Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-110

§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 Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior may add land and improvements to Fort Donelson National Battlefield. The Secretary can buy land only from willing sellers using Congress-approved or donated funds, accept gifts, or swap land with willing owners. The land can be inside current boundaries or outside if the American Battlefield Protection Program says it’s part of the battlefield or if the Secretary finds it protects key resources from the 1862 battle and the Union campaign. Outside land must be added to the boundary, and the park may not exceed 2,000 acres.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §428p–1

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Acquisition authority

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)Land eligible for acquisition

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)Boundary revision

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)Limitation on total acreage of park

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

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110