Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73

§460lll–46 Compliance with environmental laws

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER CXXIII— - LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES PROTECTION › Part Part C— - Transfer Provisions › § 460lll–46

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Within 60 days after the land is transferred, the Chairman and the Administrator must give the Secretary all existing papers and information about the environmental condition of the land and water. They must also send any new environmental information as it becomes available. Within 120 days after transfer, the Chairman must give the Secretary an assessment saying what, if any, actions are required under environmental law. If the assessment says action is needed, the Secretary and the Chairman must make a written agreement. That agreement must say the Chairman will do the needed work and include a schedule for finishing it that the Secretary approves. When jurisdiction moves to the Secretary, the Chairman must also show that all required cleanup and response actions, including those needed under CERCLA to protect health and the environment, have been done. The transfer does not remove any responsibilities or liabilities the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) already has under environmental laws. The Chairman may keep reasonable access to the property to meet TVA’s obligations. The Secretary is not responsible under environmental law for problems tied to TVA’s past or present activities, including cleanup costs, penalties, or contamination that has moved. Any federal agency whose actions caused a release or threatened release of hazardous or petroleum substances must pay the costs to respond and clean up.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §460lll–46

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Not later than 60 days after the date of transfer pursuant to section 460lll–41 of this title, the Chairman and the Administrator shall provide the Secretary all documentation and information that exists on the environmental condition of the land and waters comprising the Recreation Area property.
(2)The Chairman and the Administrator shall provide the Secretary with any additional documentation and information regarding the environmental condition of the Recreation Area property as such documentation and information becomes available.
(b)(1)Not later than 120 days after the date of transfer pursuant to section 460lll–41 of this title, the Chairman shall provide to the Secretary an assessment indicating what action, if any, is required under any environmental law on Recreation Area property.
(2)If the assessment concludes action is required under any environmental law with respect to any portion of the Recreation Area property, the Secretary and the Chairman shall enter into a memorandum of understanding that—
(A)provides for the performance by the Chairman of the required actions identified in the assessment; and
(B)includes a schedule providing for the prompt completion of the required actions to the satisfaction of the Secretary.
(c)On the transfer of jurisdiction over the Recreation Area from the Tennessee Valley Authority to the Secretary, the Chairman shall provide the Secretary with documentation demonstrating that all actions required under any environmental law have been taken, including all response actions under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) that are necessary to protect human health and the environment with respect to any hazardous substance, pollutant, contaminant, hazardous waste, hazardous material, or petroleum product or derivative of a petroleum product on Recreation Area property.
(d)(1)The transfer of the Recreation Area property under this subchapter, and the requirements of this section, shall not in any way affect the responsibilities and liabilities of the Tennessee Valley Authority at the Recreation Area under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) or any other environmental law.
(2)After transfer of the Recreation Area property, the Chairman shall be accorded any access to the property that may be reasonably required to carry out the responsibility or satisfy the liability referred to in paragraph (1).
(3)The Secretary shall not be liable under any environmental law for matters that are related directly or indirectly to present or past activities of the Tennessee Valley Authority on the Recreation Area property, including liability for—
(A)costs or performance of response actions required under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) at or related to the Recreation Area; or
(B)costs, penalties, fines, or performance of actions related to noncompliance with any environmental law at or related to the Recreation Area or related to the presence, release, or threat of release of any hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant, hazardous waste, hazardous material, or petroleum product or derivative of a petroleum product of any kind at or related to the Recreation Area, including contamination resulting from migration.
(4)Except as provided in paragraph (3), nothing in this subchapter affects, modifies, amends, repeals, alters, limits or otherwise changes, directly or indirectly, the responsibilities or liabilities under any environmental law with respect to the Secretary.
(e)Subject to the other provisions of this section, a Federal agency that carried or carries out operations at the Recreation Area resulting in the release or threatened release of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant, hazardous waste, hazardous material, or petroleum product or derivative of a petroleum product for which that agency would be liable under any environmental law shall pay the costs of related response actions and shall pay the costs of related actions to remediate petroleum products or their derivatives.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, referred to in subsecs. (c) and (d)(1), (3)(A), is Pub. L. 96–510, Dec. 11, 1980, 94 Stat. 2767, which is classified principally to chapter 103 (§ 9601 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 9601 of Title 42 and Tables.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 460lll–46

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73