---
kind: "section"
citation: "54 U.S.C. § 320102"
title: "54"
title_heading: "National Park Service and Related Programs"
number: "320102"
heading: "Powers and duties of Secretary"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/54/320102"
units:
  - "Subtitle III — National Preservation Programs"
  - "Division C — American Antiquities"
  - "Chapter 3201 — Policy and Administrative Provisions"
---

# §320102. Powers and duties of Secretary

- (a) **In General.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1), acting through the [Director](/usc/54/100102.md?p=1), for the purpose of effectuating the policy expressed in [section 320101 of this title](/usc/54/320101.md), has the powers and shall perform the duties set out in this section.
- (b) **Preservation of Data.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1) shall secure, collate, and preserve drawings, plans, photographs, and other data of [historic](/usc/54/308601.md?p=2) and archeologic sites, buildings, and objects.
- (c) **Survey.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1) shall make a survey of [historic](/usc/54/308601.md?p=2) and archeologic sites, buildings, and objects for the purpose of determining which possess exceptional value as commemorating or illustrating the history of the United States.
- (d) **Investigations and Researches.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1) shall make necessary investigations and researches in the United States relating to particular sites, buildings, and objects to obtain accurate historical and archeological facts and information concerning the sites, buildings, and objects.
- (e) **Acquisition of Property.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1) may, for the purpose of this chapter, acquire in the name of the United States by gift, purchase, or otherwise any property, personal or real, or any interest or estate in property, title to any real property to be satisfactory to the [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1). Property that is owned by any religious or educational institution or that is owned or administered for the benefit of the public shall not be acquired without the consent of the owner. No property shall be acquired or contract or agreement for the acquisition of the property made that will obligate the general fund of the Treasury for the payment of the property, unless Congress has appropriated money that is available for that purpose.
- (f) **Contracts and Cooperative Agreements.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1) may contract and make cooperative agreements with States, municipal subdivisions, corporations, associations, or individuals, with proper bond where considered advisable, to protect, preserve, maintain, or operate any [historic](/usc/54/308601.md?p=2) or archeologic building, site, or object, or property used in connection with the building, site, or object, for public use, regardless whether the title to the building, site, object, or property is in the United States. No contract or cooperative agreement shall be made or entered into that will obligate the general fund of the Treasury unless or until Congress has appropriated money for that purpose.
- (g) **Protection of Sites, Buildings, Objects, and Property.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1) shall restore, reconstruct, rehabilitate, preserve, and maintain [historic](/usc/54/308601.md?p=2) or prehistoric sites, buildings, objects, and property of national historical or archeological significance and where considered desirable establish and maintain museums in connection with the sites, buildings, objects, and property.
- (h) **Tablets To Mark or Commemorate Places and Events.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1) shall erect and maintain tablets to mark or commemorate [historic](/usc/54/308601.md?p=2) or prehistoric places and events of national historical or archeological significance.
- (i) **Operation for Benefit of Public.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1) may operate and manage [historic](/usc/54/308601.md?p=2) and archeologic sites, buildings, and property acquired under this chapter together with land and subordinate buildings for the benefit of the public and may charge reasonable visitation fees and grant concessions, leases, or permits for the use of land, building space, roads, or trails when necessary or desirable either to accommodate the public or to facilitate administration. The [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1) may grant those concessions, leases, or permits and enter into contracts relating to the contracts, leases, or permits with responsible persons, firms, or corporations without advertising and without securing competitive bids.
- (j) **Corporation To Carry Out Duties.—** When the [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1) determines that it would be administratively burdensome to restore, reconstruct, operate, or maintain any particular [historic](/usc/54/308601.md?p=2) or archeologic site, building, or property donated to the United States through the [Service](/usc/54/100102.md?p=4), the [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1) may cause the restoration, reconstruction, operation, or maintenance to be done by organizing a corporation for that purpose under the laws of the District of Columbia or any State.
- (k) **Educational Program and Service.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1) shall develop an educational [program](/usc/54/308601.md?p=3) and [service](/usc/54/100102.md?p=4) for the purpose of making available to the public information pertaining to American [historic](/usc/54/308601.md?p=2) and archeologic sites, buildings, and properties of national significance. Reasonable charges may be made for the dissemination of any such information.
- (l) **Actions and Regulations Necessary To Carry Out Chapter.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1) shall perform any and all acts and make regulations not inconsistent with this chapter that may be necessary and proper to carry out this chapter.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 113–287, § 3, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3257.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 320102 | 16 U.S.C. 462(a) through (k) (1st sentence). | Aug. 21, 1935, ch. 593, § 2(a) through (k) (1st sentence), 49 Stat. 666; Pub. L. 89–249, § 8, Oct. 9, 1965, 79 Stat. 971. |

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### National Historic Site Support Facility Improvements

Pub. L. 113–291, div. B, title XXX, § 3053, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3806, provided that: Improvement.—The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National Park Service (referred to in this section as the ‘Secretary’), may make improvements to a support facility, including a visitor center, for a National Historic Site operated by the National Park Service if the project— is conducted using amounts included in the budget of the National Park Service in effect on the date on which the project is authorized; is subject to a 50 percent non-Federal cost-sharing requirement; and is conducted in an area in which the National Park Service was authorized by law in effect before the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 19, 2014] to establish a support facility. Operation and Use.—The Secretary may operate and use all or part of a support facility, including a visitor center, for a National Historic Site operated by the National Park Service— to carry out duties associated with operating and supporting the National Historic Site; and only in accordance with an agreement between the Secretary and the unit of local government in which the support facility is located.”

### Financial Assistance for Maintenance and Protection of Folger Library and Corcoran Gallery of Art; Limitation on Contract Authority

Pub. L. 96–344, § 1, Sept. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1133, provided: “That  in furtherance of the purposes of subsection 2(e) of the Act of August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666) [see 54 U.S.C. 320102(f)], the Secretary of the Interior may provide financial assistance for the maintenance and protection of the Folger Library and the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Authority to enter into contracts or cooperative agreements, to incur obligations, or to make payments under this Act [Pub. L. 96–344, Sept. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1133] shall be effective only to the extent, and in such amounts, as are provided in advance in appropriation Acts.”