---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 410cccc–3"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "410cccc–3"
heading: "Golden Spike National Historical Park"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/410cccc-3"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores"
  - "Subchapter LIX–AAA — Golden Spike National Historical Park"
---

# §410cccc–3. Golden Spike National Historical Park

- (a) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **Park—** The term “[Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3)” means the Golden Spike National Historical [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) designated by [subsection (b)(1)](#b-1).
  - (2) **Program—** The term “Program” means the program to commemorate and interpret the Transcontinental Railroad authorized under [subsection (c)](#c).
  - (3) **Secretary—** The term “[Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1)” means the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1), acting through the Director of the National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) Service.
  - (4) **Transcontinental railroad—** The term “Transcontinental Railroad” means the approximately 1,912-mile continuous railroad constructed between 1863 and 1869 extending from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to San Francisco, California.
- (b) **Redesignation—**
  - (1) **Redesignation—** The Golden Spike National Historic Site designated April 2, 1957, and placed under the administration of the National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) Service under sections [410cccc](/usc/16/410cccc.md) to [410cccc–2](/usc/16/410cccc–2.md) of this title, shall be known and designated as the “Golden Spike National Historical [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3)”.
  - (2) **References—** Any reference in a law, [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1), regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the Golden Spike National Historic Site shall be considered to be a reference to the “Golden Spike National Historical [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3)”.
- (c) **Transcontinental Railroad commemoration and program—**
  - (1) **In general—** Subject to [paragraph (2)](#c-2), the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) shall establish within the National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) Service a program to commemorate and interpret the Transcontinental Railroad.
  - (2) **Study—** Before establishing the Program, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) shall conduct a study of alternatives for commemorating and interpreting the Transcontinental Railroad that includes—
    - (A) a historical assessment of the Transcontinental Railroad;
    - (B) the identification of—
      - (i) existing National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) System land and affiliated [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A), land managed by other Federal agencies, and Federal programs that may be related to preserving, commemorating, and interpreting the Transcontinental Railroad;
      - (ii) any properties relating to the Transcontinental Railroad—
        - (I) that are designated as, or could meet the criteria for designation as, National Historic Landmarks; or
        - (II) that are included, or eligible for inclusion, on the National Register of Historic Places;
      - (iii) any objects relating to the Transcontinental Railroad that have educational, research, or interpretative value; and
      - (iv) any governmental programs and nongovernmental programs of an educational, research, or interpretive nature relating to the Transcontinental Railroad; and
    - (C) recommendations for—
      - (i) incorporating the resources identified under [subparagraph (B)](#c-2-B) into the Program; and
      - (ii) other appropriate ways to enhance historical research, education, interpretation, and public awareness of the Transcontinental Railroad.
  - (3) **Report—** Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out the study under [paragraph (2)](#c-2), the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report containing the findings and recommendations of the study.
  - (4) **Freight railroad operations—** The Program shall not include any properties that are—
    - (A) used in active freight railroad operations (or other ancillary purposes); or
    - (B) reasonably anticipated to be used for freight railroad operations in the future.
  - (5) **Elements of the program—** In carrying out the Program under this subsection, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1)—
    - (A) shall produce and disseminate appropriate education materials relating to the history, construction, and legacy of the Transcontinental Railroad, such as handbooks, [maps](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1), interpretive guides, or electronic information;
    - (B) may enter into appropriate cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding and provide technical assistance to the heads of other Federal agencies, [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r), [units](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of local government, regional governmental bodies, and private entities to further the purposes of the Program and this section; and
    - (C) may—
      - (i) create and adopt an official, uniform symbol or device to identify the Program; and
      - (ii) issue guidance for the use of the symbol or device created and adopted under [clause (i)](#c-5-C-i).
- (d) **Programmatic agreement—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 180 days after March 12, 2019, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) shall seek to enter into a programmatic agreement with the Utah [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) Historic Preservation Officer to add to the list of undertakings eligible for streamlined review under [section 306108 of title 54](/usc/54/306108.md) certain uses that would have limited physical impact to land in the [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3).
  - (2) **Development and consultation—** The programmatic agreement entered into under [paragraph (1)](#d-1) shall be developed—
    - (A) in accordance with applicable laws (including regulations); and
    - (B) in consultation with adjacent landowners, [Indian Tribes](/usc/16/544.md?p=g), and other interested parties.
  - (3) **Approval—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) shall—
    - (A) consider any application for uses covered by the programmatic agreement; and
    - (B) not later than 60 days after the receipt of an application described in [subparagraph (A)](#d-3-A), approve the application, if the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) determines the application is consistent with—
      - (i) the programmatic agreement entered into under [paragraph (1)](#d-1); and
      - (ii) applicable laws (including regulations).
- (e) **Invasive species—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) shall consult with, and seek to coordinate with, adjacent landowners to address the treatment of invasive species adjacent to, and within the boundaries of, the [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 116–9, title II, § 2205, Mar. 12, 2019, 133 Stat. 738.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, and not as part of Pub. L. 89–102 which comprises this subchapter.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Definition of “Secretary”

Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, see section 2 of Pub. L. 116–9, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.