Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73not60

§81m Additional Exchange of Lands

Title 16 › Chapter 1— NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter IX— COLONIAL NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK › § 81m

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior may trade private land for park land inside Colonial National Historical Park in Virginia to better protect historic places. He can take ownership of private (non-Federal) land and give park land in return. If the two properties are about the same value, no money changes hands. If they are not equal in value, the Secretary or the private owner must pay the difference. Land removed from the park by these swaps can only be put back into the park by an act of Congress. The Secretary may use National Park System land‑acquisition funds for these trades. The Secretary can set the terms and procedures he thinks are needed. He may give credit for the value of houses on lands he acquires, help remove buildings, and help find housing for people who need new homes because of an exchange.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §81m

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

For the purpose of preserving more effectively for the public benefit the historic properties within Colonial National Historical Park, Virginia, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to consummate desirable land exchanges, as hereafter prescribed, and thereby to reduce and adjust the boundaries of the park. Any lands eliminated from the park hereunder shall not subsequently be added to the park except by Act of Congress. In furtherance of these purposes, the Secretary is authorized on behalf of the United States to accept from grantors title to non-Federal land and interests in land, together with the improvements thereon, situated within the authorized park boundaries, and in exchange therefor, to convey by deed on behalf of the United States to the aforesaid grantors land or interests therein, together with the improvements thereon, situated within Colonial National Historical Park that may be used advantageously for exchange purposes. The aforesaid exchanges are authorized to be made without additional compensation by either party to the exchange when the properties to be exchanged are of approximately equal value. When, however, the properties are not of approximately equal value, as may be determined by the Secretary, an additional payment of funds shall be required by the Secretary or by the grantor of non-Federal properties, as the case may be, in order to make an equal exchange. The Secretary is authorized to use any land acquisition funds relating to the National Park System for such purposes. The Secretary may consummate land exchanges herein authorized upon such terms, conditions, and procedures as he may find to be necessary or desirable in carrying out the purposes of this section and section 81n of this title; and in evaluating non-Federal properties to be acquired hereunder, he is authorized to make such allowance as he may find to be equitable for the value of any residential properties that may be situated upon land to be acquired pursuant to this section and section 81n of this title. If expedient and in the public interest to do so, he may assist in the removal of structures from property to be acquired hereunder through the exchange procedure, and he may cooperate with public or private agencies and persons in the securing of housing for the aforesaid grantors who may require new housing accommodations or facilities as a result of the land exchanges herein authorized.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was not enacted as part of act July 3, 1930, ch. 837, 46 Stat. 855, which comprises this subchapter.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 81m

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60