§410y–1 Purposes; establishment; boundaries; acquisition of lands; procedure for acquisition; time of acquisition

Summary

Creates the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park to protect the canal’s historic and scenic sites and to provide public recreation. The park is in Maryland, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. At first it will include the federal properties that total approximately 5,250 acres. Those lands cover canal property in Maryland, related parts in West Virginia called the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Monument, and the canal lands between Rock Creek in the District of Columbia and the monument end near the mouth of Seneca Creek in Maryland. The park boundary is shown on a five-sheet map titled “Boundary Map, Proposed Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park,” number CHOH 91,000, dated October 1969, on file at the National Park Service. State-owned land will not be added unless the State donates the land or the Secretary makes a written cooperative agreement that ensures the land will be managed like national park lands. The terms of any donation or agreement must be sent to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Natural Resources at least sixty days before they are signed. Inside the park the Secretary may acquire land by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. For two years from January 8, 1971, the Secretary must not acquire lands shown on the boundary map that a State plans to acquire if a written cooperative agreement with that State has been negotiated and completed under the rules above.