Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-73not60

§459d–3 Reservation of Oil, Gas, and Other Minerals

Title 16 › Chapter 1— NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter LXIII— NATIONAL SEASHORE RECREATIONAL AREAS › § 459d–3

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

When the government buys land or water, the Secretary must let the seller keep all or part of the oil, gas, and other minerals that can be removed the same way. The seller may use as much of the surface and nearby areas as needed to get those minerals, under rules the Secretary sets. The purchase cannot cut or reduce any surface rights from grants, leases, or easements that existed on April 11, 1961, if those rights are needed for exploring, producing, storing, processing, or moving oil and gas taken from outside the national seashore. The Secretary may also give extra surface-use rights under set terms.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §459d–3

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)When acquiring land, waters, or interests therein, the Secretary shall permit a reservation by the grantor of all or any part of the oil and gas minerals in such land or waters and of other minerals therein which can be removed by similar means, with the right of occupation and use of so much of the surface of the land or waters as may be required for all purposes reasonably incident to the mining or removal of such from beneath the surface of these lands and waters and the lands and waters adjacent thereto, under such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary with respect to such mining or removal.

(b)Any acquisition hereunder shall exclude and shall not diminish any right of occupation or use of the surface under grants, leases, or easements existing on April 11, 1961, which are reasonably necessary for the exploration, development, production, storing, processing, or transporting of oil and gas minerals that are removed from outside the boundaries of the national seashore and the Secretary may grant additional rights of occupation or use of the surface for the purposes aforesaid upon the terms and under such regulations as may be prescribed by him.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 459d–3

Title 16, Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60