---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 410y–1"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "410y–1"
heading: "Purposes; establishment; boundaries; acquisition of lands; procedure for acquisition; time of acquisition"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/410y-1"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores"
  - "Subchapter LVI — Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park"
---

# §410y–1. Purposes; establishment; boundaries; acquisition of lands; procedure for acquisition; time of acquisition

- (a) In order to [preserve](/usc/16/698u–1.md?p=2) and interpret the historic and scenic features of the Chesapeake and Ohio [Canal](/usc/16/410y.md?p=b), and to develop the potential of the [canal](/usc/16/410y.md?p=b) for public recreation, including such restoration as may be needed, there is hereby established the Chesapeake and Ohio [Canal](/usc/16/410y.md?p=b) National Historical [Park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a), in the [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) of Maryland and West Virginia and in the District of Columbia. The [park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a) as initially established shall comprise those particular properties in Federal ownership, containing approximately five thousand two hundred and fifty acres, including those properties along the line of the Chesapeake and Ohio [Canal](/usc/16/410y.md?p=b) in the [State](/usc/16/410y.md?p=d) of Maryland and appurtenances in the [State](/usc/16/410y.md?p=d) of West Virginia designated as the Chesapeake and Ohio [Canal](/usc/16/410y.md?p=b) National Monument, and those properties along the line of the Chesapeake and Ohio [Canal](/usc/16/410y.md?p=b) between Rock Creek in the District of Columbia and the terminus of the Chesapeake and Ohio [Canal](/usc/16/410y.md?p=b) National Monument near the mouth of Seneca Creek in the [State](/usc/16/410y.md?p=d) of Maryland. The boundaries of the [park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a) shall be as generally depicted on the drawing entitled “Boundary [Map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1), Proposed Chesapeake and Ohio [Canal](/usc/16/410y.md?p=b) National Historical [Park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a),” in five sheets, numbered CHOH 91,000, and dated October 1969, which is on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the National [Park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a) Service, Department of the Interior: Provided, That no lands owned by any [State](/usc/16/410y.md?p=d) shall be included in the boundaries of the [park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a)—
  - (1) unless they are donated to the United States, or
  - (2) until a written cooperative agreement is negotiated by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410y.md?p=c) which assures the administration of such lands in accordance with established administrative policies for national [parks](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a), and
  - (3) until the terms and conditions of such donation or cooperative agreement have been forwarded to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives at least sixty days prior to being executed.

  The exact boundaries of the [park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a) shall be established, published, and otherwise publicized within eighteen months after January 8, 1971, and the [owners](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) of property other than property lying between the [canal](/usc/16/410y.md?p=b) and the Potomac River shall be notified within said period as to the extent of their property included in the [park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a).

- (b) Within the boundaries of the [park](/usc/16/410y.md?p=a), the [Secretary](/usc/16/410y.md?p=c) is authorized to [acquire](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) lands and interests therein by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange, but he shall refrain from acquiring, for two years from January 8, 1971, any lands designated on the boundary [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) for [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) by any [State](/usc/16/410y.md?p=d) if he has negotiated and consummated a written cooperative agreement with such [State](/usc/16/410y.md?p=d) pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a) of this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 91–664, § 3, Jan. 8, 1971, 84 Stat. 1978; Pub. L. 103–437, § 6(g), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4585.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Subsec. (a)(3). 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 House of Representatives and Senate”.