Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-110
§403b Administration, Protection, and Development; Federal Power Act Inapplicable; Minimum Area
Title 16 › CHAPTER 1 — NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › SUBCHAPTER XLVI — SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK AND GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK › § 403b
Summary
The Secretary of the Interior must have the National Park Service run, protect, and develop these parks under the 1916 law that created the Park Service. The Federal Power Act does not apply to them. Shenandoah must cover at least 160,000 acres and Great Smoky Mountains at least 400,000 acres. Big development in either park cannot start until the Secretary has accepted most of the remaining land for that park.
Full Legal Text
Title 16, §403b
Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
The administration, protection, and development of the aforesaid parks shall be exercised under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior by the National Park Service, subject to the provisions of the Act of August 25, 1916, entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes,” as amended: Provided, That the provisions of the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 791a et seq.] shall not apply to these parks: And provided further, That the minimum area to be administered and protected by the National Park Service shall be for the Shenandoah National Park area one hundred and sixty thousand acres and for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park area four hundred thousand acres: Provided further, That no general development of either of these areas shall be undertaken until a major portion of the remainder in such area shall have been accepted by said Secretary.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Act of
August 25, 1916, entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes,”, referred to in text, is act Aug. 25, 1916, ch. 408, 39 Stat. 535, known as the National Park Service Organic Act, which enacted section 1, 2, 3, and 4 of this title and provisions set out as a note under section 100101 of Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs. Sections 1 to 4 of the Act were repealed and restated as section 1865(a) of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and section 100101(a), chapter 1003, and section 100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101 of Title 54 by Pub. L. 113–287, §§ 3, 4(a)(1), 7, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3094, 3260, 3272. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. For disposition of former sections of this title, see Disposition Table preceding section 100101 of Title 54. The Federal Power Act, referred to in text, was in the original the “Act approved
June 10, 1920, known as the Federal Water Power Act,” and was redesignated the Federal Power Act by section 791a of this title. The Federal Power Act is act
June 10, 1920, ch. 285, 41 Stat. 1063, and is classified generally to chapter 12 (§ 791a et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 791a of this title and Tables.
Amendments
1934—Act June 15, 1934, changed minimum area for Great Smoky Mountains National Park to 400,000 acres. 1932—Act Feb. 4, 1932, changed minimum area for Shenandoah National Park to 160,000 acres. 1928—Act Feb. 16, 1928, changed minimum area for Shenandoah National Park to 327,000 acres.
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
For
Transfer of Functions
of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Interior, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
16 U.S.C. § 403b
Title 16, Conservation
Last Updated
Sep 23, 2026
Release point: 119-110