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Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-102

§1701 Congressional Declaration of Policy and Purpose

Title 16 › CHAPTER 37 — YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS AND PUBLIC LANDS CORPS › SUBCHAPTER I — YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS › § 1701

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Expand and make permanent the Youth Conservation Corps so more American youth from all backgrounds can get paid outdoor work in national parks, national forests, and other public lands and waters. Their work helps build, improve, and care for the Nation’s natural resources. The program also gives young people an understanding and appreciation of the Nation’s environment and heritage equal to one full academic year of study, and prepares them to manage and protect these resources for the American people.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §1701

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Congress finds that the Youth Conservation Corps has demonstrated a high degree of success as a pilot program wherein American youth, representing all segments of society, have benefited by gainful employment in the healthful outdoor atmosphere of the national park system, the national forest system, other public land and water areas of the United States and by their employment have developed, enhanced, and maintained the natural resources of the United States, and whereas in so doing the youth have gained an understanding and appreciation of the Nation’s environment and heritage equal to one full academic year of study, it is accordingly the purpose of this subchapter to expand and make permanent the Youth Conservation Corps and thereby further the development and maintenance of the natural resources by America’s youth, and in so doing to prepare them for the ultimate responsibility of maintaining and managing these resources for the American people.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1993—Pub. L. 103–82, § 105(2), substituted “subchapter” for “chapter”. 1974—Pub. L. 93–408 substantially reenacted existing provisions and added finding that the Youth Conservation Corps program be expanded and made permanent in view of the success of the pilot program. 1972—Pub. L. 92–597 substituted “areas of the United States” for “areas administered by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1993 Amendment Pub. L. 103–82, title I, § 123, Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 867, provided that: “This title [see Tables for classification], and the

Amendments

made by this title, shall take effect on October 1, 1993.”

Short Title

of 2005 Amendment Pub. L. 109–154, § 1, Dec. 30, 2005, 119 Stat. 2890, provided that: “This Act [enacting section 1730 of this title and amending sections 1722 to 1726 and 1729 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Public Lands Corps Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2005’.”

Short Title

Pub. L. 91–378, title I, Aug. 13, 1970, 84 Stat. 794, which enacted this subchapter, is popularly known as the “Youth Conservation Corps Act of 1970”. Pub. L. 91–378, title II, § 201, as added by Pub. L. 103–82, title I, § 105(6), Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 848, provided that: “This title [enacting subchapter II of this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Public Lands Corps Act of 1993’.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 1701

Title 16, Conservation

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102