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Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-73not60

§410oo–2 Acquisition of Property

Title 16 › Chapter 1— NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter LIX–M— NATCHEZ NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK › § 410oo–2

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary may get land, rights to land, buildings, improvements, and park-related items by donation, purchase using donated or government money, or by exchange. The Secretary can also get items needed to explain the park and land for an office and headquarters. Land owned by the State of Mississippi or its local governments can only be accepted as a donation. The Secretary cannot take full ownership except for needed administrative sites and certain park properties listed elsewhere; one group of those properties must have at least 25% of their fair market value given as a donation, and another group can only be accepted by donation. The Secretary may agree with the City of Natchez to pay up to $3,000,000 to help plan and build a building that the Secretary will partly use as headquarters and a visitor center. That money can count toward matching federal grants. With money approved in advance, the Secretary may arrange to use part of that building at no rent (paying only upkeep, utilities, and operations) for 50 years, with an option to extend for another 50 years. Congress may appropriate $3,000,000 for this.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §410oo–2

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Secretary may acquire, by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange, land or interests in land, together with structures and other improvements thereon and personal property, which is included within the park. In addition the Secretary may acquire by any such means such personal property associated with the park as he deems appropriate for interpretation of the park and such additional lands and properties as may be necessary for purposes of an administrative headquarters and administrative site. Any land, interests in land, structures, improvements, or personal property owned by the State of Mississippi or any political subdivision thereof, may be acquired only by donation. The Secretary may not acquire fee title to any property other than the property he deems necessary for an administrative site and headquarters and the property referred to in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of section 410oo–1 of this title, and the Secretary may not acquire the property referred to in paragraph (1) of section 410oo–1 of this title unless at least 25 per centum of the fair market value of such property (as determined by the Secretary) is donated to the United States in connection with such acquisition. The Secretary may not acquire the property referred to in paragraph (3) of section 410oo–1(b) of this title except by donation.
(b)(1)The Secretary may enter into an agreement with the City of Natchez under which the Secretary agrees to pay not to exceed $3,000,000 toward the planning and construction by the City of Natchez of a structure to be partially used by the Secretary as an administrative headquarters, administrative site, and visitor center for Natchez National Historical Park.
(2)The amount of payment under paragraph (1) may be available for matching Federal grants authorized under other law notwithstanding any limitations in any such law.
(3)Prior to the execution of an agreement under paragraph (1), and subject to the appropriation of necessary funds in advance, the Secretary may enter into a contract, lease, cooperative agreement, or other appropriate form of agreement with the City of Natchez providing for the use and occupancy of a portion of the structure constructed under paragraph (1) (including appropriate use of the land on which it is situated), at no cost to the Secretary (except maintenance, utility, and other operational costs), for a period of 50 years, with an option for renewal by the Secretary for an additional 50 years.
(4)There is authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 to carry out this subsection.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2000—Pub. L. 106–176, § 127(b), made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 104–333. See 1996 Amendment note below. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 106–176, § 127(a), substituted “and visitor center” for “and visitors’ center”. 1996—Pub. L. 104–333, as amended by Pub. L. 106–176, § 127(b), which directed amendment of section 3 of Act of October 8, 1988, by designating existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserting heading, and adding subsec. (b), was executed by making the amendment to this section to reflect the probable intent of Congress. 1990—Pub. L. 101–399 substituted “referred to in paragraph (1), (2), or (3)” for “referred to in paragraph (1) or (2)” and inserted at end “The Secretary may not acquire the property referred to in paragraph (3) of section 410oo–1(b) of this title except by donation.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 410oo–2

Title 16, Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60