16 U.S.C. § 472a (CONSERVATION)
§ 472a. Timber sales on National Forest System lands
(a) Authorization; rules and regulations; appraised value as minimum sale price
For the purpose of achieving the policies set forth in the Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of 1960 (74 Stat. 215; 16 U.S.C. 528–531) and the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (88 Stat. 476) [16 U.S.C. 1600 et seq.], the Secretary of Agriculture, under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, may sell, at not less than appraised value, trees, portions of trees, or forest products located on National Forest System lands.
(b) Designation on map; prospectus
All advertised timber sales shall be designated on maps, and a prospectus shall be available to the public and interested potential bidders.
(c) Terms and conditions of contract
The length and other terms of the contract shall be designed to promote orderly harvesting consistent with the principles set out in section 6 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, as amended [16 U.S.C. 1604]. Unless there is a finding by the Secretary of Agriculture that better utilization of the various forest resources (consistent with the provisions of the Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of 1960 [16 U.S.C. 528–531]) will result, sales contracts shall be for a period not to exceed ten years: Provided, That such period may be adjusted at the discretion of the Secretary to provide additional time due to time delays caused by an act of an agent of the United States or by other circumstances beyond the control of the purchaser. The Secretary shall require the purchaser to file as soon as practicable after execution of a contract for any advertised sale with a term of two years or more, a plan of operation, which shall be subject to concurrence by the Secretary. The Secretary shall not extend any contract period with an original term of two years or more unless he finds (A) that the purchaser has diligently performed in accordance with an approved plan of operation or (B) that the substantial overriding public interest justifies the extension.
(d) Advertisement of sales; exceptions
The Secretary of Agriculture shall advertise all sales unless he determines that extraordinary conditions exist, as defined by regulation, or that the appraised value of the sale is less than $10,000. If, upon proper offering, no satisfactory bid is received for a sale, or the bidder fails to complete the purchase, the sale may be offered and sold without further advertisement.
(e) Bidding methods; purposes; oral auction procedures; monitoring and enforcement for prevention of collusive practices
(1) In the sale of trees, portions of trees, or forest products from National Forest System lands (hereinafter referred to in this subsection as “national forest materials”), the Secretary of Agriculture shall select the bidding method or methods which—
(A) insure open and fair competition;
(B) insure that the Federal Government receive not less than the appraised value as required by subsection (a) of this section;
(C) consider the economic stability of communities whose economies are dependent on such national forest materials, or achieve such other objectives as the Secretary deems necessary; and
(D) are consistent with the objectives of this Act and other Federal statutes.
The Secretary shall select or alter the bidding method or methods as he determines necessary to achieve the objectives stated in clauses (A), (B), (C), and (D) of this paragraph.
(2) In those instances when the Secretary selects oral auction as the bidding method for the sale of any national forest materials, he shall require that all prospective purchasers submit written sealed qualifying bids. Only prospective purchasers whose written sealed qualifying bids are equal to or in excess of the appraised value of such national forest materials may participate in the oral bidding process.
(3) The Secretary shall monitor bidding patterns involved in the sale of national forest materials. If the Secretary has a reasonable belief that collusive bidding practices may be occurring, then—
(A) he shall report any such instances of possible collusive bidding or suspected collusive bidding practices to the Attorney General of the United States with any and all supporting data;
(B) he may alter the bidding methods used within the affected area; and
(C) he shall take such other action as he deems necessary to eliminate such practices within the affected area.
(f) Research and demonstration projects
The Secretary of Agriculture, under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, is authorized to dispose of, by sale or otherwise, trees, portions of trees, or other forest products related to research and demonstration projects.
(g) Designation and supervision of harvesting
(1) In general
Designation, including marking when necessary, designation by description, or designation by prescription, and supervision of harvesting of trees, portions of trees, or forest products shall be conducted by persons employed by the Secretary of Agriculture.
(2) Requirement
Persons employed by the Secretary of Agriculture under paragraph (1)—
(A) shall have no personal interest in the purchase or harvest of the products; and
(B) shall not be directly or indirectly in the employment of the purchaser of the products.
(3) Methods for designation
Designation by prescription and designation by description shall be considered valid methods for designation, and may be supervised by use of post-harvest cruise, sample weight scaling, or other methods determined by the Secretary of Agriculture to be appropriate.
(h) Utilization standards, methods of measurement, and harvesting practices; monetary deposits by purchasers of salvage harvests; nature, purposes and availability of designated fund; return of surplus to Treasury
The Secretary of Agriculture shall develop utilization standards, methods of measurement, and harvesting practices for the removal of trees, portions of trees, or forest products to provide for the optimum practical use of the wood material. Such standards, methods, and practices shall reflect consideration of opportunities to promote more effective wood utilization, regional conditions, and species characteristics and shall be compatible with multiple use resource management objectives in the affected area. To accomplish the purpose of this subsection in situations involving salvage of insect-infested, dead, damaged, or down timber, and to remove associated trees for stand improvement, the Secretary is authorized to require the purchasers of such timber to make monetary deposits, as a part of the payment for the timber, to be deposited in a designated fund from which sums are to be used, to cover the cost to the United States for design, engineering, and supervision of the construction of needed roads and the cost for Forest Service sale preparation and supervision of the harvesting of such timber. Deposits of money pursuant to this subsection are to be available until expended to cover the cost to the United States of accomplishing the purposes for which deposited: Provided, That such deposits shall not be considered as moneys received from the national forests within the meaning of sections 500 and 501 of this title: And provided further, That sums found to be in excess of the cost of accomplishing the purposes for which deposited on any national forest shall be transferred to miscellaneous receipts in the Treasury of the United States.
(i) Purchaser credit for permanent road construction; right of election of small business concerns; estimated cost; date of completion; use of funds for construction; effective date
(1) For sales of timber which include a provision for purchaser credit for construction of permanent roads with an estimated cost in excess of $20,000, the Secretary of Agriculture shall promulgate regulations requiring that the notice of sale afford timber purchasers qualifying as “small business concerns” under the Small Business Act, as amended [15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.], and the regulations issued thereunder, an estimate of the cost and the right, when submitting a bid, to elect that the Secretary build the proposed road.
(2) If the purchaser makes such an election, the price subsequently paid for the timber shall include all of the estimated cost of the road. In the notice of sale, the Secretary of Agriculture shall set a date when such road shall be completed which shall be applicable to either construction by the purchaser or the Secretary, depending on the election. To accomplish requested work, the Secretary is authorized to use from any receipts from the sale of timber a sum equal to the estimate for timber purchaser credits, and such additional sums as may be appropriated for the construction of roads, such funds to be available until expended, to construct a road that meets the standards specified in the notice of sale.
(3) The provisions of this subsection shall become effective on October 1, 1976.
(Pub. L. 94–588, § 14, Oct. 22, 1976, 90 Stat. 2958; Pub. L. 95–233, Feb. 20, 1978, 92 Stat. 32; Pub. L. 101–626, title I, § 105(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4427; Pub. L. 113–79, title VIII, § 8303, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 924.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: References in Text
text: The Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of 1960, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (c), is Pub. L. 86–517, June 12, 1960, 74 Stat. 215, which is classified generally to sections 528 to 531 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 528 of this title and Tables.
The Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 93–378, Aug. 17, 1974, 88 Stat. 476, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 1600 et seq.) of chapter 36 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1600 of this title and Tables.
This Act, referred to in subsec. (e)(1)(D), is Pub. L. 94–588, Oct. 22, 1976, 90 Stat. 2949, known as the National Forest Management Act of 1976. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1976 Amendment note set out under section 1600 of this title and Tables.
The Small Business Act, referred to in subsec. (i)(1), is Pub. L. 85–536, § 2(1 et seq.), July 18, 1958, 72 Stat. 384, which is classified generally to chapter 14A (§ 631 et seq.) of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 631 of Title 15 and Tables.
heading: Amendments
text: 2014—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 113–79 added subsec. (g) and struck out former subsec. (g). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Designation, marking when necessary, and supervision of harvesting of trees, portions of trees, or forest products shall be conducted by persons employed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Such persons shall have no personal interest in the purchase or harvest of such products and shall not be directly or indirectly in the employment of the purchaser thereof.”
1990—Subsec. (i)(1). Pub. L. 101–626 struck out proviso that this subsec. not apply to sales of timber on National Forest System lands in the State of Alaska.
1978—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 95–233 substituted provisions authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture to select bidding method or methods to achieve the purposes of par. (1) of this subsec., procedures for use of oral auction as the bidding method, and procedures for monitoring and enforcement to prevent collusive practices, for provisions authorizing the Secretary to take such action as deemed necessary to prevent collusive practices, and setting forth requirements for enforcement.
heading: Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
heading: Application of Amendments by Pub. L. 101–626 to Certain Long-Term Timber Sale Contracts
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 101–626 not applicable to certain long-term timber sale contracts, see section 105(c) of Pub. L. 101–626, set out as a note under section 539d of this title.
heading: Timber Sales and Long-Term Contracting for the Forest Service
text: Pub. L. 119–21, title V, § 50301(a), July 4, 2025, 139 Stat. 146, provided that:
“(1) Definitions.—
In this subsection:
“(A) Forest plan.—
The term ‘forest plan’ means a land and resource management plan prepared by the Secretary for a unit of the National Forest System pursuant to section 6 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604).
“(B) National forest system.—
“(i) In general.—
The term ‘National Forest System’ means land of the National Forest System (as defined in section 11(a) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a))) administered by the Secretary.
“(ii) Exclusions.—
The term ‘National Forest System’ does not include any forest reserve not created from the public domain.
“(C) Secretary.—
The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
“(2) Timber sales on public domain forest reserves.—
“(A) In general.—
For each of fiscal years 2026 through 2034, the Secretary shall sell timber annually on National Forest System land in a total quantity that is not less than 250,000,000 board-feet greater than the quantity of board-feet sold in the previous fiscal year.
“(B) Limitation.—
The timber sales under subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the maximum allowable sale quantity of timber or the projected timber sale quantity under the applicable forest plan in effect on the date of enactment of this Act [July 4, 2025].
“(3) Long-term contracting for the forest service.—
“(A) Long-term contracting.—
For the period of fiscal years 2025 through 2034, the Secretary shall enter into not fewer than 40 long-term timber sale contracts with private persons or other public or private entities under subsection (a) of section 14 of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 472a) for the sale of national forest materials (as defined in subsection (e)(1) of that section) in the National Forest System.
“(B) Contract length.—
The period of a timber sale contract entered into to meet the requirement under subparagraph (A) shall be not less than 20 years, with options for extensions or renewals, as determined by the Secretary.
“(C) Receipts.—
Any monies derived from a timber sale contract entered into to meet the requirements under subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury.”
heading: Qualifying Timber Contract Options
text: Pub. L. 110–234, title VIII, § 8401, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1300, and Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VIII, § 8401, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2061, provided that:
“(a) Definitions.—
In this section:
“(1) Authorized producer price index.—
The term ‘authorized Producer Price Index’ includes—
“(A) the softwood commodity index (code number WPU 0811);
“(B) the hardwood commodity index (code number WPU 0812);
“(C) the wood chip index (code number PCU 3211133211135); and
“(D) any other subsequent comparable index, as established by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor and utilized by the Secretary of Agriculture.
“(2) Qualifying contract.—
The term ‘qualifying contract’ means a contract for the sale of timber on National Forest System land—
“(A) that was awarded during the period beginning on July 1, 2004, and ending on December 31, 2006;
“(B) for which there is unharvested volume remaining;
“(C) for which, not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act [June 18, 2008], the timber purchaser makes a written request to the Secretary for one or more of the options described in subsection (b);
“(D) that is not a salvage sale;
“(E) for which the Secretary determines there is not an urgent need to harvest due to deteriorating timber conditions that developed after the award of the contract; and
“(F) that is not in breach or in default.
“(3) Secretary.—
The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
“(b) Options for Qualifying Contracts.—
“(1) Cancellation or rate redetermination.—
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the rate at which a qualifying contract would be advertised as of the date of enactment of this Act [June 18, 2008] is at least 50 percent less than the sum of the original bid rates for all of the species of timber that are the subject of the qualifying contract, the Secretary may, at the sole discretion of the Secretary—
“(A) cancel the qualifying contract if the timber purchaser—
“(i) pays 30 percent of the total value of the timber remaining in the qualifying contract based on bid rates;
“(ii) completes each contractual obligation (including the removal of downed timber, the completion of road work, and the completion of erosion control work) of the timber purchaser with respect to each unit on which harvest has begun to a logical stopping point, as determined by the Secretary after consultation with the timber purchaser; and
“(iii) terminates its rights under the qualifying contract; or
“(B) modify the qualifying contract to redetermine the current contract rate of the qualifying contract to equal the sum obtained by adding—
“(i) 25 percent of the bid premium on the qualifying contract; and
“(ii) the rate at which the qualifying contract would be advertised as of the date of enactment of this Act [June 18, 2008].
“(2) Substitution of index.—
“(A) Substitution.—
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may, at the sole discretion of the Secretary, substitute the Producer Price Index specified in the qualifying contract of a timber purchaser if the timber purchaser identifies—
“(i) the products the timber purchaser intends to produce from the timber harvested under the qualifying contract; and
“(ii) a substitute index from an authorized Producer Price Index that more accurately represents the predominant product identified in clause (i) for which there is an index.
“(B) Rate redetermination following substitution of index.—
If the Secretary substitutes the Producer Price Index of a qualifying contract under subparagraph (A), the Secretary may, at the sole discretion of the Secretary, modify the qualifying contract to provide for—
“(i) an emergency rate redetermination under the terms of the contract; or
“(ii) a rate redetermination under paragraph (1)(B).
“(C) Limitation on market-related contract term addition; periodic payments.—
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the Secretary substitutes the Producer Price Index of a qualifying contract under subparagraph (A), the Secretary may, at the sole discretion of the Secretary, modify the qualifying contract—
“(i) to adjust the term in accordance with the market-related contract term addition provision in the qualifying contract and section 223.52 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of the adjustment, but only if the drastic reduction criteria in such section are met for 2 or more consecutive calendar year quarters beginning with the calendar quarter in which the Secretary substitutes the Producer Price Index under subparagraph (A); and
“(ii) to adjust the periodic payments required under the contract in accordance with applicable law and policies.
“(3) Contracts using hardwood lumber index.—
With respect to a qualifying contract using the hardwood commodity index referred to in subsection (a)(1)(B) for which the Secretary does not substitute the Producer Price Index under paragraph (2), the Secretary may, at the sole discretion of the Secretary—
“(A) extend the contract term for a 1-year period beginning on the current contract termination date; and
“(B) adjust the periodic payments required under the contract in accordance with applicable law and policies.
“(c) Extension of Market-Related Contract Term Addition Time Limit for Certain Contracts.—
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon the written request of a timber purchaser, the Secretary may, at the sole discretion of the Secretary, modify a timber sale contract (including a qualifying contract) awarded to the purchaser before January 1, 2007, to adjust the term of the contract in accordance with the market-related contract term addition provision in the contract and section 223.52 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of the modification, except that the Secretary may add no more than 4 years to the original contract length.
“(d) Effect of Options.—
“(1) No surrender of claims.—
Operation of this section shall not have the effect of surrendering any claim by the United States against any timber purchaser that arose—
“(A) under a qualifying contract before the date on which the Secretary cancels the contract or redetermines the rate under subsection (b)(1), substitutes a Producer Price Index under subsection (b)(2), or modifies the contract under subsection (b)(3); or
“(B) under a timber sale contract, including a qualifying contract, before the date on which the Secretary adjusts the contract term under subsection (c).
“(2) Release of liability.—
In the written request for any option provided under subsections (b) and (c), a timber purchaser shall release the United States from all liability, including further consideration or compensation, resulting from—
“(A) the cancellation of a qualifying contract of the purchaser or rate redetermination under subsection (b)(1), the substitution of a Producer Price Index under subsection (b)(2), the modification of the contract under subsection (b)(3) or a determination by the Secretary not to provide the cancellation, redetermination, substitution, or modification; or
“(B) the modification of the term of a timber sale contract (including a qualifying contract) of the purchaser under subsection (c) or a determination by the Secretary not to provide the modification.
“(3) Limitation.—
Subject to subsection (b)(1)(A), the cancellation of a qualifying contract by the Secretary under subsection (b)(1) shall release the timber purchaser from further obligation under the canceled contract.”
[Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 enacted identical provisions. Pub. L. 110–234 was repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as a note under section 8701 of Title 7, Agriculture.]
heading: Use of Receipts From Timber Sales for Road Construction
text: Pub. L. 99–500, § 101(h) [title II], Oct. 18, 1986, 100 Stat. 1783–242, 1783–271, and Pub. L. 99–591, § 101(h) [title II], Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3341–242, 3341–271, provided that: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Agriculture is hereafter authorized to use from any receipts from the sale of timber a sum equal to the cost of construction of roads under the purchaser election program as described and authorized in section 14(i) of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 [16 U.S.C. 472a(i)].”