Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER LIX–G— - CHACO CULTURE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK › § 410ii–5
The Secretary must run and protect Chaco Culture National Historical Park and the Chaco Culture Archeological Protection Sites under the usual National Park rules (including the Acts of 1916 and 1935) and the laws that apply to public lands. The Secretary must protect, preserve, and manage the sites so the Chaco cultural resources are kept safe and can be studied and explained to the public. Lands held in trust for an Indian tribe or held in restricted fee status stay under the same trust or restricted rules. No activity may harm the sites’ cultural value on or above the “upper surface,” which goes down 20 meters below ground. Subsurface oil, gas, mineral, or coal work is allowed from outside the sites if it does not disturb that upper surface. Livestock grazing covered by cooperative agreements can continue. Within three full fiscal years after December 19, 1980, the Secretary had to send a general park plan and a joint plan for the protection sites to two Congressional committees, prepared with the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Governor of New Mexico. The Secretary must also help the Navajo Nation manage sites on Navajo land through grants or agreements under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Act (Public Law 93–638), including help to plan, protect, interpret, manage resources, and develop a Navajo facility for visitors.
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Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
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Reference
Citation
16 U.S.C. § 410ii–5
Title 16 — Conservation
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73