
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 16USC515]

 
                         TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
 
                       CHAPTER 2--NATIONAL FORESTS
 
             SUBCHAPTER I--ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
 
Sec. 515. Examination, location, and purchase of forested, cut-
        over, or denuded lands; consent of State legislature to 
        acquisition of land by the United States
        
    The Secretary of Agriculture is hereby authorized and directed to 
examine, locate, and purchase such forested, cut-over, or denuded lands 
within the watersheds of navigable streams as in his judgment may be 
necessary to the regulation of the flow of navigable streams or for the 
production of timber. No deed or other instrument of conveyance of lands 
referred to herein shall be accepted or approved by the Secretary of 
Agriculture under this Act until the legislature of the State in which 
the land lies shall have consented to the acquisition of such land by 
the United States for the purpose of preserving the navigability of 
navigable streams.

(Mar. 1, 1911, ch. 186, Sec. 6, 36 Stat. 962; June 7, 1924, ch. 348, 
Sec. 6, 43 Stat. 654; Pub. L. 94-588, Sec. 17(a)(3), Oct. 22, 1976, 90 
Stat. 2961.)

                       References in Text

    This Act, referred to in text, means act Mar. 1, 1911, ch. 186, 36 
Stat. 961, as amended, popularly known as the Weeks Law, which is 
classified to sections 480, 500, 513 to 519, 521, 552, and 563 of this 
title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short 
Title note set out under section 552 of this title and Tables.

                          Codification

    Act Mar. 1, 1911, prior to its amendment, authorized the Secretary 
to study lands necessary to the regulation of the flow of navigable 
streams. This authority was enlarged by act June 7, 1924, to include in 
its scope ``lands necessary for the production of timber''.


                               Amendments

    1976--Pub. L. 94-588 substituted ``The Secretary of Agriculture is 
hereby authorized and directed to examine, locate, and purchase such 
forested, cut-over, or denuded lands within the watersheds of navigable 
streams as in his judgment may be necessary to the regulation of the 
flow of navigable streams or for the production of timber. No deed or 
other instrument of conveyance of lands referred to herein shall be 
accepted or approved by the Secretary of Agriculture under this Act 
until the legislature of the State in which the land lies shall have 
consented to the acquisition of such land by the United States for the 
purpose of preserving the navigability of navigable streams'' for ``The 
Secretary of Agriculture is authorized and directed to examine, locate, 
and recommend for purchase such forested, cut-over, or denuded lands 
within the watersheds of navigable streams as in his judgment may be 
necessary to the regulation of the flow of navigable streams or for the 
production of timber and to report to the National Forest Reservation 
Commission the results of such examination; but before any lands are 
purchased by the commission said lands shall be examined by the 
Secretary of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Director of the 
Geological Survey, and a report made by them to the commission showing 
that the control of such lands by the Federal Government will promote or 
protect the navigation of streams or by the Secretary of Agriculture 
showing that such control will promote the production of timber 
thereon''.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 566b, 582, 2103c of this 
title.
