---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 460uu"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "460uu"
heading: "Establishment; description of area"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/460uu"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores"
  - "Subchapter CVI — El Malpais National Monument and Conservation Area"
  - "Part A — El Malpais National Monument"
---

# §460uu. Establishment; description of area

- (a) In order to [preserve](/usc/16/698u–1.md?p=2), for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations, that [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) in western New Mexico containing the nationally significant Grants Lava Flow, the Las Ventanas Chacoan Archeological Site, and other significant natural and cultural resources, there is hereby established the El Malpais National Monument (hereinafter referred to as the “monument”). The monument shall consist of approximately 114,000 acres as generally depicted on the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) entitled “El Malpais National Monument and National Conservation [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A)” numbered NM–ELMA–80,001–B and dated May 1987. The [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the Director of the National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) Service, Department of the Interior.
- (b) As soon as practicable after December 31, 1987, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior (hereinafter referred to as the “[Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1)”) shall file a legal description of the monument with the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the United States House of Representatives and with the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate. Such legal description shall have the same force and effect as if included in this subchapter, except that the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) may correct clerical and typographical errors in such legal description and in the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) referred to in [subsection (a)](#a). The legal description shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) Service, Department of the Interior.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 100–225, title I, § 101, Dec. 31, 1987, 101 Stat. 1539.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives changed to Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives on Jan. 5, 1993, by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Third Congress.