Center Content: 

View of power lines over public lands in California. Photo by Greg Fuhs, BLM.

Right of Way

Each year, thousands of people and companies apply to the BLM to obtain a right-of-way (ROW) grant on public land.  

A ROW grant is an authorization to use a specific piece of public land for a specific project, such as electric transmission lines, communication sites, roads, trails, fiber optic lines, canals, flumes, pipelines, and reservoirs.  The BLM’s policy is to authorize all ROW applications, at the authorized officer’s discretion, as efficiently and economically as possible.  Generally, a ROW is granted for a term appropriate for the life of the project.

Find more information about right-of-way: