16 U.S.C. § 523 (CONSERVATION)
§ 523. Rights-of-way through national forests for power and communications facilities
The head of the department having jurisdiction over the lands 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 national forests 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 forest only upon the approval of the chief officer of the department under whose supervision or control such national forest 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.
Any citizen, association, or corporation of the United States to whom there has been issued a permit prior to March 4, 1911, for any of the purposes specified herein under any law existing at that date, may obtain the benefit of this section upon the same terms and conditions as shall be required of citizens, associations, or corporations making application under the provisions of this section subsequent to said date.
(Mar. 4, 1911, ch. 238, 36 Stat. 1253; May 27, 1952, ch. 338, 66 Stat. 95.)
heading: Repeals
text: Section repealed by Pub. L. 94–579, title VII, § 706(a), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2793, effective on and after Oct. 21, 1976, insofar as applicable to the issuance of rights-of-way over, upon, under, and through the public lands and lands in the National Forest System.
heading: Codification
text: Section, insofar as it relates to rights-of-way in national parks, military, and other reservations, is set out as sections 5 and 420 of this title, and insofar as it relates to rights-of-way on public lands generally, and Indian reservations, is set out as section 961 of Title 43, Public Lands.
heading: Amendments
text: 1952—Act May 27, 1952, inserted reference to rights-of-way for radio, television, and other forms of communication, and increased from 40 feet to 400 feet the maximum width of rights-of-way for lines and poles.
heading: Savings Provision
text: Repeal by Pub. L. 94–579, title VII, § 706(a), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2793, insofar as applicable to the issuance of rights-of-way, not to be construed as terminating any valid lease, permit, patent, etc., existing on Oct. 21, 1976, see note set out under section 1701 of Title 43, Public Lands.