---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 459h–1"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "459h–1"
heading: "Acquisition of property"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/459h-1"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores"
  - "Subchapter LXIII — National Seashore Recreational Areas"
---

# §459h–1. Acquisition of property

- (a) **Authority of Secretary; concurrence of State owner; administrative site and related facilities; transfer from Federal agency to administrative jurisdiction of Secretary—** Within the boundaries of the seashore, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) may [acquire](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) submerged land, land, waters, and interests therein by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange, except that property owned by a [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) or any political [subdivision](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=15) thereof may be acquired only with the consent of the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4). The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) may [acquire](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) by any of the above methods not more than four hundred acres of land or interests therein outside of the seashore boundaries on the mainland in the vicinity of Biloxi-Gulfport, Mississippi, for an administrative site and related facilities for access to the seashore. With the concurrence of the agency having custody thereof, any Federal property within the seashore and mainland site may be transferred without consideration to the administrative jurisdiction of the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) for the purposes of the seashore.
- (b) **Improved residential property owner’s reservation of right of use and occupancy for residential purposes for life or fixed term of years; election by owner; transfer or assignment of right; adjustment of compensation—** With respect to improved residential property acquired for the purposes of sections [459h](/usc/16/459h.md) to [459h–10](/usc/16/459h–10.md) of this title, which is beneficially owned by a natural [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) and which the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior determines can be continued in that use for a limited period of time without undue interference with the administration, development, or public use of the seashore, the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) thereof may on the date of its [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) retain a right of use and occupancy of the property for noncommercial residential purposes for a term, as the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) may elect, ending either (1) at the death of the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) or his spouse, whichever occurs later, or (2) not more than twenty-five years from the date of [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1). Any right so retained may during its existence be transferred or assigned. The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) 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 their[^1] fair market value on such date of the right retained by the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4).
- (c) **“Improved residential property” defined—** As used in sections [459h](/usc/16/459h.md) to [459h–10](/usc/16/459h–10.md) of this title, “improved residential property” means a single-family year-round dwelling, the construction of which began before January 1, 1967, and which serves as the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4)’s permanent place of abode at the time of its [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) by the United States, together with not more than three acres of land on which the dwelling and appurtenant buildings are located that the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) finds is reasonably necessary for the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4)’s continued use and occupancy of the dwelling: Provided, That the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) may exclude from improved residential property any marsh, beach, or waters and adjoining land that the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) deems is necessary for public access to such marsh, beach, or waters.
- (d) **Termination of use and occupancy inconsistent with statutory purposes and upon tender of sum for unexpired right—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) 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 sections [459h](/usc/16/459h.md) to [459h–10](/usc/16/459h–10.md) of this title, and upon tender to the holder of the right an amount equal to the fair market value of that portion of the right which remains unexpired on the date of termination.
- (e) **Acquisition authority—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) may [acquire](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1), from a willing seller only—
    - (A) all land comprising the parcel described in subsection (b)(3)[^2] that is above the mean line of ordinary high tide, lying and being situated in Harrison County, Mississippi;
    - (B) an easement over the approximately 150-acre parcel depicted as the “Boddie Family Tract” on the Cat Island [Map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) for the purpose of implementing an agreement with the [owners](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) of the parcel concerning the development and use of the parcel; and
    - (C)
      - (i) land and interests in land on Cat Island outside the 2,000-acre [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) depicted on the Cat Island [Map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1); and
      - (ii) submerged land that lies within 1 mile seaward of Cat Island (referred to in sections [459h](/usc/16/459h.md) to [459h–10](/usc/16/459h–10.md) of this title[^2] as the “buffer zone”), except that submerged land owned by the [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) of Mississippi (or a [subdivision](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=15) of the [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a)) may be acquired only by donation.
  - (2) **Administration—**
    - (A) **In general—** Land and interests in land acquired under this subsection shall be administered by 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.
    - (B) **Buffer zone—** Nothing in sections [459h](/usc/16/459h.md) to [459h–10](/usc/16/459h–10.md) of this title[^2] or any other provision of law shall require the [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) of Mississippi to convey to the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) any right, title, or interest in or to the buffer zone as a condition for the establishment of the buffer zone.
  - (3) **Modification of boundary—** The boundary of the seashore shall be modified to reflect the [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) of land under this subsection only after completion of the [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1).

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “the”.
[^2]: See References in Text note below.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 91–660, § 2, Jan. 8, 1971, 84 Stat. 1967; Pub. L. 92–275, § 1(1), Apr. 20, 1972, 86 Stat. 123; Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(4) [div. B, title I, § 137(b)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A–231.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Subsection (b)(3), referred to in subsec. (e)(1)(A), probably means subsection (b)(3) of section 459h of this title. Subsection (b) of this section does not contain a par. (3).

Sections 459h to 459h–10 of this title, referred to in subsec. (e)(1)(C)(ii), (2)(B), was in the original “this title”, and was translated as reading “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 91–660, which enacted sections 459h to 459h–10 of this title, to reflect the probable intent of Congress, because Pub. L. 91–660 does not contain titles.

### Amendments

2000—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(4) [div. B, title I, § 137(b)(1)], substituted “submerged land, land,” for “lands,” in first sentence.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(4) [div. B, title I, § 137(b)(2)], added subsec. (e).

1972—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 92–275 increased amount of property authorized to be acquired from one hundred thirty-five to four hundred acres.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Gulf Islands National Seashore Land Exchange

Pub. L. 115–279, Nov. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4187, known as the Gulf Islands National Seashore Land Exchange Act, authorized the Secretary of the Interior to exchange certain Federal lands located within the Gulf Islands National Seashore in Jackson County, Mississippi, for non-Federal land identified as “VFW Exchange Area” located in Jackson County, Mississippi, owned by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5699, with the stipulation for equal value exchange and provision for methods of equalizing the exchange, for the conveyance agreement and title approval, and for the modification of the boundary of the Gulf Islands National Seashore to reflect the exchange.