Ministerial Decree No. 455 validating the Regulation on transfer of forest land into the category of non forest land for the purposes not related to forestry and use of forest estate.

This Ministerial Decree establishes the modalities of transfer of forest land into the category of non forest land for the purposes not related to forestry and use of forest estate if in accordance with land and forest legislation is not required transfer of forest estate land into other categories. The purposes of transfer of forest land into the category of non forest land shall be as follows: (a) geological exploration, prospecting and mineral extraction; and (b) construction, reconstruction and operation of power transmission lines and pipelines. Transfer shall be authorized exclusively in the presence of the positive opinion of the state environmental audit and it shall be carried out: (a) for the forests of the 1st category by the Government of the Russian Federation upon presentation by the regional executive bodies coordinated with the Federal Forest Service; (b) for the forests of the 2nd and the 3rd categories by regional executive bodies upon presentation by the regional branch of the Federal Forest Service.