---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 460w"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "460w"
heading: "Establishment; boundaries"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/460w"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores"
  - "Subchapter LXXXI — Apostle Islands National Lakeshore"
---

# §460w. Establishment; boundaries


In order to conserve and develop for the benefit, inspiration, education, recreational use, and enjoyment of the public certain significant islands, shoreline, and light stations of the United States and their related geographic, scenic, historic, and scientific values, there is hereby established the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (hereinafter referred to as the “lakeshore”) in Ashland and Bayfield [Counties](/usc/16/544.md?p=d), Wisconsin, consisting of:

- (a) **In general—** The [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) generally depicted on the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) entitled “Apostle Islands National Lakeshore”, numbered NL–AI–91,000, sheets 1 and 2, and dated June 1970.
- (b) **Long Island addition—** Approximately 200 acres of land at the mouth of Chequamegon Bay known as “Long Island”, as depicted on the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) numbered NL–AI–91,001 and dated December, 1985.
- (c) **Ashland Harbor Breakwater Light—**
  - (1) The Ashland Harbor Breakwater Light generally depicted on the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) titled “Ashland Harbor Breakwater Light [Addition](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-2) to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore” and dated February 11, 2014, located at the end of the breakwater on Chequamegon Bay, Wisconsin.
  - (2) Congress does not intend for the designation of the property under [paragraph (1)](#c-1) to create a protective perimeter or buffer zone around the boundary of that property.

The [maps](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the office of the Director, National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) Service, Department of the Interior.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 91–424, § 1, Sept. 26, 1970, 84 Stat. 880; Pub. L. 99–497, § 1(1), Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1267; Pub. L. 113–291, div. B, title XXX, § 3030(1), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3766.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2014—Pub. L. 113–291, § 3030(1)(A), in introductory provisions, substituted “islands, shoreline, and light stations” for “islands and shoreline” and inserted “historic,” after “scenic,”.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 113–291, § 3030(1)(B), substituted “The area” for “the area” and period at end for “; and”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 113–291, § 3030(1)(C), substituted “1985.” for “1985..”

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 113–291, § 3030(1)(D), added subsec. (c).

1986—Pub. L. 99–497 designated the provision specifying the boundaries of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore as the area depicted on the map numbered NL–AI–91,000 as subsec. (a), substituted “1970; and” for “1970”, added subsec. (b), and in provision following subsec. (b) substituted “maps” for “map”.