---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 410aa–1"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "410aa–1"
heading: "Lands and property"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/410aa-1"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores"
  - "Subchapter LVIII — Valley Forge National Historical Park"
---

# §410aa–1. Lands and property

- (a) **Boundaries; inspection of map—** The [park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a) shall comprise the [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) generally depicted on the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) entitled “Valley Forge National Historical [Park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a)”, dated June 1979, and numbered VF–91,001, which shall be on file and available for inspection in the offices of the National [Park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a) Service, Department of the Interior, Washington, District of Columbia, and in the offices of the superintendent of the [park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a). After advising the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, in writing, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410y.md?p=c) may make minor revisions of the boundaries of the [park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a) when necessary by publication of a revised [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) or other boundary description in the Federal Register.
- (b) **Acquisition of lands—** Within the boundaries of the [park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a), the [Secretary](/usc/16/410y.md?p=c) may [acquire](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) lands and interests therein by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, exchange, or transfer. Any property owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or any political [subdivision](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=15) thereof may be acquired only by donation. The effective date of such donation shall not be prior to October 1, 1976.
- (c) **Reservation of rights by grantors; compensation for land—** Except for property deemed by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410y.md?p=c) to be essential for visitor facilities, or for access to or administration of the [park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a), any [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) or [owners](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) of [improved property](/usc/16/251h.md?p=2) on the date of its [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410y.md?p=c) may, as a condition of such [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1), retain for themselves and their successors or assigns a right of use and occupancy of the [improved property](/usc/16/251h.md?p=2) for noncommercial residential purposes for a definite term not to exceed twenty-five years, or in lieu thereof, for a term ending at the death of the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4), or the death of his or her spouse, whichever is the later. The [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) shall elect the term to be reserved. Unless the property is wholly or partially donated, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410y.md?p=c) shall pay to the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) the fair market value of the property on the date of such [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1), less the fair market value on such date of the right retained by the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4).
- (d) **Termination of grantor’s rights—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410y.md?p=c) may terminate a right of use and occupancy retained pursuant to this section upon his determination that such use and occupancy is being exercised in a manner not consistent with the purposes of this subchapter, and upon tender to the holder of the right of an amount equal to the fair market value of that portion of the right which remains unexpired on the date of termination.
- (e) **“Improved property” defined—** The term “[improved property](/usc/16/251h.md?p=2)”, as used in this section shall mean a detached, noncommercial residential dwelling, the construction of which was begun before January 1, 1975 (hereafter referred to as “dwelling”), together with so much of the land on which the dwelling is situated, the said land being in the same ownership as the dwelling, as the [Secretary](/usc/16/410y.md?p=c) shall designate to be reasonably necessary for the enjoyment of the dwelling for the sole purpose of noncommercial residential use, together with any structures accessory to the dwelling which are situated on the land so designated.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–337, § 2, July 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 796; Pub. L. 96–287, title III, § 301(1), June 28, 1980, 94 Stat. 601; Pub. L. 103–437, § 6(a)(3), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4583.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–437 substituted “Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives” for “Committees on Interior and Insular Affairs of the United States Congress”.

1980—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–287 substituted reference to park area as depicted on map “dated June 1979, and numbered VF–91,001” for prior depiction on map “dated February 1976, and numbered VF–91,000”.