USC Subchapter V

in effect

16 U.S.C. § 21 Establishment; boundaries; trespassers

The tract of land in the States of Montana and Wyoming, lying near the headwaters of the Yellowstone River and described as follows, to wit, commencing at the junction of Gardiner’s River, with the Yellowstone River, and running east to the meridian passing ten miles to the eastward of the most eastern point of Yellowstone Lake; thence south along said meridian to the parallel of latitude passing ten miles south of the most southern point of Yellowstone Lake; thence west along said parallel to the meridian passing fifteen miles west of the most western point of Madison Lake; thence north along said meridian to the latitude of the junction of the Yellowstone and Gardiner’s Rivers; thence east to the place of beginning, is reserved and withdrawn from settlement, occupancy, or sale under the laws of the United States, and dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people; and all persons who locate, or settle upon, or occupy any part of the land thus set apart as a public park, except as provided in section 22 of this title, shall be considered trespassers and removed therefrom.

16 U.S.C. § 21a Revision of boundaries; contiguous national forests; jurisdiction of forests

The boundary of the Yellowstone National Park is changed so as to read as follows: Beginning on the present north boundary line of Yellowstone National Park at its intersection with the hydrographic divide immediately north of Pebble Creek, approximately at park boundary monument 29 east; thence following said divide around the head of the drainage of Pebble Creek to its intersection with the present east boundary line of Yellowstone National Park, at a point near park boundary monument 54 north; thence southerly along said boundary line to its intersection with the hydrographic divide between Soda Butte and Cache Creeks, at a point near park boundary monument 51 north; thence easterly along said hydrographic divide to its intersection with the crest of the Absaroka Range; thence southerly along said crest to its intersection with the main hydrographic divide between Little Lamar River and the North Fork of Shoshone River, passing over Republic and Hoodoo Peaks; thence westerly along said divide passing over Notch Mountain to its intersection with the present east boundary line of Yellowstone National Park, at a point near park boundary monument 26 north; thence continuing westerly along said divide, now between the headwaters of Lamar River and Jones Creek; headwaters of Sedge, Bear, Cub, and Clear Creeks, and the headwaters of Jones and Crow Creeks, and between Crow Creek and Middle Creek, to its intersection with the present east boundary line of Yellowstone National Park, approximately at park boundary monument 18 north, passing over Pyramid and Cathedral Peaks, Mount Chittenden, and Avalanche Peak, thence southerly along said boundary line to its intersection with the hydrographic divide immediately south of Middle Creek, approximately at park boundary monument 15 north; thence westerly along said divide, now between a southern tributary of Middle Creek, headwaters of Beaverdam, Trappers, and Mountain Creeks, and the headwaters of Canfield and Eagle Creeks, to its intersection with the present east boundary line of Yellowstone National Park, at a point near park boundary monument 5 north, passing over Reservation and Atkins Peaks, Mount Schurz, Mount Humphreys, and Eagle Peak; and Beginning on the present west boundary line of Yellowstone National Park at its intersection with the left bank of Gallatin River between park monuments 45 and 46 north; thence northwesterly along said bank to a point opposite the hydrographic divide between Daly and Tepee Creeks; thence northeasterly across the Gallatin River and along said divide, around the headwaters of Daly, Black Butte, Specimen, and Fan Creeks, to the intersection of said divide with the present north boundary line of Yellowstone National Park, at a point near park boundary monument 11 west. All of those lands lying within the boundary lines above described and the present north, east, and west boundary lines are included in and made a part of the Yellowstone National Park; and all of those lands of the present Yellowstone National Park excluded from the park are included in and made a part of the contiguous national forests subject to all laws and regulations applicable to national forests, and upon acceptance thereof by appropriate action of the State, jurisdiction for all purposes whatsoever shall be, and is, ceded over the land excluded from the park to the State of Wyoming.

16 U.S.C. § 21b Extension of certain laws to park

The provisions of the Act of March 1, 1872,11 See References in Text note below. reserving lands for park purposes, the Act of July 10, 1890,1 admitting the State of Wyoming into the Union, the Act of May 7, 1894, entitled “An Act to protect the birds and animals in the Yellowstone National Park and to punish crimes in said park, and for other purposes,” 1 the Act of August 25, 1916, entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes,” 1 and all Acts supplementary to and amendatory of said Acts are made applicable to and extended over the lands added to the park: Provided, That the provisions of the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 791a et seq.] shall not apply to or extend over such lands.

16 U.S.C. § 21c Section 485 as extending to revised boundaries; lands acquired by exchange

The provisions of section 485 of this title shall continue to be applicable to the areas included within the Yellowstone National Park by section 21a of this title, and any lands within such areas acquired by exchange thereunder shall thereupon become a part of the Yellowstone National Park.

16 U.S.C. § 21d Existing claims, locations, and entries as affected by revised boundaries

Nothing herein contained shall affect any valid existing claim, location, or entry under the land laws of the United States, whether for homestead, mineral right of way, or any other purposes whatsoever, or shall affect the right of any such claimant, locator, or entryman to the full use and enjoyment of his land.

16 U.S.C. § 22 Control of park by Secretary of the Interior; removal of trespassers

The Yellowstone National Park shall be under the exclusive control of the Secretary of the Interior, whose duty it shall be, as soon as practicable, to make and publish such regulations as he may deem necessary or proper for the care and management of the same. Such regulations shall provide for the preservation, from injury or spoliation, of all timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonders, within the park, and their retention in their natural condition. The Secretary may, in his discretion, grant leases for building purposes for terms not exceeding ten years, of small parcels of ground, at such places in the park as may require the erection of buildings for the accommodation of visitors; all of the proceeds of such leases, and all other revenues that may be derived from any source connected with the park, to be expended under his direction in the management of the same, and the construction of roads and bridle-paths therein. He shall provide against the wanton destruction of the fish and game found within the park, and against their capture or destruction for the purposes of merchandise or profit. He shall also cause all persons trespassing upon the same to be removed therefrom, and generally is authorized to take all such measures as may be necessary or proper to fully carry out the objects and purposes of this section.

16 U.S.C. § 23 Detail of troops for protection of park

The Secretary of the Army, upon the request of the Secretary of the Interior, is authorized and directed to make the necessary details of troops to prevent trespassers or intruders from entering the park for the purpose of destroying the game or objects of curiosity therein, or for any other purpose prohibited by law, and to remove such persons from the park if found therein.

16 U.S.C. § 24 Jurisdiction over park; fugitives from justice

The Yellowstone National Park, as its boundaries now are defined, or as they may be hereafter defined or extended, shall be under the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the United States. All the laws applicable to places under the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the United States, shall have force and effect in said park. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to forbid the service in the park of any civil or criminal process of any court having jurisdiction in the States of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. All fugitives from justice taking refuge in said park shall be subject to the same laws as refugees from justice found in the State of Wyoming.

16 U.S.C. § 26 Regulations for hunting and fishing in park; punishment for violations; forfeitures

All hunting, or the killing, wounding, or capturing at any time of any bird or wild animal, except dangerous animals, when it is necessary to prevent them from destroying human life or inflicting an injury, is prohibited within the limits of said park; nor shall any fish be taken out of the waters of the park by means of seines, nets, traps, or by the use of drugs or any explosive substances or compounds, or in any other way than by hook and line, and then only at such seasons and in such times and manner as may be directed by the Secretary of the Interior. The Secretary of the Interior shall make and publish such rules and regulations as he may deem necessary and proper for the management and care of the park and for the protection of the property therein, especially for the preservation from injury or spoliation of all timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonderful objects within said park; and for the protection of the animals and birds in the park, from capture or destruction, or to prevent their being frightened or driven from the park; and he shall make rules and regulations governing the taking of fish from the streams or lakes in the park. Possession within the said park of the dead bodies, or any part thereof, of any wild bird or animal shall be prima facie evidence that the person or persons having the same are guilty of violating this Act. Any person or persons, or stage or express company or railway company, receiving for transportation any of the said animals, birds, or fish so killed, taken, or caught shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be fined for every such offense not exceeding $300. Any person found guilty of violating any of the provisions of this Act or any rule or regulation that may be promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior with reference to the management and care of the park, or for the protection of the property therein, for the preservation from injury or spoliation of timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonderful objects within said park, or for the protection of the animals, birds, and fish in the said park, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be subjected to a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both, and be adjudged to pay all costs of the proceedings. All guns, traps, teams, horses, or means of transportation of every nature or description used by any person or persons within said park limits when engaged in killing, trapping, ensnaring, or capturing such wild beasts, birds, or wild animals shall be forfeited to the United States, and may be seized by the officers in said park and held pending the prosecution of any person or persons arrested under charge of violating the provisions of this Act, and upon conviction under this Act of such person or persons using said guns, traps, teams, horses, or other means of transportation such forfeiture shall be adjudicated as a penalty in addition to the other punishment provided in this Act. Such forfeited property shall be disposed of and accounted for by and under the authority of the Secretary of the Interior.

16 U.S.C. § 30 Jail building; office of magistrate judge

The Secretary of the Interior shall cause to be erected in Yellowstone National Park a suitable building to be used as a jail, and also having in said building an office for the use of the United States magistrate judge.

16 U.S.C. § 30a Existing laws as affected

This Act shall not be construed to repeal existing laws conferring upon the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of the Army certain powers with reference to the protection, improvement, and control of the said Yellowstone National Park.

16 U.S.C. § 32 Lease of lands within park

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and empowered to lease for a period not exceeding twenty years, at an annual rental to be determined by him, to any person, corporation, or company he may authorize to transact business in the Yellowstone National Park, separate tracts of land, not exceeding twenty acres each, at such places not to exceed ten in number to any one person, corporation, or company, in said park as the comfort and convenience of visitors may require for the construction and maintenance of substantial hotel buildings and buildings for the protection of stage, stock, and equipment. Such lease or leases shall not include any of the geysers or any objects of curiosity or interest in said park, or exclude the public from free and convenient approach thereto, or include any ground within one-eighth of a mile of any of the geysers of the Yellowstone Falls, the Grand Canyon, or the Yellowstone River, Mammoth Hot Springs, or any object of curiosity in the park; nor shall such lease convey either expressly or by implication any exclusive privilege within the park, except on the premises held thereunder and for the time therein granted. Every lease made for any property of said park shall require the lessee to observe and obey each and every provision in any Act of Congress, every rule, order, or regulation made or which shall hereafter be made and published by the Secretary of the Interior concerning the use, care, management, or government of the park, or any object or property therein under penalty of forfeiture of such lease, and shall be subject to the right of revocation and forfeiture, which shall therein be reserved by the Secretary of the Interior. The provisions of this section are not to be construed as mandatory upon the Secretary of the Interior, but the authority herein given is to be exercised in his sound discretion.

16 U.S.C. § 33 Mortgages by lessees within the park

Any person, corporation, or company holding a lease within Yellowstone Park for the purposes described in section 32 of this title is authorized, with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, to execute mortgages upon his or its rights, properties, and franchises, including his or its contract or contracts with the Secretary of the Interior, and such mortgages, together with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior may be filed for record in the office of the Secretary of the Interior, and when so recorded shall have all the effect of a public record. Any mortgage, lien, or encumbrance created under the provisions of this section shall be subject to the rights of the Government to compel the enforcement of the terms of the lease or contract of the mortgagor, and any purchaser under a foreclosure of such encumbrance shall take subject to all the conditions assumed by the original lessee or contractor.

16 U.S.C. § 34 Road extensions

Road extensions and improvements shall be made in the Yellowstone National Park under and in harmony with the general plan of roads and improvements to be approved by the Secretary of the Interior.

16 U.S.C. § 35 Private use of electricity from lighting and power plant

Private parties or companies doing business in the Yellowstone National Park under authority from the Government may be permitted, in the discretion of the Secretary of the Army, to use electricity furnished by the electric lighting and power plant of Fort Yellowstone and Mammoth Hot Springs at actual cost to the Government for operation, maintenance, and depreciation of the plant and 10 per centum additional, under such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Army.

16 U.S.C. § 36 Disposition of surplus elk, buffalo, bear, beaver, and predatory animals

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized, in his discretion and under regulations to be prescribed by him, to give surplus elk, buffalo, bear, beaver, and predatory animals inhabiting Yellowstone National Park to Federal, State, county, and municipal authorities for preserves, zoos, zoological gardens, and parks. He may sell or otherwise dispose of the surplus buffalo of the Yellowstone National Park herd, and all moneys received from the sale of any such surplus buffalo shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts.

16 U.S.C. § 36a Disposition of surplus elk

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized in his discretion, and under regulations to be prescribed by him, to sell or otherwise dispose of the surplus elk from the Yellowstone National Park herd, and all moneys received from the sale of any such surplus elk shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts.

16 U.S.C. § 37 Provision of feed and range facilities for game animals

As a means of providing within township 8 south, ranges 7 and 8 east, and township 9 south, ranges 7, 8, and 9 east, Montana principal meridian, the winter range and winter feed facilities indispensable for the adequate and proper protection, preservation, and propagation of the elk, antelope, and other game animals of the Yellowstone National Park and adjacent lands, the Secretary of the Interior, in his discretion, and subject to the limitation hereinafter prescribed may, and is, authorized to perform the following acts: (a) Accept and deposit in a special fund in the Treasury, and expend for the acquisition of lands as herein authorized, private funds donated for such purpose. (b) Acquire by purchase, or by acceptance of donations or bequests, such lands in private or State ownership within the townships above described as he may deem necessary to carry out the purpose of sections 37 to 40 of this title.

16 U.S.C. § 38 Exchange for State or private lands authorized

The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized in his discretion to accept, on behalf of the United States, title to any lands held in private or State ownership within the townships described in section 37 of this title, and in exchange therefor may patent not to exceed an equal value of national forest land in the State of Montana, surveyed and nonmineral in character, or the Secretary of Agriculture may authorize the grantor to cut and remove not to exceed an equal value of timber within the national forests of said State, the values in each case to be determined by the Secretary of Agriculture: Provided, That before any such exchange is effected, notice of the contemplated exchange reciting the lands involved shall be published once each week for four successive weeks in some newspaper of general circulation in the county or counties in which may be situated the lands to be accepted and in some like newspaper published in any county in which may be situated any lands or timber to be given in such exchange. Timber given in exchange shall be cut and removed from national forests under the laws and regulations relating to the national forests and under the direction and supervision and in accordance with the requirements of the Secretary of Agriculture.

16 U.S.C. § 39 Reservation of timber, minerals, or easements by owners on exchange

Reservations of timber, minerals, or easements, the values of which shall be duly considered in determining the values of the lands conveyed, may be made by the owner or owners thereof in lands conveyed to the United States under the provisions of sections 37 to 40 of this title. Where such reservations are made, the right to enjoy them shall be subject to such reasonable conditions respecting ingress and egress and the use of the surface of the land as may be deemed necessary by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, whichever may be responsible for the handling and use of the land as provided in said sections: Provided, That all property, rights, easements, and benefits authorized by this section to be retained by or reserved to owners of land conveyed to the United States shall be subject to the tax laws of the States where such lands are located.

16 U.S.C. § 40 Additions to park; entry under other acts

The President of the United States is authorized, in his discretion, to add by Executive proclamation to Yellowstone National Park any or all of the lands within a certain territory or tract in township 9 south, ranges 7 and 8 east, Montana principal meridian, to wit: Beginning at a point on the north line of said Yellowstone National Park where said line crosses the divide between Reese Creek and Mol Heron Creek, thence northeasterly along said divide to the junction of said divide with the branch divide north and west of Reese Creek; thence along said branch divide in a northeasterly and easterly direction around the drainage of Reese Creek, to the Yellowstone River; thence southerly and southeasterly along the west bank of the Yellowstone River to the line marking the western limits of the town of Gardiner, Montana; thence south on said town limits line to the northern boundary of Yellowstone National Park; thence west along the north boundary of Yellowstone National Park to the point of beginning, which are unappropriated lands of the United States or which may be acquired by the United States under the provisions of sections 37 to 40 of this title, within the territory described in this section, subject, however, to all valid existing claims and to reservations such as are authorized by section 39 of this title; but, with the exception of valid existing claims, no land so added to Yellowstone National Park shall be subject to entry under the mining laws of the United States: Provided, That the Secretary of the Interior for such lands as are added to Yellowstone National Park may provide by rules and regulations for the management and use of the added lands as may in his discretion be necessary to accomplish the purposes of sections 37 to 40 of this title: And provided further, That the lands of the United States acquired by donation or purchase within the area described in section 37 of this title shall not be subject to location and entry under the mining laws of the United States nor the Act of June 11, 1906, authorizing homestead entries in national forests.

16 U.S.C. § 40a Educational facilities for dependents of employees; payments to school districts; limitation on amount

Under such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior, payments may be made, as provided in sections 40a to 40c of this title, in advance or otherwise, from any revenues received by the United States from visitors to Yellowstone National Park, to the appropriate school district or districts serving that park, as reimbursement for educational facilities (including, where appropriate, transportation to and from school) furnished by the said district or districts to pupils who are dependents of persons engaged in the administration, operation, and maintenance of the park, and living at or near the park upon real property of the United States not subject to taxation by the State or local agencies and upon which payments in lieu of taxes are not made by the United States: Provided, That the payments for any school year for the aforesaid purpose shall not exceed that part of the cost of operating and maintaining such facilities which the number of pupils, in average daily attendance during that year, bears to the whole number of pupils in average daily attendance at those schools for that year.

16 U.S.C. § 40b Cooperative agreements with States or local agencies; expansion; Federal contributions

If in the opinion of the Secretary of the Interior, the aforesaid educational facilities cannot be provided adequately and payment made therefor on a pro rata basis, as prescribed in section 40a of this title, the Secretary of the Interior, in his discretion, may enter into cooperative agreements with States or local agencies for (a) the operation of school facilities, (b) for the construction and expansion of local facilities at Federal expense, and (c) for contribution by the Federal Government, on an equitable basis satisfactory to the Secretary, to cover the increased cost to local agencies for providing the educational services required for the purposes of sections 40a to 40c of this title.

16 U.S.C. § 40c Creation of special fund; expenditure

For the purposes of sections 40a and 40b of this title, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to maintain hereafter in a special fund a sufficient portion of the park revenues, based upon estimates to be submitted by the Secretary of the Interior, and to expend the same upon certification by the Secretary of the Interior.