16 U.S.C. § 426i: Protection of monuments, etc.

Summary

It is illegal to willfully damage, destroy, deface, or remove monuments, statues, memorials, fences, railings, protective or decorative structures, trees, shrubs, timber, battle relics, earthworks, walls, or other defenses on battlefield grounds or their approaches. Cutting down or taking timber, trees, or battle relics is allowed only with permission from the Secretary of the Interior. A person who does any of these things on purpose is guilty of a misdemeanor and, if found guilty in court, must pay a fine of $5 to $100 for each offense.

Title 16, §426i

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

If any person shall willfully destroy, mutilate, deface, injure, or remove any monument, column, statue, memorial structure, or work of art that shall be erected or placed upon the grounds of the battlefield by lawful authority, or shall willfully destroy or remove any fence, railing, inclosure, or other work for the protection or ornament of said battlefield, or any portion thereof; or shall willfully destroy, cut, hack, bark, break down, or otherwise injure any tree, bush, or shrubbery that may be growing upon said battlefield, or shall cut down or fell or remove any timber, battle relic, tree, or trees growing or being upon such battlefield, except by permission of the Secretary of the Interior, or shall willfully remove or destroy any breastworks, earthworks, walls, or other defenses or shelter, or any part thereof, constructed by the armies formerly engaged in the battle on the lands or approaches to the battlefield, any person so offending shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof before any court of competent jurisdiction, shall for each and every such offense be fined not less than $5 nor more than $100.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

“Battlefield” substituted in text for “park” in view of redesignation of Stones River National Military Park as Stones River National Battlefield by Pub. L. 86–443. See section 426l of this title.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

Transfer of administrative functions of park, see note set out under section 426 of this title.

§426i Protection of Monuments, Etc.