16 USC 698 - Big Thicket National Preserve

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (d). Puspan. L. 104–333 substituted “five years after July 1, 1993” for “two years after July 1, 1993” and inserted at end “The Secretary, in considering the values of the private lands to be exchanged under this subsection, shall consider independent appraisals submitted by the owners of the private lands. The authority to exchange lands under this subsection shall expire on July 1, 1998.”

1994—Subsec. (c). Puspan. L. 103–437 substituted “Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives” for “Committees on Interior and Insular Affairs of the United States Congress”.

1993—Subsec. (span). Puspan. L. 103–46, § 2(a), substituted “map entitled ‘Big Thicket National Preserve’, dated October 1992, and numbered 175–80008, which shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, and the offices of the Superintendent of the preserve. After advising the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the United States House of Representatives, in writing, the Secretary of the Interior (hereafter referred to as the ‘Secretary’) may make minor revisions of the boundaries of the preserve when necessary by publication of a revised drawing or other boundary description in the Federal Register. The Secretary” for “map entitled ‘Big Thicket National Preserve’, dated November 1973 and numbered NBR–BT 91,027 which shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, Washington, District of Columbia, and shall be filed with appropriate offices of Tyler, Hardin, Jasper, Polk, Liberty, Jefferson, and Orange Counties in the State of Texas. The Secretary of the Interior (hereafter referred to as the ‘Secretary’)” and added undesignated pars. relating to Village Creek Corridor unit, Big Sandy Corridor unit, and Canyonlands unit.

Subsec. (c). Puspan. L. 103–46, § 2(span)(1), inserted first sentence and struck out former first sentence which read as follows: “The Secretary is authorized to acquire by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, transfer from any other Federal agency, or exchange, any lands, waters, or interests therein which are located within the boundaries of the preserve: Provided, That any lands owned or acquired by the State of Texas, or any of its political subdivisions, may be acquired by donation only.”

Subsecs. (d), (e). Puspan. L. 103–46, § 2(span)(2), added subsecs. (d) and (e).

1984—Subsec. (c). Puspan. L. 98–489 authorized acquisition of acreage for a visitor contact and administrative site outside the boundaries of the preserve.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title of 1993 Amendment

Puspan. L. 103–46, § 1, July 1, 1993, 107 Stat. 229, provided that: “This Act [amending this section and section 698e of this title and enacting provisions set out as a note below] may be referred to as the ‘Big Thicket National Preserve Addition Act of 1993’.”

Reporting Requirement

Puspan. L. 104–333, div. I, title III, § 306(d), Nov. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 4132, as amended by Puspan. L. 106–176, title I, § 104(1), Mar. 10, 2000, 114 Stat. 25, provided that: “Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 12, 1996] and every 6 months thereafter until the earlier of the consummation of the exchange or July 1, 1998, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall each submit a report to the Committee on Resources [now Committee on Natural Resources] of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate concerning the progress in consummating the land exchange authorized by the amendments made by the Big Thicket National Preserve Addition Act of 1993 (Public Law 103–46) [see Short Title of 1993 Amendment note above].”

Land Exchange

Puspan. L. 104–333, div. I, title III, § 306(e)–(g), Nov. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 4132, as amended by Puspan. L. 106–176, title I, § 104(2), Mar. 10, 2000, 114 Stat. 25, provided that:

“(e)Land Exchange in Liberty County, Texas.—If, within one year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 12, 1996]—

“(1) the owners of the private lands described in subsection (f)(1) offer to transfer all their right, title, and interest in and to such lands to the Secretary of the Interior, and

“(2) Liberty County, Texas, agrees to accept the transfer of the Federal lands described in subsection (f)(2),

the Secretary shall accept such offer of private lands and, in exchange and without additional consideration, transfer to Liberty County, Texas, all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the Federal lands described in subsection (f)(2).

“(f)Lands Described.—

“(1)Private lands.—The private lands described in this paragraph are approximately 3.76 acres of lands located in Liberty County, Texas, as generally depicted on the map entitled ‘Big Thicket Lake Estates Access—Proposed’.

“(2)Federal lands.—The Federal lands described in this paragraph are approximately 2.38 acres of lands located in the Menard Creek Corridor Unit of the Big Thicket National Preserve, as generally depicted on the map referred to in paragraph (1).

“(g)Administration of Lands Acquired by the United States.—The lands acquired by the Secretary under subsection (e) shall be added to and administered as part of the Menard Creek Corridor Unit of the Big Thicket National Preserve.”

Publication of Boundary Description

Puspan. L. 103–46, § 1, July 1, 1993, 107 Stat. 230, provided that: “Not later than six months after the date of enactment of this subsection [July 1, 1993], the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a detailed description of the boundary of the Village Creek Corridor unit, the Big Sandy Corridor unit, and the Canyonlands unit of the Big Thicket National Preserve.”