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Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-102

§403e Acceptance of Title to Lands; Reservations; Leases; Rights-of-way and Easements

Title 16 › CHAPTER 1 — NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › SUBCHAPTER XLVI — SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK AND GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK › § 403e

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior may accept land given for free inside Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks even if the land has leases tied to the purchase. Those leases must be approved by the Secretary and cannot exceed the owner's lifetime. He can also lease park land to prior users—individuals for life, others up to 20 years, renewable by him—and accept land with reserved rights-of-way and easements.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §403e

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized in his discretion to accept title to lands tendered without cost to the United States within the areas of the Shenandoah National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, subject to leases entered into and granted as part consideration in connection with the purchase of said land for tender to the United States for park purposes, but not exceeding in length of term the life of the particular grantor or grantors: Provided, That said leases and the terms and conditions thereof shall have previously been submitted to and approved by said Secretary: And provided further, That he may lease upon such terms and conditions as he deems proper any lands within the aforesaid areas when such use shall not be deemed by him inconsistent with the purposes for which the lands were acquired on behalf of the United States, to persons, educational or religious institutions, private corporations, associations, and partnerships previously occupying such land for terms not exceeding the particular lifetime in the case of natural persons, and not exceeding twenty years in all other cases, which latter leases may be renewed in the discretion of said Secretary: And provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior may accept lands for these parks subject to reservations of rights-of-way and easements.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Provisions of act Feb. 4, 1932, § 2, relating to Mammoth Cave National Park and Isle Royale National Park are classified to section 404d and 408c of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 403e

Title 16, Conservation

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102