Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73not60

§410j Acquisition of Land, Water, and Interests Therein; Consent of Owner; Reservations

Title 16 › Chapter 1— NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter LIV— EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK › § 410j

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

After July 2, 1958, the Secretary of the Interior may only buy or otherwise obtain land, water, and related interests for Everglades National Park inside the boundary described in section 410i. Using money made available for that purpose, the Secretary may acquire property inside the boundary shown in sections 410i–410p. Owners of land inside that boundary but outside the area in sections 410e–410h may choose to keep certain mineral rights. They may reserve all oil, gas, and mineral rights (including the right to lease, explore, produce, store, and remove) until October 9, 1967. If commercial mineral production exists anywhere in that same boundary-outside area by that date, the reservation stays in force for all such owners as long as production continues there. To use these rights, owners and their agents may enter and leave the land as needed. After those reserved rights end, owners still keep the right to usual royalties on any minerals produced from their land before January 1, 1985, if the Federal Government or its assigns ever allow production.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §410j

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The authority of the Secretary of the Interior to acquire land and water for Everglades National Park shall on and after July 2, 1958 be restricted to the area within the boundary described in section 410i of this title. Notwithstanding the proviso contained in section 410 of this title, or any other provision of law, the said Secretary is authorized on and after July 2, 1958, within the boundary fixed in sections 410i to 410p of this title and with any funds made available for that purpose, to acquire land, water, and interests therein by purchase or otherwise. The authority to acquire land, water, and interests therein within the park boundary fixed in section 410i of this title but outside the area designated in sections 410e to 410h of this title, is further subject to the right of retention by the owners thereof, including owners of interests in oil, gas, and mineral rights or royalties, and by their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns, at their election of the following: (1) The reservation until October 9, 1967, of all oil, gas, and mineral rights or interests, including the right to lease, explore for, produce, store, and remove oil, gas, and other minerals from such lands; (2) In the event that on or before said date, oil, gas, or other minerals are being produced in commercial quantities anywhere within the boundary fixed in section 410i of this title but outside the area designated in sections 410e to 410h of this title, the time of the reservation provided in subsection (1) above shall automatically extend for all owners within said boundary and outside of said area regardless of whether such production is from land in which such owners have an interest, for so long as oil, gas, or other minerals are produced in commercial quantities anywhere within said boundary and outside of said area. To exercise this reservation, the owners, their lessees, agents, employees, and assigns shall have such right of ingress to and egress from such land and water as may be necessary; and (3) After the termination of the reserved rights of owners as set forth in subsections (1) and (2) of this section, a further reservation of the right to customary royalties, applying at the time of production, in any oil, gas, or other minerals which may be produced from such land and water at any time before January 1, 1985, should production ever be authorized by the Federal Government or its assigns.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1970—Pub. L. 91–428 struck out restriction against acquisition of certain described lands in Dade County without the consent of the owner so long as the land is used exclusively for agricultural purposes, including housing directly incident thereto, or is lying fallow or remains in its natural state.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 410j

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60