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Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73

§667b Transfer of certain real property for wildlife conservation purposes; reservation of rights

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 5A— - PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF WILDLIFE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GAME, FUR-BEARING ANIMALS, AND FISH › § 667b

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

When federal land is no longer needed, and a state wildlife agency or the Secretary of the Interior asks for it, the land can be given for wildlife conservation. The Administrator of General Services must find the land available and useful. The transfer can be free and can include or exclude improvements as the Administrator decides. If the land is for non-migratory wildlife, it can go to the state agency. If it helps the national migratory bird program, it can go to the Secretary of the Interior. Any transfer to someone other than the United States must keep U.S. oil, gas, and mineral rights, the land must keep being used for wildlife, and if it stops being used that way or is needed for national defense, ownership goes back to the United States.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §667b

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Upon request, real property which is under the jurisdiction or control of a Federal agency and no longer required by such agency, (1) can be utilized for wildlife conservation purposes by the agency of the State exercising administration over the wildlife resources of the State wherein the real property lies or by the Secretary of the Interior; and (2) is valuable for use for any such purpose, and which, in the determination of the Administrator of General Services, is available for such use may, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, be transferred without reimbursement or transfer of funds (with or without improvements as determined by said Administrator) by the Federal agency having jurisdiction or control of the property to (a) such State agency if the management thereof for the conservation of wildlife relates to other than migratory birds, or (b) to the Secretary of the Interior if the real property has particular value in carrying out the national migratory bird management program. Any such transfer to other than the United States shall be subject to the reservation by the United States of all oil, gas, and mineral rights, and to the condition that the property shall continue to be used for wildlife conservation or other of the above-stated purposes and in the event it is no longer used for such purposes or in the event it is needed for national defense purposes title thereto shall revert to the United States.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1972—Cl. (2). Pub. L. 92–432 struck out “chiefly” before “valuable for use”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

Functions, records, property, etc., of War Assets Administration transferred to General Services Administration, functions of War Assets Administrator transferred to Administrator of General Services, and War Assets Administration and office of War Assets Administrator abolished by section 105 of act June 30, 1949.

Transfer of Functions

effective
July 1, 1949, see section 605, formerly § 505, of act
June 30, 1949, ch. 288, 63 Stat. 403; renumbered by act Sept. 5, 1950, ch. 849, § 6(a), (b), 64 Stat. 583.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 667b

Title 16 — Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73