---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 460l–18"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "460l–18"
heading: "Authority of Secretary of the Interior"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/460l-18"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores"
  - "Subchapter LXIX — Outdoor Recreation Programs"
  - "Part C — Water Resources Projects"
---

# §460l–18. Authority of Secretary of the Interior

- (a) **Provision of facilities, acquisition of lands, and provision for public use and enjoyment of project lands, facilities, and water areas in coordination with other project purposes; execution of agreements before providing lands, facilities, and project modifications—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) is authorized, in conjunction with any reservoir heretofore constructed by him pursuant to the Federal reclamation laws or any reservoir which is otherwise under his control, except reservoirs within national wildlife refuges, to investigate, plan, construct, operate and maintain, or otherwise provide for public outdoor recreation and [fish and wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) enhancement facilities, to [acquire](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) or otherwise make available such adjacent lands or interests therein as are necessary for public outdoor recreation or [fish and wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) use, and to provide for public use and enjoyment of [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) lands, facilities, and water [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) in a manner coordinated with the other [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) purposes. Lands, facilities and [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) modifications for the purposes of this subsection may be provided only after an agreement in accordance with subsection [(b)](/usc/16/460l–14.md?p=b) or [(c)](/usc/16/460l–14.md?p=c) of section 460l–14 of this title has been executed.
- (b) **Agreements with government agencies to promote development and operation of lands or facilities for recreation and fish and wildlife enhancement purposes—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior is authorized to enter into agreements with Federal agencies or [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) or [local public bodies](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=5) for the administration of [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) land and water [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) and the operation, maintenance, and replacement of facilities and to transfer [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) lands or facilities to Federal agencies or [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) or [local public bodies](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=5) by lease agreement or exchange upon such terms and conditions as will best promote the development and operation of such lands or facilities in the public interest for recreation and [fish and wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) enhancement purposes.
- (c) **Transfer of lands; consent of other Federal agencies to use of lands for recreation or fish and wildlife purposes; transfers to Secretary of Agriculture of forest lands; continuing administration of lands and waters for other project purposes; prohibition against limitation of authority under existing provisions of law—** No lands under the jurisdiction of any other Federal agency may be included for or devoted to recreation or [fish and wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) purposes under the authority of this section without the consent of the head of such agency; and the head of any such agency is authorized to transfer any such lands to the jurisdiction of the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior for purposes of this section. The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior is authorized to transfer jurisdiction over [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) lands within or adjacent to the exterior boundaries of national forests and facilities thereon to the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture for recreation and other national forest system purposes; and such transfer shall be made in each case in which the [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) reservoir [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) is located wholly within the exterior boundaries of a national forest unless the [Secretaries](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture and Interior jointly determine otherwise. Where any [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) lands are transferred hereunder to the jurisdiction of the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture, the lands involved shall become national [forest lands](/usc/16/544.md?p=f): Provided, That the lands and waters within the flow lines of any reservoir or otherwise needed or used for the operation of the [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) for other purposes shall continue to be administered by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior to the extent he determines to be necessary for such operation. Nothing herein shall limit the authority of the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior granted by existing provisions of law relating to recreation or [fish and wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) development in connection with water resource [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) or to disposition of [public lands](/usc/16/620e.md?p=7) for such purposes.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–72, § 7, July 9, 1965, 79 Stat. 216; Pub. L. 102–377, title II, § 206, Oct. 2, 1992, 106 Stat. 1332; Pub. L. 102–575, title XXVIII, § 2804(e), Oct. 30, 1992, 106 Stat. 4692.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1992—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–575, § 2804(e)(2), substituted “subsection (b) or (c) of section 460l–14” for “subsection 460l–14(b)”.

Pub. L. 102–575, § 2804(e)(1), which directed amendment of subsec. (a) by striking “purposes: Provided,” and all that follows through end of sentence and inserting “purposes”, could not be executed because the words “purposes: Provided,” did not appear subsequent to amendment by Pub. L. 102–377. See below.

Pub. L. 102–377 substituted “purposes.” for “purposes: Provided, That not more than $100,000 shall be available to carry out the provisions of this subsection at any one reservoir.”