---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 273a"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "273a"
heading: "Acquisition of property; authority of Secretary; State property"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/273a"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores"
  - "Subchapter XXXI — Capitol Reef National Park"
---

# §273a. Acquisition of property; authority of Secretary; State property


The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) is authorized to [acquire](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, transfer from any Federal agency, exchange, or otherwise, the lands and interests in lands described in [section 273 of this title](/usc/16/273.md), except that lands or interests therein owned by the [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) of Utah, or any political [subdivision](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=15) thereof, may be acquired only with the approval of such [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) or political [subdivision](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=15).


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 92–207, § 2, Dec. 18, 1971, 85 Stat. 739.)