---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 410fff"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "410fff"
heading: "Findings"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/410fff"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores"
  - "Subchapter LIX–DD — Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area"
---

# §410fff. Findings


Congress finds that—

- (1) Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument was established for the preservation of its spectacular gorges and additional features of scenic, scientific, and educational interest;
- (2) the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and adjacent upland include a variety of unique ecological, geological, scenic, historical, and wildlife components enhanced by the serenity and rural western setting of the [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A);
- (3) the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and adjacent land provide extensive opportunities for educational and recreational activities, and are publicly used for hiking, camping, and fishing, and for [wilderness](/usc/16/3102.md?p=13) value, including solitude;
- (4) adjacent public land downstream of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument has [wilderness](/usc/16/3102.md?p=13) value and offers unique geological, paleontological, scientific, educational, and recreational resources;
- (5) public land adjacent to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument contributes to the protection of the wildlife, viewshed, and scenic qualities of the Black Canyon;
- (6) some private land adjacent to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument has exceptional natural and scenic value that would be threatened by future development pressures;
- (7) the benefits of designating public and private land surrounding the national monument as a national [park](/usc/16/410fff–1.md?p=3) include greater long-term protection of the resources and expanded visitor use opportunities; and
- (8) land in and adjacent to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison Gorge is—
  - (A) recognized for offering exceptional [multiple use](/usc/16/531.md?p=a) opportunities;
  - (B) recognized for offering natural, cultural, scenic, [wilderness](/usc/16/3102.md?p=13), and recreational resources; and
  - (C) worthy of additional protection as a national [conservation area](/usc/16/410fff–1.md?p=1), and with respect to the Gunnison Gorge itself, as a component of the national [wilderness](/usc/16/3102.md?p=13) system.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 106–76, § 2, Oct. 21, 1999, 113 Stat. 1126.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title of 2003 Amendment

Pub. L. 108–128, § 1, Nov. 17, 2003, 117 Stat. 1355, provided that: “This Act [amending sections 410fff–2, 410fff–3, and 410fff–5 of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under section 410fff–2 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Black Canyon of the Gunnison Boundary Revision Act of 2003’.”

### Short Title

Pub. L. 106–76, § 1, Oct. 21, 1999, 113 Stat. 1126, provided that: “This Act [enacting this subchapter and amending provisions listed in a table of National Monuments Established Under Presidential Proclamation set out under section 431 of this title and provisions listed in a table of Wilderness Areas set out under section 1132 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area Act of 1999’.”