43 U.S.C. § 943 Right of way for railroads; reserved lands in Minnesota

All lands in the State of Minnesota described in and withdrawn from sale by the proclamations of the President of the United States for the reason that said lands would be required for or subject to flowage in the construction of dams, reservoirs, and other works proposed to be erected for the improvement of the navigation of the Mississippi River and certain of its tributaries, are declared to be, and to have been at all times prior to February 27, 1901, subject to the provisions of sections 934 to 939 of this title as fully, effectually, and to the same extent as though said lands had not been described in said proclamations, or withdrawn from sale thereby, but had remained with the body of public lands subject to private entry and sale: Provided, however, That any and all parts of said lands acquired by any railroad company under said sections shall at all times be subject to the right of flowage which at any time may become necessary in the construction or maintenance of dams, reservoirs, or other works which may be constructed or erected by or under the authority of the United States for the improvement of the navigation of the Mississippi River and its tributaries: Provided further, That the railroad companies availing themselves of this section shall, in addition to filing the maps required by law on February 27, 1901, to be filed, also file maps of definite location with elevation of rail of their lines of railroad over said water-reserve lands in the office of the Secretary of the Army; and no location shall be permitted which takes for right of way or stations or interferes with submergence of lands needed for the use of the reservoir system, existing on February 27, 1901, or in the construction of dams or other works, or any proposed or probable extension of the same, or which will obstruct or increase the cost of the present or prospective reservoir system: Provided further, That the plan for the location and construction of any such railway, or any part thereof, shall be first submitted to the Secretary of the Army and approved by him and by the Chief of Engineers of the United States Army.

43 U.S.C. § 944 Right of way in Oklahoma and Arizona

Where, under sections 934 to 939 of this title, or under special Acts of Congress, or under the laws of the former Territories of Oklahoma and Arizona, railroads have been constructed and were on June 26, 1906, in operation in Oklahoma or Arizona which passed through any of the lands theretofore reserved for said Territories, such lands shall be disposed of subject to such railroad right or easement, but only to the extent of the right of way conferred by the said sections for such railroad purposes.

43 U.S.C. § 945 Reservation in patents of right of way for ditches or canals

In all patents for lands taken up after August 30, 1890, under any of the land laws of the United States or on entries or claims validated by this Act, west of the one hundredth meridian, it shall be expressed that there is reserved from the lands in said patent described a right of way thereon for ditches or canals constructed by the authority of the United States.

43 U.S.C. § 945a Compensation for rights-of-way for certain reclamation projects

Notwithstanding the existence of any reservation of right-of-way to the United States for canals under section 945 of this title, or any State statute, the Secretary of the Interior shall pay just compensation, including severance damages, to the owners of private land utilized for ditches or canals in connection with any reclamation project, or any unit or any division of a reclamation project, provided the construction of said ditches or canals commenced after January 1, 1961, and such compensation shall be paid notwithstanding the execution of any agreements or any judgments entered in any condemnation proceeding, prior to September 2, 1964.

43 U.S.C. § 945b Jurisdiction; procedure

Jurisdiction of an action brought by the United States or the landowner for the determination of just compensation pursuant to section 945a of this title is hereby conferred on the United States district court in the district in which any such land is situated, without limitation to the amount of compensation sought by such suit. The procedure for such an action shall be governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for the condemnation of real and personal property.

43 U.S.C. § 946 Right of way to canal ditch companies and irrigation or drainage districts for irrigation or drainage purposes and operation and maintenance of reservoirs, canals, and laterals

The right of way through the public lands and reservations of the United States is granted to any canal ditch company, irrigation or drainage district formed for the purpose of irrigation or drainage, and duly organized under the laws of any State or Territory, and which shall have filed, or may hereafter file, with the Secretary of the Interior a copy of its articles of incorporation or, if not a private corporation, a copy of the law under which the same is formed and due proof of its organization under the same, to the extent of the ground occupied by the water of any reservoir and of any canals and laterals and fifty feet on each side of the marginal limits thereof, and, upon presentation of satisfactory showing by the applicant, such additional rights of way as the Secretary of the Interior may deem necessary for the proper operation and maintenance of said reservoirs, canals, and laterals; also the right to take from the public lands adjacent to the line of the canal or ditch, material, earth, and stone necessary for the construction of such canal or ditch: Provided, That no such right of way shall be so located as to interfere with the proper occupation by the Government of any such reservation, and all maps of location shall be subject to the approval of the department of the Government having jurisdiction of such reservation; and the privilege herein granted shall not be construed to interfere with the control of water for irrigation and other purposes under authority of the respective States or Territories.

43 U.S.C. § 947 Map; damages to settlers

Any canal or ditch company desiring to secure the benefits of sections 946 to 949 of this title shall, within twelve months after the location of ten miles of its canal, if the same be upon surveyed lands, and if upon unsurveyed lands, within twelve months after the survey thereof by the United States, file with the officer, as the Secretary of the Interior may designate, of the land office for the district where such land is located a map of its canal or ditch and reservoir; and upon the approval thereof by the Secretary of the Interior the same shall be noted upon the plats in said office, and thereafter all such lands over which such rights of way shall pass shall be disposed of subject to such right of way. Whenever any person or corporation, in the construction of any canal, ditch, or reservoir, injures or damages the possession of any settler on the public domain, the party committing such injury or damage shall be liable to the party injured for such injury or damage.

43 U.S.C. § 948 Application to existing and future canals

The provisions of sections 946 to 949 of this title shall apply to all canals, ditches, or reservoirs, heretofore or hereafter constructed, whether constructed by corporations, individuals, or association of individuals, on the filing of the certificates and maps therein provided for. If such ditch, canal, or reservoir has been or shall be constructed by an individual or association of individuals, it shall be sufficient for such individual or association of individuals to file with the Secretary of the Interior, and with the officer, as the Secretary of the Interior may designate, of the land office where said land is located, a map of the line of such canal, ditch, or reservoir, as in case of a corporation, with the name of the individual owner or owners thereof, together with the articles of association, if any there be. Plats filed before March 3, 1891, shall have the benefits of sections 946 to 949 of this title from the date of their filing, as though filed thereunder: Provided, That if any section of said canal or ditch shall not be completed within five years after the location of said section, the rights therein granted shall be forfeited as to any uncompleted section of said canal, ditch, or reservoir, to the extent that the same is not completed at the date of the forfeiture.

43 U.S.C. § 949 Use for canal or ditch only

Nothing in sections 946 to 949 of this title shall authorize such canal or ditch company to occupy such right of way except for the purpose of said canal or ditch, and then only so far as may be necessary for the construction, maintenance, and care of said canal or ditch.

43 U.S.C. § 950 Right of way to canal and ditch companies for irrigation purposes; additional grants

In addition to the rights of way granted by sections 946 to 949 of this title, and subject to the conditions and restrictions therein contained, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to grant permits or easements for not to exceed five acres of ground adjoining the right of way at each of the locations, to be determined by the Secretary of the Interior, to be used for the erection thereon of dwellings or other buildings or corrals for the convenience of those engaged in the care and management of the works provided for by said sections: Provided, That this section shall not apply to lands within national forests.

43 U.S.C. § 951 Right of way for water transportation, domestic purposes, or development of power

Rights of way for ditches, canals, or reservoirs heretofore or hereafter approved under the provisions of sections 946 to 949 of this title may be used for purposes of a public nature; and said rights of way may be used for purposes of water transportation, for domestic purposes, or for the development of power, as subsidiary to the main purpose of irrigation or drainage.

43 U.S.C. § 952 Reservoir sites for water for livestock

Any person, livestock company, or transportation corporation engaged in breeding, grazing, driving, or transporting livestock may construct reservoirs upon unoccupied public lands of the United States, not mineral or otherwise reserved, for the purpose of furnishing water to such livestock, and shall have control of such reservoir, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior, and the lands upon which the same is constructed, not exceeding one hundred and sixty acres, so long as such reservoir is maintained and water kept therein for such purposes: Provided, That such reservoir shall not be fenced and shall be open to the free use of any person desiring to water animals of any kind. The Secretary of the Interior, in his discretion, under such rules, regulations, and conditions as he may prescribe, upon application by such person, company, or corporation, may grant permission to fence such reservoirs in order to protect livestock, to conserve water, and to preserve its quality and conditions: Provided, That such reservoir shall be open to the free use of any person desiring to water animals of any kind; but any fence, erected under the authority hereof, shall be immediately removed on the order of the Secretary.

43 U.S.C. § 953 Declaratory statement as to reservoirs

Any person, livestock company, or corporation desiring to avail themselves of the provisions of sections 952 to 955 of this title shall file a declaratory statement in the United States land office in the district where the land is situated, which statement shall describe the land where such reservoir is to be or has been constructed; shall state what business such corporation is engaged in; specify the capacity of the reservoir in gallons, and whether such company, person, or corporation has filed upon other reservoir sites within the same county; and if so, how many.

43 U.S.C. § 954 Survey; map of reservoirs

At any time after the completion of such reservoir or reservoirs, which shall be constructed and completed within two years after filing such declaratory statement, such person, company, or corporation shall have the same accurately surveyed, as hereinafter provided, and shall file in the United States land office in the district in which such reservoir is located a map or plat showing the location of such reservoir, which map or plat shall be transmitted by the officer, as the Secretary of the Interior may designate, of said United States land office to the Secretary of the Interior and approved by him, and thereafter such land shall be reserved from sale by the Secretary of the Interior so long as such reservoir is kept in repair and water kept therein.

43 U.S.C. § 955 Amendment, alteration, or repeal

Congress may at any time amend, alter, or repeal sections 952 to 955 of this title.

43 U.S.C. § 956 Right of way for tramroads, canals, or reservoirs

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and empowered, under general regulations to be fixed by him, to permit the use of the right of way through the public lands of the United States, not within the limits of any national forest, park, military or Indian reservation, for tramroads, canals, or reservoirs to the extent of the ground occupied by the water of the canals and reservoirs and fifty feet on each side of the marginal limits thereof, or fifty feet on each side of the center line of the tramroad, by any citizen or any association of citizens of the United States engaged in the business of mining or quarrying or of cutting timber and manufacturing lumber or for the purposes of furnishing water for domestic, public, and other beneficial uses.

43 U.S.C. § 957 Right of way to electric power companies

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and empowered, under general regulations to be fixed by him, to permit the use of right of way to the extent of twenty-five feet, together with the use of necessary ground, not exceeding forty acres, upon the public lands and national forests of the United States by any citizen or association of citizens of the United States for the purposes of generating, manufacturing, or distributing electric power.

43 U.S.C. § 958 Rights of way for wagon roads or railroads

In the form provided by existing law the Secretary of the Interior may file and approve surveys and plats of any right of way for a wagon road, railroad, or other highway over and across any reservoir site when in his judgment the public interests will not be injuriously affected thereby.

43 U.S.C. § 959 Rights of way for electrical plants, etc.

That the Secretary of the Interior be, and hereby is, authorized and empowered, under general regulations to be fixed by him, to permit the use of rights of way through the public lands, forest and other reservations of the United States, and the Yosemite, Sequoia, and General Grant national parks, California, for electrical plants, poles, and lines for the generation and distribution of electrical power, and for telephone and telegraph purposes, and for canals, ditches, pipes and pipe lines, flumes, tunnels, or other water conduits, and for water plants, dams, and reservoirs used to promote irrigation or mining or quarrying, or the manufacturing or cutting of timber or lumber, or the supplying of water for domestic, public, or any other beneficial uses to the extent of the ground occupied by such canals, ditches, flumes, tunnels, reservoirs, or other water conduits or water plants, or electrical or other works permitted hereunder, and not to exceed fifty feet on each side of the marginal limits thereof, or not to exceed fifty feet on each side of the center line of such pipes and pipe lines, electrical, telegraph, and telephone lines and poles, by any citizen, association, or corporation of the United States, where it is intended by such to exercise the use permitted hereunder or any one or more of the purposes herein named: Provided, That such permits shall be allowed within or through any of said parks or any forest, military, Indian, or other reservation only upon the approval of the chief officer of the Department under whose supervision such park or reservation falls and upon a finding by him that the same is not incompatible with the public interest: Provided further, That all permits given hereunder for telegraph and telephone purposes shall be subject to the provisions of title sixty-five of the Revised Statutes of the United States, and amendments thereto, regulating rights of way for telegraph companies over the public domain: And provided further, That any permission given by the Secretary of the Interior under the provisions of this Act may be revoked by him or his successor in his discretion, and shall not be held to confer any right, or easement, or interest in, to, or over any public land, reservation, or park.

43 U.S.C. § 961 Rights-of-way for power and communications facilities

That the head of the department having jurisdiction over the lands be, and he hereby is, authorized and empowered, under general regulations to be fixed by him, to grant an easement for rights-of-way, for a period not exceeding fifty years from the date of the issuance of such grant, over, across, and upon the public lands, national forests, and reservations of the United States for electrical poles and lines for the transmission and distribution of electrical power, and for poles and lines for communication purposes, and for radio, television, and other forms of communication transmitting, relay, and receiving structures and facilities, to the extent of two hundred feet on each side of the center line of such lines and poles and not to exceed four hundred feet by four hundred feet for radio, television, and other forms of communication transmitting, relay, and receiving structures and facilities, to any citizen, association, or corporation of the United States, where it is intended by such to exercise the right-of-way herein granted for any one or more of the purposes herein named: Provided, That such right-of-way shall be allowed within or through any national park, national forest, military, Indian, or any other reservation only upon the approval of the chief officer of the department under whose supervision or control such reservation falls, and upon a finding by him that the same is not incompatible with the public interest: Provided further, That all or any part of such right-of-way may be forfeited and annulled by declaration of the head of the department having jurisdiction over the lands for nonuse for a period of two years or for abandonment. That any citizen, association, or corporation of the United States to whom there has heretofore been issued a permit for any of the purposes specified herein under any existing law, may obtain the benefit of this Act upon the same terms and conditions as shall be required of citizens, associations, or corporations hereafter making application under the provisions of this statute.

43 U.S.C. § 962 Right of way in Colorado and Wyoming to pipeline companies

The right of way through the public lands of the United States situate in the State of Colorado and in the State of Wyoming outside of the boundary lines of the Yellowstone National Park is granted to any pipe-line company or corporation formed for the purpose of transporting oils, crude or refined, which shall have filed or may hereafter file with the Secretary of the Interior a copy of its articles of incorporation, and due proofs of its organization under the same, to the extent of the ground occupied by said pipe line and twenty-five feet on each side of the center line of the same; also the right to take from the public lands adjacent to the line of said pipe line, material, earth, and stone necessary for the construction of said pipe line.

43 U.S.C. § 963 Applications for Colorado and Wyoming pipeline right of way

Any company or corporation desiring to secure the benefits of sections 962 to 965 of this title shall, within twelve months after the location of ten miles of the pipeline, if the same be upon surveyed lands and if the same be upon unsurveyed lands, within twelve months after the survey thereof by the United States, file with the officer, as the Secretary of the Interior may designate, of the land office for the district where such land is located a map of its line, and upon the approval thereof by the Secretary of the Interior the same shall be noted upon the plats in said office, and thereafter all such lands over which such right of way shall pass shall be disposed of subject to such right of way.

43 U.S.C. § 964 Limit of time for completion of Colorado and Wyoming pipelines; forfeiture

If any section of said pipe line shall not be completed within five years after the location of said section, the right granted in sections 962 to 965 of this title shall be forfeited, as to any incomplete section of said pipe line, to the extent that the same is not completed at the date of the forfeiture.

43 U.S.C. § 965 Restriction on use of Colorado and Wyoming pipeline right of way

Nothing in sections 962 to 965 of this title shall authorize the use of such right of way except for the pipe line, and then only so far as may be necessary for its construction, maintenance, and care.

43 U.S.C. § 966 Right of way in Arkansas to pipe-line companies

A right of way through the public lands of the United States in the State of Arkansas is granted for pipe-line purposes to any citizen of the United States or any company or corporation authorized by its charter to transport oil, crude or refined, or natural gas which shall have filed or may hereafter file with the Secretary of the Interior a copy of its articles of incorporation, and due proof of organization under the same, to the extent of the ground occupied by the said pipe line and ten feet on each side of the center line of same.

43 U.S.C. § 967 Applications for Arkansas pipeline right of way

Any citizen of the United States, company, or corporation desiring to secure the benefits of sections 966 to 970 of this title shall within twelve months after the location of ten miles of the pipe line, if the same be upon surveyed land, and if the same be upon unsurveyed lands within twelve months after the survey thereof by the United States, file with the officer, as the Secretary of the Interior may designate, of the land office for the district where such land is located a map of its lines, and upon the approval thereof by the Secretary of the Interior, the same shall be noted upon the plats in said office, and thereafter all such land over which such line shall pass shall be disposed of subject to such right of way.

43 U.S.C. § 968 Restriction on use of Arkansas pipeline right of way

Nothing in sections 966 to 970 of this title shall authorize the use of such right of way except for the pipe line, and then only so far as may be necessary for its construction, maintenance, and care.

43 U.S.C. § 969 Forfeiture of Arkansas pipeline right of way for nonuser, etc.

If any section of said pipe line shall not be completed within one year after the approval by the Secretary of the Interior of said section, or if any section of said pipe line shall be abandoned or shall not be used for a period of two years, the right of way granted in sections 966 to 970 of this title as to any uncompleted, abandoned, or unused section of said pipe line shall be forfeited to the extent that the same is not completed or is abandoned or unused at the date of the forfeiture, without further action or declaration on the part of the Government or any proceedings or judgment of any court.

43 U.S.C. § 970 Forfeiture of Arkansas pipeline right of way for violation of antitrust law

If any citizen, company, or corporation taking advantage of the benefits of sections 966 to 970 of this title shall violate the Act of July 2, 1890, entitled “An Act to protect trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies”, (commonly known as the Sherman antitrust act), or any amendment thereof, the right of way granted in sections 966 to 970 of this title shall be forfeited without further action or declaration on the part of the Government or any proceedings or judgment of any court.

43 U.S.C. § 971 Bathhouses, hotels, etc., adjacent to mineral, medicinal, etc., springs on public lands

The Secretary of the Interior, upon such terms and under such regulations as he may deem proper, may permit responsible persons or associations to use and occupy, for the erection of bathhouses, hotels, or other improvements for the accommodation of the public, suitable spaces or tracts of land near or adjacent to mineral, medicinal, or other springs which are located upon unreserved public lands or public lands which have been withdrawn for the protection of such springs: Provided, That permits or leases hereunder shall be for periods not exceeding twenty years.

43 U.S.C. § 971a Alaskan lands within highway, telephone, and pipeline withdrawals; disposal; amendment of land description of claim or entry on adjoining lands

Upon revocation of a withdrawal for highways, telephone lines, or pipelines, in Alaska, the lands involved shall be subject to disposal only under laws specified by the Secretary of the Interior, subject to easements as established by the Secretary. Notwithstanding any statutory limitation on the area which may be included in an unpatented claim or entry, the Secretary may permit the amendment of the land description of a claim or entry on adjoining lands to include the restored lands.

43 U.S.C. § 971b Sale of restored Alaskan lands; preference rights; consent of Federal agency

The Secretary may sell such restored lands for not less than their appraised value, giving an appropriate preference right to the holders of adjoining claims or entries and to owners of adjoining private lands. If such lands are under the jurisdiction of a Federal department or agency other than the Department of the Interior, any sale thereof shall be made only with the consent of such department or agency.

43 U.S.C. § 971c Utilization or occupancy of Alaskan easements; consent of agency

Lands in Alaska within an easement established under sections 971a to 971e of this title by the Secretary of the Interior may not be utilized or occupied without the permission of the Secretary, or an officer or agency designated by him. If the lands crossed by an easement established under sections 971a to 971e of this title are under the jurisdiction of a Federal department or agency other than the Department of the Interior, or of a State, Territory, or other government subdivision or agency, such permission may be granted only with the consent of such department, agency, or other governmental unit.

43 U.S.C. § 971d Effect on valid existing Alaskan rights

Nothing in sections 971a to 971e of this title shall affect adversely any valid existing rights.

43 U.S.C. § 971e Definition of restored Alaskan lands

For the purposes of sections 971a to 971e of this title, the words “restored lands” include, without limiting the meaning thereof, those lands at Big Delta and Tok Junctions that are withdrawn by public land orders numbered 808 and 975 and that lie between the centerline of the Richardson and Glenn Highways and the land included within United States surveys 2727, 2728, 2770, 2771, 2772, 2773, 2774, 2723, 2724, 2725, and 2726.

43 U.S.C. § 942–1 Rights of way in Alaska; railroad rights of way; reservations; water transportation connections; State title to submerged lands; Federal repossession as trustee; “navigable waters” defined; posting schedules of rates; changes in rates

The right of way through the lands of the United States in Alaska is granted to any railroad company, duly organized under the laws of any State or Territory or by the Congress of the United States, which may on and after May 14, 1898, file for record with the Secretary of the Interior a copy of its articles of incorporation and due proofs of its organization under the same, to the extent of one hundred feet on each side of the center line of said road; also the right to take from the lands of the United States adjacent to the line of said road, material, earth, stone, and timber necessary for the construction of said railroad; also the right to take for railroad uses, subject to the reservation of all minerals and coal therein, public lands adjacent to said right of way for station buildings, depots, machine shops, side tracks, turn-outs, water stations, and terminals, and other legitimate railroad purposes, not to exceed in amount twenty acres for each station, to the extent of one station for each ten miles of its road, excepting at terminals and junction points, which may include additional forty acres, to be limited on navigable waters to eighty rods on the shore line, and with the right to use such additional ground as may in the opinion of the Secretary of the Interior be necessary where there are heavy cuts or fills: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to give to such railroad company, its lessees, grantees, or assigns the ownership or use of minerals, including coal, within the limits of its right of way, or of the lands granted: Provided further, That all mining operations prosecuted or undertaken within the limits of such right of way or of the lands granted shall under rules and regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior, be so conducted as not to injure or interfere with the property or operations of the road over its said lands or right of way. And when such railway shall connect with any navigable stream or tide water such company shall have power to construct and maintain necessary piers and wharves for connection with water transportation, subject to the supervision of the Secretary of the Treasury: Provided, That nothing in sections 687a, 687a–2 to 687a–5,11 See References in Text note below. and 942–1 to 942–9 of this title and sections 607a and 615a of title 16 contained shall be construed as impairing in any degree the title of any State that may hereafter be erected out of the Territory of Alaska, or any part thereof, to tide lands and beds of any of its navigable waters, or the right of such State to regulate the use thereof, nor the right of the United States to resume possession of such lands, it being declared that all such rights shall continue to be held by the United States in trust for the people of any State or States which may on and after May 14, 1898, be erected out of said Territory. The term “navigable waters,” as herein used, shall be held to include all tidal waters up to the line of ordinary high tide and all nontidal waters navigable in fact up to the line of ordinary high-water mark. All charges for the transportation of freight and passengers on railroads in Alaska shall be printed and posted as required by section 10762 1 of title 49, and such rates shall be subject to revision and modification by the Secretary of the Interior.

43 U.S.C. § 942–2 Rights of several roads through canyons

Any railroad company whose right of way, or whose track or roadbed upon such right of way, passes through any canyon, pass, or defile shall not prevent any other railroad company from the use and occupancy of said canyon, pass, or defile for the purposes of its road, in common with the road first located, or the crossing of other railroads at grade; and the location of such right of way through any canyon, pass, or defile shall not cause the disuse of any tramway, wagon road, or other public highway now located therein, nor prevent the location through the same of any such tramway, wagon road, or highway where such tramway, wagon road, or highway may be necessary for the public accommodation; and where any change in the location of such tramway, wagon road, or highway is necessary to permit the passage of such railroad through any canyon, pass, or defile, said railroad company shall, before entering upon the ground occupied by such tramway, wagon road, or highway, cause the same to be reconstructed at its own expense in the most favorable location, and in as perfect a manner as the original road or tramway: Provided, That such expenses shall be equitably divided between any number of railroad companies occupying and using the same canyon, pass, or defile, and that where the space is limited the United States district court shall require the road first constructed to allow any other railroad or tramway to pass over its track or tracks through such canyon, pass, or defile on such equitable basis as the said court may prescribe; and all shippers shall be entitled to equal accommodations as to the movement of their freight and without discrimination in favor of any person or corporation: Provided, That nothing herein shall be construed as depriving Congress of the right to regulate the charges for freight, passengers and wharfage.

43 U.S.C. § 942–3 Condemnation of land

Where any company, the right of way to which is granted by sections 687a, 687a–2 to 687a–5,11 See References in Text note below. and 942–1 to 942–9 of this title and sections 607a and 615a of title 16, shall in the course of construction find it necessary to pass over private lands or possessory claims on lands of the United States, condemnation of a right of way across the same may be made in the following manner: In case the owner or claimant of such lands or premises and such company can not agree as to the damages, the amount shall be determined by the appraisal of three disinterested commissioners, who may be appointed upon application by any party to any judge of a court of record in Alaska; and said commissioners, in their assessments of damages, shall appraise such premises at what would have been the value thereof if the road had not been built; and upon return into court of such appraisement, and upon the payment to the clerk thereof of the amount so awarded by the commissioners for the use and benefit of the owner thereof, said premises shall be deemed to be taken by said company, which shall thereby acquire full title to the same for the purposes aforesaid. And either party feeling aggrieved by said assessment may, within thirty days, file an appeal therefrom, and demand a jury of twelve men to estimate the damage sustained; but such appeal shall not interfere with the rights of said company to enter upon the premises taken, or to do any act necessary in the construction of its road. And said party appealing shall give bonds with sufficient surety or sureties for the payment of any costs that may arise upon such appeal. And in case the party appealing does not obtain a more favorable verdict, such party shall pay the whole cost incurred by the appellee, as well as its own. And the payment into court for the use of the owner of claimant, of a sum equal to that finally awarded shall be held to vest in said company the title of said land, and the right to use and occupy the same for the construction, maintaining and operating of the road of said company. And in case any of the lands to be taken as aforesaid shall be held by any person residing without the Territory, or subject to any legal disability, the court may appoint a proper person who shall give bonds with sufficient surety or sureties, for the faithful execution of his trust, and who may represent in court the person disqualified or absent as aforesaid, when the same proceeding shall be had in reference to the appraisement of the premises to be taken, and with the same effect as has been already described. And the title of the company to the land taken by virtue of this section shall not be affected nor impaired by reason of any failure by any guardian to discharge faithfully his trust. And in case it shall be necessary for the said company to enter upon lands which are unoccupied, and of which there is no apparent owner or claimant, it may proceed to take and use the same for the purpose of its said railroad, and may institute proceedings in the manner described for the purpose of ascertaining the value of, and acquiring a title to, the same; and the court may determine the kind of notice to be served on such owner or owners, and may in its discretion appoint an agent or guardian to represent such owner or owners in case of his or their incapacity or nonappearance. But in case no claimant shall appear within six years from the time of the opening of said road across any land, all claims to damages against said company shall be barred. It shall be competent for the legal guardian of any infant, or any other person under guardianship, to agree with the said company as to damages sustained by reason of the taking of any lands of any such person under disability, as aforesaid, for the use as aforesaid; and upon such agreement being made, and approved by the court having supervision of the official acts of said guardian, and said guardian shall have full power to make and execute a conveyance thereof to the said company which shall vest the title thereto in the said company.

43 U.S.C. § 942–4 Filing preliminary survey, map and profile of road

Any company mentioned in sections 687a, 687a–2 to 687a–5,11 See References in Text note below. and 942–1 to 942–9 of this title and sections 607a and 615a of title 16, by filing with the Secretary of the Interior a preliminary actual survey and plat of its proposed route, shall have the right at any time within one year thereafter to file the map and profile of definite location and such preliminary survey and plat shall during the said period of one year from the time of filing the same have the effect to render all the lands on which said preliminary survey and plat shall pass subject to the right of way mentioned in section 942–3 of this title.

43 U.S.C. § 942–5 Filing map and profile of road section; forfeiture of rights; reversion of grant

Any company desiring to secure the benefits of sections 687a, 687a–2 to 687a–5,11 See References in Text note below. and 942–1 to 942–9 of this title and sections 607a and 615a of title 16, shall, within twelve months after filing the preliminary map of location of its road as hereinbefore prescribed, whether upon surveyed or unsurveyed lands, file with such officer as the Secretary of the Interior may designate of the land office for the district where such land is located a map and profile of at least a twenty-mile section of its road or a profile of its entire road if less than twenty miles, as definitely fixed; and shall thereafter each year definitely locate and file a map of such location as aforesaid of not less than twenty miles additional of its line of road until the entire road has been thus definitely located, and upon approval thereof by the Secretary of the Interior the same shall be noted upon the records of said office, and thereafter all such lands over which such right of way shall pass shall be disposed of subject to each right of way: Provided, That if any section of said road shall not be completed within one year after the definite location of said section so approved, or if the map of definite location be not filed within one year as herein required, or if the entire road shall not be completed within four years from the filing of the map of definite location, the rights herein granted shall be forfeited as to any such uncompleted section of said road, and thereupon shall revert to the United States without further action or declaration, the notation of such uncompleted section upon the records of the land office shall be canceled, and the reservations of such lands for the purposes of said right of way, stations, and terminals shall cease and become null and void without further action.

43 U.S.C. § 942–6 Rights of way for Alaskan wagon roads, wire rope, aerial, or other tramways; reservations; filing preliminary survey and map of location; alteration, amendment, repeal, or grant of equal rights; forfeiture of rights; reversion of grant; liens

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to issue a permit, by instrument in writing, in conformity with and subject to the restrictions herein contained, unto any responsible person, company, or corporation, for a right of way over the public domain in Alaska, not to exceed one hundred feet in width, and ground for station and other necessary purposes not to exceed five acres for each station for each five miles of road, to construct wagon roads and wire rope, aerial, or other tramways, and the privilege of taking all necessary material from the public domain in said district for the construction of such wagon roads or tramways, together with the right, subject to supervision and at rates to be approved by said Secretary, to levy and collect toll or freight and passenger charges on passengers, animals, freight, or vehicles passing over the same for a period not exceeding twenty years, and said Secretary is also authorized to sell to the owner or owners of any such wagon road or tramway, upon the completion thereof, not to exceed twenty acres of public land at each terminus at $1.25 per acre, such lands when located at or near tide water not to extend more than forty rods in width along the shore line and the title thereto to be upon such expressed conditions as in his judgment may be necessary to protect the public interest, and all minerals, including coal, in such right of way or station grounds shall be reserved to the United States: Provided, That such lands may be located concurrently with the line of such road or tramway, and the plat of preliminary survey and the map of definite location shall be filed as in the case of railroads and subject to the same conditions and limitations: Provided further, That such rights of way and privileges shall only be enjoyed by or granted to citizens of the United States or companies or corporations organized under the laws of a State or Territory; and such rights and privileges shall be held subject to the right of Congress to alter, amend, repeal, or grant equal rights to others on contiguous or parallel routes. And no right to construct a wagon road on which toll may be collected shall be granted unless it shall first be made to appear to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Interior that the public convenience requires the construction of such proposed road, and that the expense of making the same available and convenient for public travel will not be less on an average than $500 per mile: Provided, That if the proposed line of road in any case shall be located over any road or trail in common use for public travel, the Secretary of the Interior shall decline to grant such right of way, if, in his opinion, the interests of the public would be injuriously affected thereby. Nor shall any right to collect toll upon any wagon road in Alaska be granted or inure to any person, corporation, or company until it shall be made to appear to the satisfaction of said Secretary that at least an average of $500 per mile has been actually expended in constructing such road: and all persons are prohibited from collecting or attempting to collect toll over any wagon road in Alaska, unless such person or the company or person for whom he acts shall at the time and place the collection is made or attempted to be made possess written authority, signed by the Secretary of the Interior, authorizing the collection and specifying the rates of toll: Provided, That accurate printed copies of said written authority from the Secretary of the Interior, including toll, freight, and passenger charges thereby approved, shall be kept constantly and conspicuously posted at each station where toll is demanded or collected. And any person, corporation, or company collecting or attempting to collect toll without such written authority from the Secretary of the Interior, or failing to keep the same posted as herein required, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be fined for each offense not less than $50 nor more than $500, and in default of payment of such fine and costs of prosecution shall be imprisoned in jail not exceeding ninety days, or until such fine and costs of prosecution shall have been paid. Any person, corporation, or company qualified to construct a wagon road or tramway under the provisions of this section that may prior to May 14, 1898, have constructed not less than one mile of road, at a cost of not less than $500 per mile, or one-half mile of tramway at a cost of not less than $500, shall have the prior right to apply for such right of way and for lands at stations and terminals and to obtain the same pursuant to the provisions of this section over and along the line hitherto constructed or actually being improved by the applicant, including wharves connected therewith. If any party to whom license has been granted to construct such wagon road or tramway shall, for the period of one year, fail, neglect, or refuse to complete the same, the rights herein granted shall be forfeited as to any such uncompleted section of said wagon road or tramway, and thereupon shall revert to the United States without further action or declaration, the notation of such uncompleted section upon the records of the land office shall be cancelled, and the reservations of such lands for the purposes of said right of way shall cease and become null and void, without further action. And if such road or tramway shall not be kept in good condition for use, the Secretary of the Interior may prohibit the collection of toll thereon pending the making of necessary repairs. All mortgages executed by any company acquiring a right of way under sections 687a, 687a–2 to 687a–5,11 See References in Text note below. and 942–1 to 942–9 of this title and sections 607a and 615a of title 16, upon any portion of its road that may be constructed in Alaska, shall be recorded with the Secretary of the Interior, and the record thereof shall be notice of their execution, and shall be a lien upon all the rights and property of said company as therein expressed, and such mortgage shall also be recorded in the office of the secretary of the Territory of Alaska and in the office of the secretary of the State or Territory wherein such company is organized. All lawful claims of laborers, contractors, subcontractors, or materialmen, for labor performed or material furnished in the construction of the railroad, tramway, or wagon road shall be a first lien thereon and take precedence of any mortgage or other lien.

43 U.S.C. § 942–7 Military park, Indian or other reservation

Sections 687a, 687a–2 to 687a–5,11 See References in Text note below. and 942–1 to 942–9 of this title and sections 607a and 615a of title 16 shall not apply to any lands within the limits of any military park, Indian, or other reservation unless such right of way shall be provided for by Act of Congress.

43 U.S.C. § 942–8 Reservation of right of alteration, amendment, or repeal; assignment of right of way

Congress reserves the right at any time to alter, amend, or repeal sections 687a, 687a–2 to 687a–5,11 See References in Text note below. and 942–1 to 942–9 of this title and sections 607a and 615a of title 16 or any part thereof; and the right of way herein authorized shall not be assigned or transferred in any form whatever prior to the construction and completion of at least one-fourth of the proposed mileage of such railroad, wagon road, or tramway, as indicated by the map of definite location, except by mortgages or other liens that may be given or secured thereon to aid in the construction thereof: Provided, That where within ninety days after May 14, 1898, proof is made to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Interior that actual surveys, evidenced by designated monuments, were made, and the line of a railroad, wagon road, or tramway located thereby, or that actual construction was commenced on the line of any railroad, wagon road, or tramway, prior to January 21, 1898, the rights to inure hereunder shall, if the terms of said sections are complied with as to such railroad, wagon road, or tramway, relate back to the date when such survey or construction was commenced; and in all conflicts relative to the right-of-way or other privilege of said sections the person, company, or corporation having been first in time in actual survey or construction, as the case may be, shall be deemed first in right.

43 U.S.C. § 942–9 Map location of road

The map and profile of definite location of such railroad, wagon road, or tramway, to be filed as hereinbefore provided, shall, when the line passes over surveyed lands, indicate the location of the road by reference to section or other established survey corners, and where such line passes over unsurveyed lands the location thereon shall be indicated by courses and distances and by references to natural objects and permanent monuments in such manner that the location of the road may be readily determined by reference to descriptions given in connection with said profile map.

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