§20-3-9. Right of railroad company to clear land adjacent to right-of-way.

For the purpose of providing increased protection to forest land from fire originating along railroads, any company which operates a railroad shall have the right, subject to the provisions of this section, without liability for trespass, to enter upon forest land for a distance of one hundred feet from its road or right-of-way and to clear from such a strip any inflammable material such as leaves, grass, dead trees, slash and brush, but shall not remove any valuable timber growth or other thing of value without consent of and recompense to the owner. Not less than fifteen days prior to clearing such lands, the railroad company shall give the owner thereof notice of its intention, together with a transcript of this section, by letter deposited in the United States mail to his last known address. If the owner shall not file an objection to such clearing with the director within ten days of the date of said notice, he shall be deemed to have given consent. Upon the filing by an owner of such objection showing cause why such clearing should not be done, the director shall review the case and may sustain the objection of the owner or permit the clearing in whole or in part.