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Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-102

§404d Acceptance of Title to Lands; Reservations; Leases; Rights-of-way and Easements

Title 16 › CHAPTER 1 — NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › SUBCHAPTER XLVII — MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK › § 404d

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior can accept land given for free inside the Mammoth Cave National Park area. He may accept land that comes with leases made as part of the purchase, but he must approve those lease terms and the leases cannot last longer than the lifetime of the person who granted them. He can also lease park land to people or groups who already occupied it if the use fits the park’s purposes. Leases for individuals end with that person’s life; leases for others can run up to 20 years and may be renewed at the Secretary’s choice. He may also accept land that keeps existing rights-of-way or easements.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §404d

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 area of the Mammoth Cave 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 the Shenandoah National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and to the Isle Royale National Park, are classified to section 403e and 408c of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 404d

Title 16, Conservation

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102