§ 1609. — National Forest System.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 16USC1609]
TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
CHAPTER 36--FOREST AND RANGELAND RENEWABLE RESOURCES PLANNING
SUBCHAPTER I--PLANNING
Sec. 1609. National Forest System
(a) Congressional declaration of constituent elements and purposes;
lands etc., included within; return of lands to public domain
Congress declares that the National Forest System consists of units
of federally owned forest, range, and related lands throughout the
United States and its territories, united into a nationally significant
system dedicated to the long-term benefit for present and future
generations, and that it is the purpose of this section to include all
such areas into one integral system. The ``National Forest System''
shall include all national forest lands reserved or withdrawn from the
public domain of the United States, all national forest lands acquired
through purchase, exchange, donation, or other means, the national
grasslands and land utilization projects administered under title III of
the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act [7 U.S.C. 1010 et seq.], and other
lands, waters, or interests therein which are administered by the Forest
Service or are designated for administration through the Forest Service
as a part of the system. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 473
of this title, no land now or hereafter reserved or withdrawn from the
public domain as national forests pursuant to section 471 \1\ of this
title, or any act supplementary to and amendatory thereof, shall be
returned to the public domain except by an act of Congress.
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\1\ See References in Text note below.
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(b) Location of Forest Service offices
The on-the-ground field offices, field supervisory offices, and
regional offices of the Forest Service shall be so situated as to
provide the optimum level of convenient, useful services to the public,
giving priority to the maintenance and location of facilities in rural
areas and towns near the national forest and Forest Service program
locations in accordance with the standards in section 2204b-1(b) of
title 7.
(Pub. L. 93-378, Sec. 11, formerly Sec. 10, Aug. 17, 1974, 88 Stat. 480,
renumbered Sec. 11 and amended Pub. L. 94-588, Secs. 2, 9, Oct. 22,
1976, 90 Stat. 2949, 2957.)
References in Text
The Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is
act July 22, 1937, ch. 517, 50 Stat. 522, as amended. Title III of the
Bankhead Jones Farm Tenant Act is classified generally to subchapter III
(Sec. 1010 et seq.) of chapter 33 of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete
classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out
under section 1000 of Title 7 and Tables.
Section 471 of this title, referred to in subsec. (a), was repealed
by Pub. L. 94-579, title VII, Sec. 704(a), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat.
2792.)
Amendments
1976--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94-588, Sec. 9, prohibited the return to
the public domain of land reserved or withdrawn from the public domain
as national forests pursuant to section 471 of this title except by an
act of Congress.
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of certain enforcement functions of Secretary or other
official in Department of Agriculture under this subchapter to Federal
Inspector, Office of Federal Inspector for Alaska Natural Gas
Transportation System, and subsequent transfer to Secretary of Energy,
see note set out under section 1601 of this title.
Land Conveyances Involving Joliet Army Ammunition Plant, Illinois
Pub. L. 104-106, div. B, title XXIX, Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 594,
as amended by Pub. L. 106-65, div. B, title XXVIII, Sec. 2842, Oct. 5,
1999, 113 Stat. 863, provided that title XXIX could be cited as the
``Illinois Land Conservation Act of 1995'' and provided for conversion
of Joliet Army Ammunition Plant to Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie,
Illinois, to be managed by the Secretary of Agriculture as part of
National Forest System, and for conveyance of certain real property at
the Arsenal for a national cemetery, a Will County, Illinois, landfill,
and industrial parks to replace all or a part of lost economic activity,
with provisions prohibiting construction of title XXIX to restrict or
lessen degree of cleanup required to be carried out under environmental
laws, and provisions authorizing retention of real property used for
environmental cleanup by Secretary of the Army until transfer occurs.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 460hhh, 5207 of this title;
title 42 section 8401.
