---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 459j–1"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "459j–1"
heading: "Acquisition of property; donation and development of State lands; transfer from Federal agency to administrative jurisdiction of Secretary; written cooperative agreement with National Aeronautics and Space Administration; construction and development; report to Congressional committees"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/459j-1"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores"
  - "Subchapter LXIII — National Seashore Recreational Areas"
---

# §459j–1. Acquisition of property; donation and development of State lands; transfer from Federal agency to administrative jurisdiction of Secretary; written cooperative agreement with National Aeronautics and Space Administration; construction and development; report to Congressional committees


Within the boundaries of the seashore, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) may [acquire](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) lands, waters, and interests therein by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, exchange, or transfer. Any property owned by the [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) of Florida or any political [subdivision](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=15) thereof may be acquired only by donation. It is the intent and purpose of sections [459j](/usc/16/459j.md) to [459j–8](/usc/16/459j–8.md) of this title that the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) shall have sole authority to develop and improve those [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) owned lands donated now and in the future in accordance with the intent and purposes of sections [459j](/usc/16/459j.md) to [459j–8](/usc/16/459j–8.md) of this title. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any federally owned property within the boundaries of the seashore may, with the concurrence of the agency having custody thereof, be transferred without consideration to the administrative jurisdiction of the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior and he may develop and administer such lands in a manner consistent with the purposes of sections [459j](/usc/16/459j.md) to [459j–8](/usc/16/459j–8.md) of this title. In accepting lands transferred by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration pursuant to sections [459j](/usc/16/459j.md) to [459j–8](/usc/16/459j–8.md) of this title the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) shall enter into a written cooperative agreement with the [Administrator](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=a) to assure the use of such lands in a manner which is deemed consistent with the public safety and with the needs of the space and defense programs of the Nation: Provided, That no new construction or development shall be permitted within the seashore, except for the construction of such facilities as the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) deems necessary for the health and safety of the visiting public or for the proper administration of the seashore: Provided further, That after January 3, 1975, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior, in cooperation with the [Administrator](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, shall submit to the Committees on Natural Resources and on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and to the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report of all land transfers made by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to the Department of the Interior under sections [459j](/usc/16/459j.md) to [459j–8](/usc/16/459j–8.md) of this title.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 93–626, § 2, Jan. 3, 1975, 88 Stat. 2122; Pub. L. 103–437, § 6(o), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4586.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–437 substituted “Natural Resources and on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and to the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate” for “Interior and Insular Affairs of the Congress and to the Committee on Science and Astronautics of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences of the Senate”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Additions to Seashore

Pub. L. 100–564, §§ 1, 3, Oct. 31, 1988, 102 Stat. 2831, authorized and directed the Secretary of the Interior to acquire certain lands depicted on a map entitled “Additions to Canaveral National Seashore”, required the Secretary to file the map with certain Congressional committees, and authorized appropriations necessary to carry out such acquisitions.