---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 670c"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "670c"
heading: "Program for public outdoor recreation"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/670c"
units:
  - "Chapter 5C — Conservation Programs on Government Lands"
  - "Subchapter I — Conservation Programs on Military Installations"
---

# §670c. Program for public outdoor recreation

- (a) **Program authorized—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Defense is also authorized to carry out a program for the development, enhancement, operation, and maintenance of public outdoor recreation resources at [military installations](/usc/16/670.md?p=1) in accordance with an integrated natural resources [management plan](/usc/16/544.md?p=k) mutually agreed upon by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Defense and the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior, in consultation with the appropriate [State](/usc/16/670.md?p=2) agency designated by the [State](/usc/16/670.md?p=2) in which the installations are located.
- (b) **Access for disabled veterans, military dependents with disabilities, and other persons with disabilities—**
  - (1) In developing facilities and conducting programs for public outdoor recreation at [military installations](/usc/16/670.md?p=1), consistent with the primary military mission of the installations, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Defense shall ensure, to the extent reasonably practicable, that outdoor recreation opportunities (including fishing, hunting, trapping, wildlife viewing, boating, and camping) made available to the public also provide access for [persons](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) described in [paragraph (2)](#b-2) when topographic, vegetative, and water resources allow access for such [persons](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) without substantial modification to the natural environment.
  - (2) [Persons](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) referred to in [paragraph (1)](#b-1) are the following:
    - (A) Disabled veterans.
    - (B) Military dependents with disabilities.
    - (C) Other [persons](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) with disabilities, when access to a [military installation](/usc/16/670.md?p=1) for such [persons](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) and other civilians is not otherwise restricted.
  - (3) The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Defense shall carry out this subsection in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Veterans Affairs, national service, military, and veterans organizations, and sporting organizations in the private sector that participate in outdoor recreation [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) for [persons](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) described in [paragraph (2)](#b-2).
- (c) **Acceptance of donations—** In connection with the facilities and programs for public outdoor recreation at [military installations](/usc/16/670.md?p=1), in particular the requirement under [subsection (b)](#b) to provide access for [persons](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) described in [paragraph (2)](#c-2) of such subsection, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Defense may accept—
  - (1) the voluntary services of individuals and organizations; and
  - (2) donations of property, whether real or personal.
- (d) **Treatment of volunteers—** A volunteer under [subsection (c)](#c) shall not be considered to be a Federal employee and shall not be subject to the provisions of law relating to Federal employment, including those relating to hours of work, rates of compensation, leave, unemployment compensation, and Federal employee benefits, except that—
  - (1) for the purposes of the tort claims provisions of [chapter 171](/usc/28/chptVI/ch171.md) of title 28, the volunteer shall be considered to be a Federal employee; and
  - (2) for the purposes of subchapter I of [chapter 81](/usc/5/chptIII/sptG/ch81.md) of title 5, relating to compensation to Federal employees for work injuries, the volunteer shall be considered to be an employee, as defined in [section 8101(1)(B) of title 5](/usc/5/8101.md?p=1-B), and the provisions of such subchapter shall apply.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 86–797, title I, § 103, formerly § 3, Sept. 15, 1960, 74 Stat. 1053; Pub. L. 90–465, § 1, Aug. 8, 1968, 82 Stat. 661; renumbered title I, § 103, Pub. L. 93–452, § 3(1), Oct. 18, 1974, 88 Stat. 1375; Pub. L. 105–85, div. B, title XXIX, §§ 2904(b)(6), 2913(6), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 2018, 2022; Pub. L. 105–261, div. B, title XXVIII, § 2813, Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2206.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1998—Pub. L. 105–261 inserted section catchline, designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and inserted heading, and added subsecs. (b) to (d).

1997—Pub. L. 105–85 substituted “military installations” for “military reservations”, “an integrated natural resources management plan” for “a cooperative plan”, and “the installations” for “such reservations”.

1968—Pub. L. 90–465 authorized the carrying out of a public outdoor recreation resources program under a cooperative plan between Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Interior, and State agencies, and struck out provisions for expenditure of funds collected and purposes therefor, now incorporated in section 670f(a) of this title.