USC Subchapter XLVII

in effect

16 U.S.C. § 404 Establishment; boundaries

When title to lands within the area referred to in this section shall have been vested in the United States in fee simple, there shall be, and there is, established, dedicated, and set apart as a public park for the benefit and enjoyment of the people, the tract of land in the Mammoth Cave region in the State of Kentucky, being approximately seventy thousand six hundred and eighteen acres, recommended as a National Park by the Southern Appalachian National Park Commission to the Secretary of the Interior, in its report of April 8, 1926, and made under authority of the Act of February 21, 1925 (chapter 281, 43 Statutes 958); which area, or any part or parts thereof as may be accepted on behalf of the United States in accordance with the provisions hereof, shall be known as the Mammoth Cave National Park: Provided, That the United States shall not purchase by appropriation of public moneys any land within the aforesaid area, but such lands shall be secured by the United States only by public or private donation.

16 U.S.C. § 404a Acceptance of title to lands

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized, in his discretion, to accept, as hereinafter provided, on behalf of the United States, title to the lands referred to in section 404 of this title, and to be purchased with the funds which may be subscribed by or through the Mammoth Cave National Park Association of Kentucky, and with other contributions for the purchase of lands in the Mammoth Cave National Park area: Provided, That any of said lands may be donated directly to the United States and conveyed to it, cost free, by fee-simple title, in cases where such donations may be made without the necessity of purchase.

16 U.S.C. § 404b Administration, protection, and development; Federal Power Act inapplicable; minimum area

The administration, protection, and development of the aforesaid park shall be exercised under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior by the National Park Service, subject to the provisions of the Act of August 25, 1916, entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes,” 11 See References in Text note below. as amended: Provided, That the provisions of the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 791a et seq.] shall not apply to this park: And provided further, That the minimum area to be administered and protected by the National Park Service shall be, for the said Mammoth Cave National Park, twenty thousand acres: Provided further, That no general development of said area shall be undertaken until a major portion of the remainder in such area, including all the caves thereof, shall have been accepted by said Secretary, and he shall have established a schedule of fees for admission to such caves.

16 U.S.C. § 404b–1 Exclusion of Great Onyx and Crystal Caves

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized, in his discretion, to exclude the Great Onyx Cave and the Crystal Cave, or either of them, from the maximum boundaries of the said park, and the area required for general development of the said park by section 404b of this title, is modified accordingly.

16 U.S.C. § 404b–2 Eventual acquisition of Great Onyx and Crystal Caves; cooperation with State of Kentucky

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to cooperate with the State of Kentucky for the purpose of arranging for the eventual acquisition by the United States of the Great Onyx Cave and the Crystal Cave within the authorized boundaries of Mammoth Cave National Park. The Secretary shall deposit to the credit of a special receipt account that portion of the annual admission, guide, and elevator fee receipts from the said park which exceeds the annual amount available to the park for management, guide, and protection purposes, which funds so deposited may be expended thereafter in payment for the purchase of said cave properties. The Secretary is further authorized to enter into such contracts and agreements as he may determine to be necessary to effectuate the acquisition of the cave properties as authorized herein.

16 U.S.C. § 404c–1 Acceptance of cession by United States; jurisdiction

The provisions of the act of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, approved March 22, 1930 (Acts of 1930, ch. 132, p. 405), ceding to the United States exclusive jurisdiction over, within, and under such territory in the Commonwealth as may be acquired for the Mammoth Cave National Park, are accepted. Subject to the reservations made by the Commonwealth in the act of cession, the United States assumes sole and exclusive jurisdiction over such territory.

16 U.S.C. § 404c–2 Fugitives from justice

All fugitives from justice taking refuge in the park shall be subject to the same laws as fugitives from justice found in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

16 U.S.C. § 404c–3 Criminal offenses concerning hunting, fishing, and property; prima facie evidence; rules and regulations

All hunting or the killing, wounding, or capturing at any time of any wild bird or animal, except dangerous animals when it is necessary to prevent them from destroying human lives or inflicting personal injury, is prohibited within the limits of the park, nor shall any fish be taken out of any of the waters of the park, except at such seasons and at such times and in such manner as may be directed by the Secretary of the Interior. The Secretary of the Interior shall make and publish such general 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 the park, and for the protection of the animals and birds in the park from capture or destruction, and to prevent their being frightened or driven from the park; and he shall make rules and regulations governing the taking of fish from the waters in the park. Possession within the 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, stage or express company, railway or other transportation company, who knows or has reason to believe that such wild birds, fish, or animals were taken or killed contrary to the provisions of this Act or the rules and regulations promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior, and who receives for transportation the dead bodies or any part thereof of the wild birds, fish, or animals so taken or killed, or who shall violate any of the other provisions of this Act, or the rules and regulations, 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 the park, or for the protection of the animals, birds, and fish in the park, or who shall within the park commit any damage, injury, or spoliation to or upon any building, fence, sign, hedge, gate, guidepost, tree, wood, underwood, timber, garden, crops, vegetables, plants, land, springs, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or other matter or thing growing or being thereon, or situated therein, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both, and be adjudged to pay all the costs of the proceedings.

16 U.S.C. § 404c–4 Forfeiture of property used in commission of offenses

All guns, traps, nets, seines, fishing tackle, teams, horses, or means of transportation of every nature or description used by any person or persons within the limits of the park when engaged in killing, trapping, ensnaring, taking, or capturing such wild birds, fish, or animals contrary to the provisions of this Act or the rules and regulations promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior shall be forfeited to the United States and may be seized by the officers in the park and held pending prosecution of any person or persons arrested under the charge of violating the provisions of this Act, and upon conviction under this Act, of such person or persons using said guns, traps, nets, seines, fishing tackle, teams, horses, or other means of transportation, such forfeiture shall be adjudicated as a penalty in addition to the other punishment prescribed in this Act. Such forfeited property shall be disposed of and accounted for by and under the authority of the Secretary of the Interior: Provided, That the forfeiture of teams, horses, or other means of transportation shall be in the discretion of the court.

16 U.S.C. § 404c–10 Notice of assumption of police jurisdiction by United States; acceptance by Secretary of further cessions

The Secretary of the Interior shall notify in writing the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky of the passage and approval of this Act, and of the fact that the United States assumes police jurisdiction over the park. Upon the acceptance by the Secretary of the Interior of further cessions of jurisdiction over lands now or hereafter included in the Mammoth Cave National Park, the provisions of sections 2 to 9 inclusive, shall apply to such lands.

16 U.S.C. § 404c–11 Secretary of the Interior authorized to acquire additional lands; appropriation; approval of title

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized in his discretion to acquire for inclusion within the Mammoth Cave National Park by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise, any lands, interests in lands, and other property within the maximum boundaries thereof as authorized by sections 404 to 404b and 404c of this title, notwithstanding the provisions of sections 404b–1 and 404f of this title, or any action taken thereunder to exclude certain caves from the park area. In order to provide for acquisition of property on behalf of the United States, in accordance with the provisions of this section, there is authorized to be appropriated the sum of not to exceed $350,000. Any of the funds appropriated pursuant to the provisions hereof which are not needed to acquire property as authorized by this section may, in the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior, be used to acquire lands and interests in lands required for the development of a proper and suitable entrance road to Mammoth Cave National Park, as authorized in section 404c–12 of this title. The funds heretofore deposited in the Treasury under special fund receipt account 146664 shall, upon June 30, 1948, be transferred to the general fund of the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts: Provided, That no part of this authorization shall be used for road development or construction until after all the lands within the maximum boundaries, as authorized by sections 404 to 404b and 404c of this title, have been acquired by purchase, condemnation or otherwise. The title to lands, interests in lands, and other property to be acquired pursuant to this Act shall be satisfactory to the Secretary of the Interior. Any property acquired pursuant to said sections upon acquisition by the Federal Government, shall become a part of the park, and shall be subject to all laws and regulations applicable thereto.

16 U.S.C. § 404c–12 Entrance roads

For the purpose of developing a proper and suitable entrance road to the Mammoth Cave National Park, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized in his discretion to accept on behalf of the United States donations of lands, buildings, structures, and other property or interests therein, or to acquire such property with donated funds by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise, within an area or areas to be determined by him, but (a) not to exceed one mile in width, extending from the exterior boundary of the Mammoth Cave National Park to a point to be selected by him on United States Highway Numbered 31–W, and (b) not to exceed one-half mile in width on either side of United States Highway Numbered 31–W and running for a distance of not to exceed two miles along said highway. Lands acquired for purposes of protecting such entrance roads shall not be less than five hundred feet in width on either side of said roads: Provided, That only one such entrance road shall be established between United States Highway Numbered 31–W and Mammoth Cave National Park pursuant to this Act.

16 U.S.C. § 404d Acceptance of title to lands; reservations; leases; rights-of-way and easements

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized in his discretion to accept title to lands tendered without cost to the United States within the area of the Mammoth Cave National Park, subject to leases entered into and granted as part consideration in connection with the purchase of said land for tender to the United States for park purposes, but not exceeding in length of term the life of the particular grantor or grantors: Provided, That said leases and the terms and conditions thereof shall have previously been submitted to and approved by said Secretary: And provided further, That he may lease upon such terms and conditions as he deems proper any lands within the aforesaid areas when such use shall not be deemed by him inconsistent with the purposes for which the lands were acquired on behalf of the United States, to persons, educational or religious institutions, private corporations, associations, and partnerships previously occupying such land for terms not exceeding the particular lifetime in the case of natural persons, and not exceeding twenty years in all other cases, which latter leases may be renewed in the discretion of said Secretary: And provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior may accept lands for these parks subject to reservations of rights-of-way and easements.

16 U.S.C. § 404e Donations of money; acquisition of title to lands

In the establishment of the said Mammoth Cave National Park the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to accept donations of money for the acquisition of lands and rights therein and to acquire the same by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise.

16 U.S.C. § 404f Acquisition of additional lands

All lands purchased from funds heretofore allocated and made available by Executive order, or otherwise, for the acquisition of lands for conservation or forestation purposes within the maximum boundaries of the Mammoth Cave National Park as authorized by section 404 of this title, are made a part of the said park as fully as if originally acquired for that purpose and the proviso at the end of section 404 of this title shall not be construed so as to prohibit the acquisition of lands in said area under funds made available as aforesaid.