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Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73not60

§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 Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior may take ownership of land given free to the United States inside Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. He can accept land that comes with leases made as part of the land sale, but those leases cannot last longer than the lifetime of the original owner. Those leases and their terms must be sent to and approved by the Secretary first. The Secretary can also lease park land to people, schools, churches, companies, associations, or partnerships who already lived there if that use does not conflict with park purposes. Leases for individuals can run for the person’s lifetime; for other groups they can run up to twenty years and may be renewed at the Secretary’s choice. He may also accept land with reserved rights-of-way or 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

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60