The United States owns a vast amount of land that Federal Land Management Agencies (FLMAs, or Controlling Agencies) govern. The National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Reclamation, and the General Services Administration are just a few of these Controlling Agencies that own and manage land throughout the United States.
Transportation projects funded and administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) may impact these Federal lands. If a transportation project is proposed to be located on these lands, a property interest in such land may be conveyed by highway easement deed to a State Department of Transportation (State DOT) or its nominee (e.g., city or county) for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the transportation facility. Statutory provisions at 23 U.S.C. 107(d) and 23 U.S.C. 317 grant authority to the Secretary of Transportation to transfer property interests in Federal lands. The Secretary of Transportation has further delegated that authority to FHWA to execute such transfers. This process, which 23 CFR 710.601 implements, is referred to as a Federal Land Transfer.
The Federal Land Transfer (FLT) Toolkit is a clearinghouse repository of information related to processing FLTs, and you are encouraged to utilize this information to assist in this program area.
Realty specialists from Federal agencies across the country recommended and provided its contents. FHWA intends for the Toolkit to be a "living resource" and practitioners are encouraged to submit additional materials to FHWA by contacting Carolyn James at Carolyn.James@dot.gov.
The Toolkit is organized and searchable by navigating through the following Topics:
