PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The Secretary may make cooperative management agreements with eligible entities that manage lands or water near a System unit to help run the unit more effectively. The Secretary cannot hand over the unit’s overall administration to anyone else. Under an agreement, the Secretary may buy, accept as a gift, or trade for goods and services and may give those goods and services to the partner on a reimbursable basis. Reimbursements can be credited to the same appropriation when received. The parties may share offices or facilities owned or leased by either side. The Secretary can arrange for a Federal employee or a partner’s employee to be assigned under section 3372 of title 5, and that assignment can be extended if both agree. Eligible entity: a State or local government or its subdivision, or an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization. Indian Tribe: defined in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304(e)). State: each State, the District of Columbia, and each U.S. territory. Tribal organization: defined in section 4(l) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304(1)).

Title 54, §101703

National Park Service and Related Programs, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In General.—

To facilitate the administration of the System, the Secretary, under such terms and conditions as the Secretary considers advisable, may enter into an agreement with an eligible entity managing lands and waters located near a System unit to provide for cooperative management of either a System unit or the lands and waters located near a System unit to promote more effective and efficient management of a System unit. The Secretary may not transfer administration responsibilities for any System unit under this paragraph.

(b)Provision of Goods and Services.—

(1)In general.—

Under a cooperative management agreement, the Secretary may acquire by purchase, donation, or exchange from and provide to an eligible entity on a reimbursable basis goods and services to be used by the Secretary or the eligible entity in the cooperative management of land and waters.

(2)Retention of funds.—

Reimbursements received under this section may be credited to the appropriation current at the time reimbursements are received.

(c)Co-location.—

Under the cooperative management agreement, the Secretary and an eligible entity may co-locate in offices and facilities owned or leased by either party.

(d)Employees.—

(1)Assignment of employee.—

The Secretary may arrange an assignment under section 3372 of title 5 of a Federal employee or an employee of an eligible entity as mutually agreed upon, for work on any Federal, State, local, or Tribal land.

(2)Extension of assignment.—

The assignment provided in paragraph (1) may be extended for any period of time determined by the Secretary and the eligible entity to be mutually beneficial.

(e)Definitions.—

In this section

(1) Eligible entity.—

(2)Indian tribe.—

The term “Indian Tribe” has the meaning given the term in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304(e)).

(3)State.—

The term “State” means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, and each territory of the United States.

(4)Tribal organization.—

The term “Tribal organization” has the meaning given the term in section 4(l) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304(1)).

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 10170316 U.S.C. 1a–2 (matter before (a)).Pub. L. 91–383, § 3 (matter before (a)), Aug. 18, 1970, 84 Stat. 826. 16 U.S.C. 1a–2(l).Pub. L. 91–383, § 3(l), as added Pub. L. 105–391, title VIII, § 802(a), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3523.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2025—Pub. L. 118–234 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to cooperative management agreements.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Authorizing Cooperative Management Agreements Between the District of Columbia and the Secretary of the Interior Pub. L. 116–9, title II, § 2403, Mar. 12, 2019, 133 Stat. 747, provided that: “The Secretary [of the Interior] may enter into a cooperative management agreement with the District of Columbia in accordance with section 101703 of title 54, United States Code.”

§101703 Cooperative Management Agreements