§ 5500.0-3 Authority.

(a) The Act of July 31, 1947 (61 Stat. 681), as amended by the Acts of July 23, 1955 (69 Stat. 367, 30 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) and the Act of September 25, 1962 (76 Stat. 587) authorizes the disposal of timber and other vegetative resources on public lands of the United States including lands embraced within an unpatented mining claim located after July 23, 1955, if the disposal of such resources is not otherwise expressly authorized by law including, but not limited to, the Act of June 28, 1934 (48 Stat. 1269; 43 U.S.C. 315 through 315o-1), as amended, and the United States mining laws; is not expressly prohibited by laws of the United States; and would not be detrimental to the public interest. (1) The Act also authorizes the United States, its permittees, and licensees to use so much of the surface of any unpatented mining claim located under the mining law of the United States after July 23, 1955, as may be necessary for access to adjacent land for the purposes of such permittees or licensees. Any authorized use of the surface of any such mining claim shall be such as not to endanger or materially interfere with prospecting, mining or processing operations or uses reasonably incident thereto. (2) Where the lands have been withdrawn in aid of a function of a Federal department or agency other than the Department of the Interior, or of a State, county, municipality, water district, or other local governmental subdivision or agency, the Secretary of the Interior may make disposals under the regulations in this subpart only with the consent of such other Federal department or agency or of such State, or local governmental unit. The Act of July 23, 1955, supra, provides, however, that the Secretary of Agriculture shall dispose of materials under the Act of July 31, 1947, as amended, supra, if such materials are on lands administered by the Secretary of Agriculture for national forest purposes or for purposes of Title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act or where withdrawn for the purpose of any other function of the Department of Agriculture. (3) The provisions of the Act of July 23, 1955, supra, in disposal of vegetative or mineral materials do not apply to lands in any national park, or national monument or to any Indian lands or lands set aside or held for the use or benefit of Indians including lands over which jurisdiction has been transferred to the Department of the Interior by Executive order for the use of Indians.