Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-73not60

§428p–1 Land Acquisition Related to Fort Donelson National Battlefield

Title 16 › Chapter 1— NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter LX— NATIONAL MILITARY PARKS › § 428p–1

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior can add property to Fort Donelson National Battlefield, but only by buying from willing sellers (with government or donated money), by gift, or by swapping with willing owners. The Secretary may buy land inside the battlefield’s current boundaries, or buy land outside them if the American Battlefield Protection Program says it is battlefield land or if the Secretary decides the land protects important resources tied to the 1862 Battle of Fort Donelson and the Union campaign that captured the fort. When outside land is bought, the Secretary must change the official boundary to include it. The battlefield cannot be larger than 2,000 acres.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §428p–1

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary of the Interior may acquire land, interests in land, and improvements thereon for inclusion in the Fort Donelson National Battlefield. Such land, interests in land, and improvements may be acquired by the Secretary only by purchase from willing sellers with appropriated or donated funds, by donation, or by exchange with willing owners.

(b)The Secretary of the Interior may acquire land, interests in land, and improvements thereon under subsection (a)—

(1)within the boundaries of the Fort Donelson National Battlefield described in section 428p(b) of this title; and

(2)outside such boundaries if the land has been identified by the American Battlefield Protection Program as part of the battlefield associated with Fort Donelson or if the Secretary otherwise determines that acquisition under subsection (a) will protect critical resources associated with the Battle of Fort Donelson in 1862 and the Union campaign that resulted in the capture of Fort Donelson.

(c)Upon acquisition of land or interests in land described in subsection (b)(2), the Secretary of the Interior shall revise the boundaries of the Fort Donelson National Battlefield to include the acquired property.

(d)The total area encompassed by the Fort Donelson National Battlefield may not exceed 2,000 acres.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 428p–1

Title 16, Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60