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Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-102

§696 National Key Deer Refuge; Establishment; Acquisition of Property: Exchanges, Cash Equalization Payments; Administration

Title 16 › CHAPTER 6 — GAME AND BIRD PRESERVES; PROTECTION › § 696

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior may acquire land or land rights by purchase, lease, exchange, or donation (including donated money) in townships 65 and 66 south, ranges 28, 29, and 30 east, Monroe County, Florida. The land is for protecting and managing the Key deer and other wildlife. The government may not take land by condemnation for the refuge within a 1,000-foot zone on either side of United States Highway Numbered 1 in Monroe County. The Secretary may trade private land in those townships for federal land in Florida that he approves. If the two properties are not about equal in value, cash must be paid to balance the difference. Land acquired this way becomes the National Key Deer Refuge and is run by the Secretary under the laws for national wildlife refuges, including sections 664, 666a, and 666b.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §696

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In order to protect and preserve in the national interest the key deer and other wildlife resources in the Florida Keys, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to acquire by purchase, lease, exchange, and donations, including the use of donated funds, such lands or interests therein in townships 65 and 66 south, ranges 28, 29, and 30 east, Monroe County, Florida, as he shall find to be suitable for the conservation and management of the said key deer and other wildlife: Provided, That no lands within a one thousand-foot zone adjacent to either side of United States Highway Numbered 1 in Monroe County shall be acquired for the Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge by condemnation. The Secretary, in the exercise of his exchange authority, may accept title to any non-Federal property in townships 65 and 66 south, ranges 28, 29, and 30 east, Monroe County, Florida, and in exchange therefor convey to the grantor of such property any federally owned property in the State of Florida under his jurisdiction which he classifies as suitable for exchange or other disposal. The values of the properties so exchanged either shall be approximately equal, or if they are not approximately equal the values shall be equalized by the payment of cash to the grantor or to the Secretary as the circumstances require. The properties so acquired shall constitute the National Key Deer Refuge, and shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior in accordance with the laws and regulations relating to the national wildlife refuges, including, but not limited to, section 664, 666a, and 666b of this title, relating to the conservation of wildlife, fish, and game.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1966—Pub. L. 89–669 struck out one thousand acres limitation on acquisition of property, substituted prohibition against condemnation of lands within a one thousand-foot zone adjacent to either side of U.S. Highway Numbered 1 for the Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge for former prohibition against condemnation of lands on an island that is traversed at any point by U.S. Highway Numbered 1, and required cash equalization payment when making unequal exchanges of properties.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 696

Title 16, Conservation

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102