---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 1275"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "1275"
heading: "Additions to national wild and scenic rivers system"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/1275"
units:
  - "Chapter 28 — Wild and Scenic Rivers"
---

# §1275. Additions to national wild and scenic rivers system

- (a) **Reports by Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture; recommendations to Congress; contents of reports—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior or, where national [forest lands](/usc/16/544.md?p=f) are involved, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture or, in appropriate cases, the two [Secretaries](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) jointly shall study and submit to the President reports on the suitability or nonsuitability for [addition](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-2) to the national wild and scenic [rivers](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) system of [rivers](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) which are designated herein or hereafter by the Congress as potential [additions](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-2) to such system. The President shall report to the Congress his recommendations and proposals with respect to the designation of each such [river](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) or section thereof under this chapter. Such studies shall be completed and such reports shall be made to the Congress with respect to all [rivers](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) named in [section 1276(a)](/usc/16/1276.md?p=a) (1) through (27) of this title no later than October 2, 1978. In conducting these studies the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior and the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture shall give priority to those [rivers](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) (i) with respect to which there is the greatest likelihood of developments which, if undertaken, would render the [rivers](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) unsuitable for inclusion in the national wild and scenic [rivers](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) system, and (ii) which possess the greatest proportion of [private lands](/usc/16/620e.md?p=6) within their [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A). Every such study and plan shall be coordinated with any water resources planning involving the same [river](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) which is being conducted pursuant to the Water Resources Planning Act [[42 U.S.C. 1962](/usc/42/1962.md) et seq.].

  Each report, including [maps](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) and illustrations, shall show among other things the [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) included within the report; the characteristics which do or do not make the [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) a worthy [addition](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-2) to the system; the current status of land ownership and use in the [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A); the reasonably foreseeable potential uses of the land and water which would be enhanced, foreclosed, or curtailed if the [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) were included in the national wild and scenic [rivers](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) system; the Federal agency (which in the case of a [river](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) which is wholly or substantially within a national forest, shall be the Department of Agriculture) by which it is proposed the [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A), should it be added to the system, be administered; the extent to which it is proposed that such administration, including the costs thereof, be shared by [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) and local agencies; and the estimated cost to the United States of acquiring necessary lands and interests in land and of administering the [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A), should it be added to the system. Each such report shall be printed as a Senate or House document.

- (b) **Study of report by affected Federal and State officials; recommendations and comments; transmittal to President and Congress—** Before submitting any such report to the President and the Congress, copies of the proposed report shall, unless it was prepared jointly by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior and the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture, be submitted by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior to the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture or by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture to the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior, as the case may be, and to the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Army, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Energy, the head of any other affected Federal department or agency and, unless the lands proposed to be included in the [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) are already owned by the United States or have already been authorized for [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) by Act of Congress, the Governor of the [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) or [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) in which they are located or an officer designated by the Governor to receive the same. Any recommendations or comments on the proposal which the said officials furnish the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) or [Secretaries](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) who prepared the report within ninety days of the date on which the report is submitted to them, together with the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1)’s or [Secretaries](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1)’ comments thereon, shall be included with the transmittal to the President and the Congress.
- (c) **Publication in Federal Register—** Before approving or disapproving for inclusion in the national wild and scenic [rivers](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) system any [river](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) designated as a wild, scenic or recreational [river](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) by or pursuant to an act of a [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) legislature, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior shall submit the proposal to the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Army, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Energy, and the head of any other affected Federal department or agency and shall evaluate and give due weight to any recommendations or comments which the said officials furnish him within ninety days of the date on which it is submitted to them. If he approves the proposed inclusion, he shall publish notice thereof in the Federal Register.
- (d) **Areas comprised by boundaries; scope of study report—** The boundaries of any [river](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) proposed in [section 1276(a) of this title](/usc/16/1276.md?p=a) for potential [addition](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-2) to the National Wild and Scenic [Rivers](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a) System shall generally comprise that [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) measured within one-quarter mile from the ordinary high water mark on each side of the [river](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a). In the case of any designated [river](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a), prior to publication of boundaries pursuant to [section 1274(b) of this title](/usc/16/1274.md?p=b), the boundaries also shall comprise the same [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A). This subsection shall not be construed to limit the possible scope of the study report to address [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) which may lie more than one-quarter mile from the ordinary high water mark on each side of the [river](/usc/16/1286.md?p=a).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 90–542, § 4, Oct. 2, 1968, 82 Stat. 909; Pub. L. 93–279, § 1(b)(1), May 10, 1974, 88 Stat. 122; Pub. L. 93–621, § 1(d), Jan. 3, 1975, 88 Stat. 2096; Pub. L. 94–486, title V, § 501, Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2330; Pub. L. 95–91, title III, § 301(b), Aug. 4, 1977, 91 Stat. 578; Pub. L. 99–590, title V, § 502, Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3335.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Water Resources Planning Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 89–80, July 22, 1965, 79 Stat. 244, which is classified generally to chapter 19B (§ 1962 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1962 of Title 42 and Tables.

### Amendments

1986—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 99–590 added subsec. (d).

1976—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–486 struck out provision which directed that no river be added to the national wild and scenic river system after October 2, 1968, until the close of the next full session of the State legislature or legislatures, if more than one State was involved, which began following submission of the proposed addition to the President.

1975—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 93–621, in first paragraph, designated provision relating to the developments, which, if undertaken, would render the rivers unsuitable for inclusion in the system as cl. (i), and added cl. (ii).

1974—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 93–279, in first paragraph, substituted provisions requiring submission of reports to the President on the suitability or nonsuitability for addition to the national wild and scenic river system of rivers designated by Congress as potential additions to such system, and submission by President of recommendations and proposals to the Congress, for provisions for submission of proposals to the President and the Congress, struck out reference to section 1273(b) of this title and administration by an agency of the United States, inserted provisions that the studies relating to rivers named in section 1276(a) of this title be completed by Oct. 2, 1978, and that the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture give priority to rivers which may be unsuitable for inclusion in the national wild and scenic river system if developments were undertaken, and in second paragraph, substantially incorporated the existing provisions with minor changes.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Transfer of Functions

“Secretary of Energy” substituted for “Chairman of the Federal Power Commission” in subsecs. (b) and (c) pursuant to Pub. L. 95–91, § 301(b), which is classified to section 7151(b) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

The Federal Power Commission was terminated, and its functions, personnel, property, funds, etc., were transferred to the Secretary of Energy (except for certain functions which were transferred to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) by sections 7151(b), 7171(a), 7172(a), 7291, and 7293 of Title 42.