Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73

§410oo–2 Acquisition of property

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER LIX–M— - NATCHEZ NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK › § 410oo–2

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary can get land, rights in land, buildings, and related personal property inside the park by donation, by buying with donated or appropriated money, or by exchange. The Secretary can also take personal items needed to interpret the park and extra land for an administrative headquarters and site. Any land or property owned by the State of Mississippi or its local governments can only be taken by donation. The Secretary may not take full ownership of property except for land needed for an administrative site/headquarters and certain park properties listed elsewhere. For one listed category, at least 25 percent of the fair market value must be donated, and another listed category can only be acquired by donation. The Secretary can agree to pay up to $3,000,000 to the City of Natchez to help plan and build a building the Secretary will partly use as headquarters, an administrative site, and a visitor center. That payment can count as matching money for other federal grants. If funds are provided, the Secretary can make a contract or lease to use part of the building at no cost (except maintenance, utilities, and operating costs) for 50 years, with an option to renew for another 50 years. Up to $3,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for this.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §410oo–2

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Secretary may acquire, by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange, land or interests in land, together with structures and other improvements thereon and personal property, which is included within the park. In addition the Secretary may acquire by any such means such personal property associated with the park as he deems appropriate for interpretation of the park and such additional lands and properties as may be necessary for purposes of an administrative headquarters and administrative site. Any land, interests in land, structures, improvements, or personal property owned by the State of Mississippi or any political subdivision thereof, may be acquired only by donation. The Secretary may not acquire fee title to any property other than the property he deems necessary for an administrative site and headquarters and the property referred to in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of section 410oo–1 of this title, and the Secretary may not acquire the property referred to in paragraph (1) of section 410oo–1 of this title unless at least 25 per centum of the fair market value of such property (as determined by the Secretary) is donated to the United States in connection with such acquisition. The Secretary may not acquire the property referred to in paragraph (3) of section 410oo–1(b) of this title except by donation.
(b)(1)The Secretary may enter into an agreement with the City of Natchez under which the Secretary agrees to pay not to exceed $3,000,000 toward the planning and construction by the City of Natchez of a structure to be partially used by the Secretary as an administrative headquarters, administrative site, and visitor center for Natchez National Historical Park.
(2)The amount of payment under paragraph (1) may be available for matching Federal grants authorized under other law notwithstanding any limitations in any such law.
(3)Prior to the execution of an agreement under paragraph (1), and subject to the appropriation of necessary funds in advance, the Secretary may enter into a contract, lease, cooperative agreement, or other appropriate form of agreement with the City of Natchez providing for the use and occupancy of a portion of the structure constructed under paragraph (1) (including appropriate use of the land on which it is situated), at no cost to the Secretary (except maintenance, utility, and other operational costs), for a period of 50 years, with an option for renewal by the Secretary for an additional 50 years.
(4)There is authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 to carry out this subsection.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2000—Pub. L. 106–176, § 127(b), made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 104–333. See 1996 Amendment note below. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 106–176, § 127(a), substituted “and visitor center” for “and visitors’ center”. 1996—Pub. L. 104–333, as amended by Pub. L. 106–176, § 127(b), which directed amendment of section 3 of Act of October 8, 1988, by designating existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserting heading, and adding subsec. (b), was executed by making the amendment to this section to reflect the probable intent of Congress. 1990—Pub. L. 101–399 substituted “referred to in paragraph (1), (2), or (3)” for “referred to in paragraph (1) or (2)” and inserted at end “The Secretary may not acquire the property referred to in paragraph (3) of section 410oo–1(b) of this title except by donation.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 410oo–2

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73