Recreation Act

Q:\COMP\MISC\RRA

ACT OF SEPTEMBER 28, 1962
(Commonly referred to as the Refuge Recreation Act)

1
December 29, 2000

Q:\COMP\MISC\RRA

December 29, 2000

Q:\COMP\MISC\RRA

ACT OF SEPTEMBER 28, 1962
(Commonly referred to as the Refuge Recreation Act)

[As Amended Through P.L. 106–580, Dec. 29, 2000]
AN ACT To ensure continued fish and wildlife benefits from the national fish and
wildlife conservation areas by authorizing their appropriate incidental or secondary use for public recreation to the extent that such use is compatible with
the primary purposes of such areas, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That in recognition of mounting public demands for recreational opportunities on
areas within the National Wildlife Refuge System, national fish
hatcheries, and other conservation areas administered by the Secretary of the Interior for fish and wildlife purposes; and in recognition also of the resulting imperative need, if such recreational opportunities are provided, to assure that any present or future recreational use will be compatible with, and will not prevent accomplishment of, the primary purposes for which the said conservation
areas were acquired or established, the Secretary of the Interior is
authorized, as an appropriate incidental or secondary use, to administer such areas or parts thereof for public recreation when in
his judgment public recreation can be an appropriate incidental or
secondary use: Provided, That such public recreation use shall be
permitted only to the extent that is practicable and not inconsistent with other previously authorized Federal operations or with
the primary objectives for which each particular area is established: Provided further, That in order to insure accomplishment of
such primary objectives, the Secretary, after consideration of all
authorized uses, purposes, and other pertinent factors relating to
individual areas, shall curtail public recreation use generally or
certain types of public recreation use within individual areas or in
portions thereof whenever he considers such action to be necessary:
And provided further, That none of the aforesaid refuges, hatcheries, game ranges, and other conservation areas shall be used during any fiscal year for those forms of recreation that are not directly related to the primary purposes and functions of the individual areas until the Secretary shall have determined—
(a) that such recreational use will not interfere with the
primary purposes for which the areas were established, and
(b) that funds are available for the development, operation,
and maintenance of these permitted forms of recreation. This
section shall not be construed to repeal or amend previous enactments relating to particular areas.
ø16 U.S.C. 460k¿
3
December 29, 2000

Q:\COMP\MISC\RRA
Sec. 2

REFUGE RECREATION ACT

4

SEC. 2. The Secretary is authorized to acquire areas of land,
or interests therein, which are suitable for—
(1) incidental fish and wildlife-oriented recreational development,
(2) the protection of natural resources,
(3) the conservation of endangered species or threatened
species listed by the Secretary pursuant to section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, or
(4) carrying out two or more of the purposes set forth in
paragraphs (1) through (3) of this section, and are adjacent to,
or within, the said conservation areas, except that the acquisition of any land or interest therein pursuant to this section
shall be accomplished only with such funds as may be appropriated therefor by the Congress or donated for such purposes,
but such property shall not be acquired with funds obtained
from the sale of Federal migratory bird hunting stamps.
Lands acquired pursuant to this section shall become a part of the
particular conservation area to which they are adjacent.
ø16 U.S.C. 460k–1¿

SEC. 3. In furtherance of the purposes of this Act, the Secretary is authorized to cooperate with public and private agencies,
organizations, and individuals, and he may accept and use, without
further authorization, donations of funds and real and personal
property. Such acceptance may be accomplished under the terms
and conditions of restrictive covenants imposed by donors when
such covenants are deemed by the Secretary to be compatible with
the purposes of the wildlife refuges, games ranges, fish hatcheries,
and other fish and wildlife conservation areas.
ø16 U.S.C. 460k–2¿

SEC. 4. The Secretary may establish reasonable charges and
fees and issue permits for public use of national wildlife refuges,
game ranges, national fish hatcheries, and other conservation areas
administered by the Department of the Interior for fish and wildlife
purposes. The Secretary may issue regulations to carry out the purposes of this Act. A violation of such regulations shall be a misdemeanor with maximum penalties of imprisonment for not more
than six months, or a fine of not more than $500, or both. The provisions of this Act and any such regulation shall be enforced by any
officer or employee of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
designated by the Secretary of the Interior.
ø16 U.S.C. 460k–3¿

SEC. 5. There is authorized to be appropriated such funds as
may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act, including
the construction and maintenance of public recreational facilities.
ø16 U.S.C. 460k–4¿

December 29, 2000